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Homestea 
^  Koneering  in  the 
^  land  Area  between 
L  and  Teton  Rivers 


^^- 


DAVID  a  MCKAY  UBRARy  / 


OAVID  O.  McKAY  UBRARV 

RICKS  COLLEGE 

HEXBURG,  IDAHO  83460-0405 


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DATE  DUE 


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JUL  19  2007 

MAR  1  5  2nit 

cKAVUBRARy 
-EGE 

DAHO  83460-0406 


DEMCO,  INC.  38-2931 


DAVIC 


i<  Ml  I  III! 
31 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 
Brigham  Young  University-Idaho 


http://www.archive.org/details/historyofuplandsOOgarr 


HISTORY  OF  THE  UPLANDS 

FARNUM,  DRUMMOND,  SQUIRREL,  LAMONT 

AND 
COMMUNITIES  FADED  INTO  THE  PAST 

1896  -  1990 


HISTORY  OF  HOMESTEADING  AND  PIONEERING 

HISTORIES  OF  FAMILIES  BY  CONTRIBUTION 

AND  SPECIAL  PERMISSION  OF  ARTICLES  FROM 

THE  "SNAKE  RIVER  ECHOES" 


COMPILED  BY  TRESSA  MURDOCH  GARRETT  AND  PERCY  BLAINE  HAWKES 


1992 


EARLY  UPLAND  COMMUNITIES  BETWEEN  FALL  &  TETON  RIVERS 


FERRIN 


,  LAMONT 


,  FRANCE 


GREENHILL 


DKU>U\OND 


♦  LILLIAN 


»     FAiu^UM 


EARLY  UPLAND  COMMUNITIES  BETWEEN  FALL  &  TETON  RIVERS 

CONTENTS 


Chapter  Page 

Dedication  U 

Preface  m 

Acknowledgments  IV 

Introduction  VI 

1  The  Church  Record  1 

2  Our  Pioneer  Schools  9 

3  Conant  Creek  Canal  &  Camp  Henry  25 

4  A  Panoramic  Bird's  Eye  View  31 

5  Ten  Communities  in  Our  Area  51 

6  Servicemen  &  Women  57 

7  Our  Cemeteries  59 

8  Family  Histories  61 

9  A  Collection  of  Names  399 

10  Maps  &  Homestead  Records  403 


I 


DEDICATION 

"Tread  softly...  The  years  roll  out  a  carpet  of  memories  for  our 
hearts  to  walk  on."  -  Blaine  Blake 


This  book  is  of  hope,  courage,  love,  admonition,  sadness, 
sickness,  sorrow,  sometimes  death,  and  yet  through  it  all  you 
get  the  feeling  of  the  pioneers  desire  to  give  to  their  famihes  a 
better  place  to  live,  so  we  dedicate  this  book  to  those  who 
made  the  history. 

Also  to  those  of  you  who  have  made  it  possible  to  share  your 
histories  and  to  those  who  will  follow  after  us  and  give  honor 
to  their  ancestors  who  made  this  short  history  possible. 


A  professor  once  said,  "As  you  live  your  life  pick  a  bouquet  of 
memories.  When  you  are  old,  your  bouquet  will  be  a 
treasure.  Pick  a  flower  -  a  memory  and  enjoy  it.  Think  back 
on  wonderful  times.  Some  memories  arc  not  so  fragrant,  but 
they  can  be  exchanged  for  others." 

-  Alice  Burcyk 


II 


PREFACE 


In  1852,  when  Brigham  Young  first  sent  scouts  to  look  over  this 
valley  there  was  such  heavy  fi-ost  every  night  of  the  summer  that 
they  abandoned  the  idea  of  settling  here.  Some  thirty  years  later, 
when  the  Saints  needed  the  area.  President  Woodruff  came  here 
and  blessed  the  land  with  a  mighty  prophecy  and  blessing.  In 
President  Woodruffs  words,  "I  promise  you  that  the  climate  will 
be  moderated  for  your  good.  I  can  see  these  great  sagebrush 
prairies  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  turned  into  fertile  fields.... 
Flowers  and  trees  and  fine  homes  shall  grace  this  great  valley  from 
one  end  to  the  other.  Schools  and  colleges  of  higher  learning  shall 
be  built  to  serve  you,  that  you  may  learn  the  mysteries  of  God's 
great  universe.  I  see  churches  and  meeting  houses...  Yes,  and...  I 
can  see  temples  erected  in  the  name  of  the  Living  God."  I  needn't 
explain  to  you  how  literally  that  promise  and  prophecy  have  been 
fiilfilled... 

(It  has  been  said,  by  the  way,  that  President  Woodruff  might  have 
mentioned  the  wind.  It  has  also  been  said  in  response,  perhaps  he 
didn't  because  the  wind  was  the  medium  for  calming  the  frost.) 


Bruce  C.  Hafen,  Eleventh  President  of  Ricks  College,  Rexburg, 
Idaho  as  told  in  his  Inauguration  Address  on  October  20,  1978. 
(President  Hafen  thanked  President  Delbert  Groberg  of  the  Idaho 
Falls  Temple  for  sharing  it  with  him.) 


"Every  person  when  he  is  born,  has  a  sp>eck  of  goodness  and  a 
speck  of  bad.  Whichever  one  you  cultivate  will  make  you  what  you 
are." 

"Be  honest  with  your  deaHngs  with  people.  If  you  tell  them 
something,  keep  your  word." 


m 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

To  Trcssa's  mother,  Luann  Murdoch,  for  planting  the  seeds. 

To  Trcssa  Murdoch  Garrett  for  cultivating  and  bringing  forth  this 
great  treasure  of  memories. 

To  Blaine  Hawkes  who  has  enjoyed  every  moment  in  helping  do 
the  work. 

To  Clyde  Garrett  the  best  proofreader  ever. 

To  Margaret  Hawkes  Lindsley  for  much  of  the  secular  history. 
To  Adl  S.,  and  Raymond  H.  Hawkes  for  their  writings. 

To  the  families  who  submitted  pictures  and  histories. 

To  the  Daughters  of  the  Utah  Pioneers  for  the  use  of  the  irrigation 
history. 

To  Louis  Clements  for  use  of  the  Snake  River  Echoes. 

To  Garnet  BischofFfor  much  of  the  school  history. 

To  Ariel  Green  for  advice,  typing,  and  computer  work. 

To  Jerry  &  Mona  Sherwood,  advisors  and  computer  work. 

To  the  following  typists:  Jennie  Ward,  Cleo  May  Smith  and  her 
husband  Vernal  Gledhill,  Sarah  Wodskow,  Venna  Copping,  & 
lone  Bush. 

To  Diane  Wright  for  her  photography  work. 

To  all  who  gave  advanced  encouragement  and  financial  support. 

To  David  Anderson  for  helping  prepare  this  book  for  publishing. 


IV 


"\ 


THE  TETONS 

The  Tctons  like  tinsels 
Are  standing  out  there, 
With  their  cold  jagged  peaks 
All  lifeless  and  bare. 

A  sight  most  enchantingly 
Bright  to  behold, 
When  tinged  with  the  sunshine 
Of  crimson  and  gold. 

Was  it  just  in  earnest 
When  first  they  began. 
To  build  the  proud  structure. 
The  culture  of  man. 

No  name  can  be  set. 
No  date  be  assigned, 
We  cannot  conceive  it 
With  man's  mortal  mind. 


The  earth  was  a  mass. 
The  mountains  aglow, 
Now  they  are  covered 
In  perpetual  snow. 

Stand  there  ye  mountains 
Majestically  grand. 
As  first  you  were  fleeing 
From  the  Omnipotent  hand. 

Look  not  down  in  scorn. 
On  the  valley  below. 
For  they  shall  be  exalted  and 
Thou  shalt  be  made  low. 

by  -  Alma  Moroni  Blanchard 

This  poem  was  written  for  Estes 
Hawkes  who  was  a  good  friend 
and  Alma  Moroni  visited  him 
often. 


;%:<^S^%^%%%i%&feyAiiiife^jiK:^^ 


EARLY  UPLAND  COMMUNITIES  BETWEEN 
FALL  AND  TETON  RIVERS 


Introduction 

To  get  at  the  hub  of  our  story  let's  look  briefly  at  the 
wheel  and  spokes  that  surround  it.  After  the  pioneers 
settled  the  Great  Western  Basin,  colonies  moved  off 
from  established  centers  until  the  whole  West  was 

settied. 

Idaho  was  the  last  state  to  be  taken  from  what  was 
originally  the  Oregon  territory.  It  was  admitted  as  a 
state  3  July  1890.  When  Idaho  became  a  territory  on 
3  Mar.  1863,  it  included  all  of  Montana  and  most  of 
Wyoming.  Montana  became  a  territory  in  1864  and 
Wyoming  in  1868.  Fremont  County  was  formed 
from  Bingham  and  Lemhi  Counties  in  1893.  Then 
the  following  counties  were  formed  from  Fremont 
County:  Madison,  Jefferson,  Clark  in  1913,  and 
Teton,  Madison,  and  Fremont  as  they  are  today  in 
1915. 

Our  area  was  not  the  first,  actually  it  was  one  of  the 
last  to  be  sctded.  Mormon  colonics  settied  in  the  Salt 
Lake  Valley  July  24,  1847.  From  there  a  great  arc  of 
settiements  spread  in  all  directions.  In  June  1855, 
twenty-seven  Elders  founded  Fort  Lemhi  as  an  agency 
of  the  Salmon  River  Indian  Mission.  Franklin,  Idaho, 
was  founded  in  1860  and  became  the  first  permanent 
scttiement. 

June  20,  1869,  Bear  Lake  Stake  was  organized.  The 
first  all  Idaho,  Stake  of  Zion,  was  the  Bannock  Stake 
located  in  the  Great  Snake  River  Valley  in  Rcxburg  on 
Feb.  4,  1884.  On  August  6,  1898  the  name  Bannock 
was  replaced  by  Fremont  in  honor  of  John  C. 
Fremont.  January  10,  1909  Yellowstone  Stake  was 
organized  from  Fremont  Stake  as  the  60th  Stake  in 
the  Church.  Yellowstone  Stake  consisted  of  10  wards; 
Egin,  Parker,  St.  Anthony,  Wilford,  Twin  Groves, 
Chester,  Farnum,  Ashton,  Marysville,  and  Ora. 
Headquarters  were  in  St.  Anthony  in  a  new  tabernacle 
that  was  completed  by  Oa.  29, 1916. 

Idaho  became  a  territory  in  1863  and  a  state  in  1890. 
The  railroad  came  to  St.  Anthony  in  1899.  The  State 
Industrial  Training  School  was  started  in  1903. 
Schools,  business,  churches,  and  even  moving  pictures 
were  in  place  by  1911.  July  24,  1910,  the  first 
Mormon  Pioneer  Day  Celebration  in  St.  Anthony  was 
introduced  with  William  M.  Hansen  as  the  promoter. 

Marysville's  history  began  in  1889.  Ashton's  birth 
came  in  1906  with  the  advent  of  the  railroad 
bypassing  Marysville.  In  a  whirlwind  of  activity 
settlers  from  many  states  and  countries  came  in 
around  the  turn  of  the  century  to  found  numerous     yj 


settlements  in  a  crescent,  west,  north,  and  east  settiing 
the  following  communities:  Vernon,  Sarilda,  Fall 
River,  Chester,  Ora,  Ashton,  Marysville,  Huggjnsville, 
Greentimber,  Warm  River,  Grainville,  Squirrel 
(Highland),  Sheetz,  Farnum,  Lillian,  Drummond, 
Greenhill,  France  Siding,  Lamont,  and  Ferrin. 

As  we  move  out  in  an  arc  we  encounter  thirsc 
communities,  who  by  their  presence  encouraged, 
supported,  and  sustained  each  other  in  an  endeavor  to 
settie  this  great  sea  of  waving  grass  and  rolling  hills. 
This  group  of  communities  is  fiinged  by  great  forests 
and  mountains  from  which  flow  the  rivers  and  creeks 
that  fiimish  the  lifeblood  to  sustain  the  abundant  life 
here.  We  honor  all  who  came  to  these  many 
locations.  Men,  women,  and  children  of  vision  and 
courage,  many  of  whom  stayed  on  to  make  this  their 
home  for  generations.  Many  of  these  settlers  came 
here  just  prior  to  the  advent  of  the  railroad.  The 
horsedrawn  wagon  was  their  mode  of  transportation. 
Some  were  covered,  some  were  not. 

William  Pratt,  who  lived  in  Wilford,  is  the  man 
responsible  for  encouraging  the  first  few  families  to 
homestead  in  the  Farnum  area.  He  led  them  to 
investigate  this  area,  guided  them  to  the  spot,  showed 
them  the  possibilities  and  advantages.  By  1896  some 
of  the  first  settlers  were  coming  into  the  area. 

Since  many  of  the  early  scttiers  were  members  of  the 
Mormon  Church,  let  us  now  look  at  two  different 
historical  summaries  that  set  early  Farnum  in  its 
proper  prospective.  In  these  we  get  at  the  hub  so  to 
speak,  of  our  story,  where  it  was  located,  meet  some 
of  the  principal  characters,  and  learn  why  they  came. 
The  following  is  taken  from  published  histories  from 
the  Historical  Department  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter- Day- Saints.  The  first  is  a  very  short  summary 
covering  the  first  thirty  years. 


OUR  OWN  IDAHO 

There's  a  bright  spot  in  the  mountains, 
A  place  that  I  love  to  call  home. 
The  song  of  it's  brooks  and  fountains 
Is  with  me  wherever  I  roam. 
The  scent  of  sage  in  the  morning. 
The  hills  in  the  sunset's  soft  glow. 
Dark  pines  their  broad  slopes  adorning, 
I  LOVE  IT,  OUR  OWN  IDAHO! 

Green  valleys  fertile  and  flowering; 
Peaks  capped  in  perpetual  snow. 
Like  wardens  majestically  towering 
On  guard  o'er  the  treasures  below. 
It  seems  the  blue  skies  are  bluer. 
The  sunshine,  a  friendlier  glow; 
That  neighboring  greetings  ring  truer, 
OUT  HERE  IN  OUR  OWN  IDAHO! 
by  -  A.  E.  Coleman 


Chapter  One 
The  Church  Record 


Famum  Ward 
HISTORY 


FARNUM  WARD,  Yellowstone  Stake, 
Fremont  Co.,  Idaho,  consists  of  the  Latter-Day  Saints 
residing  in  the  district  of  country  lying  on  the  south 
side  of  Falls  River.  It  is  a  scattered  settlement 
extending  up  and  down  said  river  for  a  distance  of  15 
miles,  and  from  north  to  south  it  has  a  width  of  about 
10  miles.  The  center  of  the  ward,  where  the  L.D.S. 
meeting  house  is  located,  is  six  miles  southeast  of 
Ashton,  and  about  the  same  distance  from  Marysville. 
It  is  also  eight  miles  northeast  of  Chester  and  18  miles 
by  nearest  road  northeast  of  St.  Anthony,  the  stake 
headquarters.  The  L.  D.  S.  population  is  nearly  all 
farmers  and  owners  of  good  land,  which  is  mostly 
farmed  without  irrigation.  The  Farnum  meeting 
house  consists  of  a  cement  block  building,  38  by  55 
1/2  feet,  with  a  basement  containing  three  rooms, 
ereaed  in  1908-1909  at  a  cost  of  $5,000. 

The  first  settlers  in  that  district  of  country  now 
included  in  the  Famum  Ward  were  Joshua  B.  Hawkes 
and  Swen  H.  Jacobs,  who  settled  on  the  so-called 
Houston  Flat,  while  Silas  S.  Green  settled  on  Fall 
River,  near  the  mouth  of  Conant  Creek.  These  early 
settlers  commenced  making  improvements  and 
engaged  in  dry  forming.  The  first  crop  of  grain  was 
raised  in  1900,  since  which  farming  in  that  section  of 
country  has  been  very  successful.  A  Sunday  school 
was  organized  in  the  district  in  1900,  and  about  the 
same  time  a  branch  of  the  Church  called  Conant 
Branch  was  organized  with  Joshua  Bryan  Hawkes  as 
president.  He  presided  until  Sept.  23,  1906,  when 
the  conant  Branch  was  organized  as  the  Famum  Ward 
with  John  E.  Morrison  as  Bishop.  He  was  succeeded 
in  1909  by  Henry  W.  Smith,  who  in  1914  was 
succeeded  by  Brigham  Murdoch,  who  in  1919  was 
succeeded  by  Iver  Hendrickson,  who  in  1928  was 
succeeded  by  Thomas  T.  Murdoch,  who  presided 
Dec.  31,1930.  On  that  date  the  Famum  Ward  had 
173  members,  including  45  children. 

The  second  is  a  more  detailed  account  from  the  actual 
records  of  the  church  showing  it's  organization  as  the 
Conant  Creek  Branch  in  1900,  then  organized  as 
Farnum  Ward  September  23,  1905,  to  it's 
disorganization  in  January  11,  1948  when  it  became 
part  of  the  Marysville  Ward. 

From  1900  to  1909  it  was  part  of  Fremont 
Stake.  From  1909  to  1948  it  was  in  Yellowstone 
Stake.  May  18,  1975  this  upper  part  of  Yellowstone 
Stake  became  Ashton  Idaho  Stake. 


1898 


The  first  settlers  in  that  district  of  country  now 
included  in  the  Famimi  Ward  were  Joshua  B.  Hawkes 
and  Swen  H.  Jacobs,  who  settled  on  the  so-called 
Houston  Flat,  while  Silas  S.  Green,  James  W.  Green 
settled  on  Fall  River  near  the  mouth  of  Conant  Creek. 
Daniel  Henry  Gibson,  a  single  man  settled  in  1898 
about  1  1/2  miles  southwest  of  the  Famum  meeting 
house.  William  Pratt  and  other  early  settlers  located 
here  later.  Some  of  the  settlers  located  on  the  so- 
called  Horseshoe  Flat,  about  3  miles  north  of  the 
Teton  River,  or  about  4  miles  southeast  of  the  present 
meeting  house.  These  early  settlers  commenced 
making  improvements,  but  raised  no  crops  in  1898  or 
1899.  Dry-ferming  was  their  first  experiment.  Some 
grain  was  raised  in  1900,  and  after  that  date  settlers 
increased  and  grain  was  raised  in  abundance. 

1900 

A  Sunday  School  was  organized  in  that  district  of 
country  now  included  in  the  Famum  Ward  as  early  as 
July,  1900,  the  first  session  of  which  was  held  July 
8,1900.  This  school  was  originally  divided  into  three 
classes  and  Joshua  Bryant  Hawkes,  Presiding  Elder  of 
the  Branch,  took  charge  of  the  school,  and  Mrs.  Lilly 
M.  Newby  was  the  secretary.  The  first  sessions  of  the 
school  were  held  at  the  residence  of  James  W.  Green. 
About  this  time  or  a  short  time  before  the  Saints  who 
had  settled  in  the  Conant  Creek  district  were 
organized  as  a  Branch  of  the  Church  with  Joshua 
Bryant  Hawkes  as  Presiding  Elder.  He  moved  away  in 
the  latter  part  of  1900,  and  James  W.  Green 
succeeded  him  as  president  of  the  Branch  and  Supt.  of 
the  Sunday  School.  At  the  close  of  the  century  (Dec. 
31,1900)  Bro.  Green  occupied  that  dual  position,  and 
Lilly  M.  Green  was  secretary  of  the  Sunday  School. 
(1905  James  W.  Green  Presiding  Elder  Conant 
Branch,  1st  assistant  Brigham  Murdoch  —  Brigham 
Murdoch  personal  History) 

1906 
At  a  meeting  held  in  the  log  school  house  in  the 
Conant  school  district  Sept.  23,1906,  attended  by  the 
Stake  Presidency  of  the  Fremont  Stake,  James  W. 
Green,  who  had  presided  over  the  Conant  Branch, 
was  honorably  released,  and  John  E.  Morrison  was 
sustained  as  Bishop  of  the  Famum  Ward,  which  was 
organized  on  that  occasion  from  the  Conant  Branch, 
and  named  Famum,  in  honor  of  (Rosamond  Famum 
Sprague  Green).  On  the  same  occasion  Eugene  E. 
Higginbotham  was  sustained  as  first  and  Henry  W. 
Smith  as  second  Counselor  to  Bishop  Morrison. 
Daniel  H.  Gibson  was  chosen  as  ward  clerk.  (Ward 


Historical  Record  A:l).  These  brethren  were  all 
ordained  and  set  ^art  to  their  respective  positions  at  a 
Stake  conference  held  at  Parker  Oct.  21,  1906,  by 
Apostle  Rudger  Clawson.  (Stake  and  Ward  Statistical 
Reports,  page  185.  Ward  Hist.  Record  A:  fly-leaf.) 

1907 
William  G.  Baird  and  Brigham  Murdoch  chosen  on 
the  building  committee  of  Famum  Ward  to  build  a 
new  church  house.  Helped  clear  the  weeds  from  the 
lot  where  the  new  church  was  to  be  built.  Also 
shoveled  the  first  shovel  of  dirt  to  start  the 
foundation.  (Personal  History  of  Brigham  Murdoch). 
Electra  Saunders  Wadsworth  in  her  history  of  Simon 
&  Medora  Wade  Saunders  states  that  her  father 
Simon  sold  two  acres  of  ground  to  the  church  to 
build  the  church  on. 

1909 


Famum  Church  with  tower  1909 


At  a  meeting  held  Oct.  24,  1909,  attended  by  Aposde 
David  O.  McKay  and  the  Stake  Presidency,  Bishop 
Henry  E.  Morrison  was  released,  together  with  his 
counselors,  Eugene  E.  Higginbotham  and  Henry  W. 
Smith,  and  Henry  W.  Smith  was  sustained  as  Bishop 
of  the  Famum  Ward,  with  Eugene  E.  Higginbotham 
as  first  and  Alfred  G.  Woodland  as  second  counselor. 
(Ward  Historical  Record  A:94)  Bro.  Smith  was 
ordained  a  Bishop  and  set  apart  to  preside  over  the 
Farnum  Ward  by  Apostle  David  O.  McKay;  Bro. 
Higginbotham  was  set  apart  as  first  counselor,  and 
Brother  Woodland  was  ordained  a  High  Priest  and  set 
apart  as  second  counselor  by  James  E.  Fogg  of  the 
Stake  Presidency. 

1911 
First  Counselor  Higginbotham  moved  Corinnc,to 
Utah,  and  at  a  mecring  held  at  Famum,  Jan.  22, 
1911,  Alfred  G.  Woodland  was  promoted  from 
second  to  first  counselor  and  Brigham  Murdoch 
chosen  as  second  counselor  to  Bishop  Smith.  Brother 
Murdoch  was  ordained  and  set  apart  to  that  position 
Jan.  22,  1911,  by  Marion  J.  Kerr  of  the  Stake 
Presidency. 

1913 


Eugene  E.  Higginbotham  1st  C,  Henry  W. 
Smith,  Bishop,  Alfred  G.  Woodland  2nd  C. 


Ivcr  Hendrickson,  Brigham  Murdoch,  Daniel  H.  Gibson 

At  a  meeting  held  Nov.  23,  1913,  Bishop  Henry  W. 
Smith  was  honorably  released  on  account  of  ill  health, 
together  with  his  counselors,  Alfred  G.  Woodland 
and  Brigham  Murdoch,  and  Brigham  Murdoch  was 
sustained  as  Bishop  of  the  Famum  Ward,  [not  yet  set 
apart,  William  G.  Baird  was  sustained  as  a  1st 
counselor  and  Daniel  H.  Gibson  as  2nd  counselor, 
not  yet  ordained  and  set  apart.  William  G.  Baird  was 
released.]  Soon  afterwards  Iver  Hendrickson  was 
chosen  as  first  and  Daniel  H.  Gibson  as  second 
counselor.  Brother  Murdoch  was  ordained  a  Bishop 
Feb.  1,  1914,  by  Patriarch  Hymm  G.  Smith,  and  on 
the  same  occasion  Ivcr  Hendrickson  was  ordained  as 
High  Priest  and  set  apart  as  first  counselor  by  Stake 
President  Daniel  G.  Miller,  and  Brother  Gibson  was 
ordained  as  High  Priest  and  set  apart  as  second 
counselor  by  Marion  J.  Kerr.  (Brother  Daniel  H. 
Gibson  had  been  chosen  as  second  counselor  Nov. 
23, 1913.)  (Stake  Hist.  Record  B:51) 


1917 
Elder  Andrew  Jcnson  visited  the  Famum  Ward  July 
30,  1917,  in  the  interest  of  Church  history,  on  which 
occasion  he  met  with  Stake  President  Daniel  G. 
Miller,  Bishop  Brigham  Murdoch  and  wife,  and 
counselors  Iver  Hendrickson,  Daniel  H.  Gibson  and 
wife,  Henry  W.  Smith  and  wife. 

1919 
At  a  Ward  conference  held  Oct.  19,  1919,  Bishop 
Brigham  Murdoch  and  counselors,  (Hendrickson  and 
Gibson)  were  released,  and  Iver  Hendrickson, 
formerly  first  counselor  to  Bishop  Murdoch,  was 
sustained  as  Bishop  of  the  Farnum  Ward,  with  Acil 
Smart  Hawkes  as  first  and  George  C.  Kidd  as  second 
counselor.  (Ward  Hist.  Record  B;211)  At  a  stake 
conference  held  Oct.  26,  1919,  Bro.  Hendrickson  was 
ordained  a  Bishop  and  set  apart  by  Apostle  Rudger 
Clawson  to  preside  over  the  Famum  Ward.  Brother 
Clawson  also  ordained  Acil  Smart  Hawkes  a  High 
Priest  and  set  him  apart  as  first  counselor,  and 
ordained  George  Clement  Kidd  a  High  Priest  and  set 
him  apart  a  second  counselor.  (Stake  Historical 
Record  C:49) 

1922 
At  a  Ward  conference  held  July  16,  1922  Thomas  T, 
Murdoch  was  sustained  as  second  counselor  to  Bishop 
Hendrickson,  succeeding  George  C.  Kidd.  and  July 
30,  1922,  Brother  Murdoch  was  ordained  a  High 
Priest  and  set  apart  as  second  counselor  by  Stake  Pres. 
Daniel  G.  Miller. 
(Stake  Historical  Record  C:220) 

1923 
At  a  Sacrament  meeting  held  Sept.  30,  1923,  First 
Counselor  Adl  Smart  Hawkes  was  released,  at  his  own 
request.    (Ward  Hist.  Record  C:20)    The  vacancy 
caused  thereby  was  not  filled  for  about  three  years. 


Famum  Ward  Congregation  about  1925 

1926 
At  a  Sacrament  meeting  held  Oct.  3,  1926,  Thomas 
T.  Murdoch  was  sustained  from  second  to  first 


coimsclor,  and  Jay  W.  Bresock  was  sustained  a  second 
counselor  to  Bishop  Hendrickson.  (Stake  quarterly 
reports  of  Dec.  31, 1926) 

Brother  Murdoch  was  set  apart  as  first  counselor  Oa. 
16,  1926  by  Apostle  Orson  F.  Whitney.  (Stake 
reports  of  Dec.  31, 1926). 

1927 
At  a  Ward  Conference  held  June  19,  1927,  Jay  W. 
Bresock,  second  counselor,was  released  on  account  of 
moving  away.  (Ward  Hist.  Record  C:115) 

1928 
At  an  important  meeting  held  Dec.  16,  1928, 
attended  by  the  Stake  Presidency,  Bishop  Iver 
Hendrickson  was  released,  on  account  of  sickness  in 
his  family,  together  with  his  first  counselor,  Thomas 
T.  Murdoch,  and  Thomas  T.  Murdoch  was  sustained 
as  Bishop  of  the  Farnum  Ward,  with  Lester  C. 
Hendrickson  as  first  counselor. 

1929 
At  a  Sacrament  meeting  held  Jan.  6,  1929,  George  C. 
Kidd  was  sustained  as  second  counselor  to  Bishop 
Murdoch  (serving  a  second  term  in  that  capacity). 
(Ward  Hist.  Record  C:148) 

Note:  Daniel  H.  Gibson,  the  first  clerk  of  the  Famum 
Ward,  was  succeeded  in  that  capacity  in  1914  by 
Henry  W.  Smith,  who  was  released  May  2,  1920  on 
account  of  ill  health,  and  was  succeeded  June  30, 
1920,  by  Lester  C.  Hendrickson,  who  on  Dec.  16, 
1928,  was  succeeded  by  Brigham  Murdoch. 

1930 

The  numerical  strength  of  the  Famum  Ward  Dec.  31, 
1930,  was  173  souls,  including  8  High  Priests,  2 
Seventies,  12  Elders,  1  Priest,  9  Teachers,  11 
Deacons,  85  lay-members,  and  45  children. 
Following  is  a  list  of  the  principal  officers  of  the 
Famum  Ward  as  they  stood  December  31,  1930: 
Bishopric:    Thomas  T.  Murdoch,  Bishop;  Lester  C. 
Hendrickson,  first,  and  George  C.  Kidd,  second 
counselor;  Brigham  Murdoch,  ward  clerk. 
Relief  Society:  Mrs.  Levera  Hendrickson,  president; 
Mrs.  Sarah  Murdoch,  first,  and  Mrs.  Minnie  Kidd, 
second  counselor;  Mrs.  Matilda  Baird,  secretary. 
Sunday  School:  James  S.  Brown,  supt.;  James  T. 
Miller,  first,  and  Virgil  Hendrickson,  second  assistant; 
Thomas  H.  Murdoch,  secretary. 
Primary  association:  Edith  Hendrickson,  president; 
M.    Luanna    Murdoch,    first,    and    Christina 
Hendrickson,  second  counselor. 

1931 

Sunday,  July  5,  1931,  the  following  officers  in 
Primary  were  sustained:  Martha  L.  Murdoch, 
President;  Ida  Hawkes,  1st  councilor;  LucUa 
Hendrickson,  2nd  councilor;  Jean  Murdoch, 
secretary.  (Stake  reports  of  Sept.  30, 1931) 
Annual  Ward  Conference  was  held  Sunday,  July  26, 


1931,  with  Stake  President  John  M.  White  and  2nd 
Counselor,  E.  Glen  Cameron  in  attendance.  (Stake 
reports  of  Sept.  30,  1931) 


1932 

Annual  Relief  Society  Celebration  was  held  March  17, 

1932. 
Annual  Ward  Conference  was  held  Sunday,  Sept.  18, 
1932,  attended  by  Stake  1st  Counselor  Karl  C. 
Klingler  and  Stake  Clerk  Leonard  Kingsford.    (Stake 
reports  of  Sept.  30, 1932) 

Sunday  School  officers  were  set  apart:  Thomas  H. 
Murdoch,  Superintendent;  Stillman  Whittle,  1st 
Assistant;  Percy  Hawkes,  2nd  Assistant. 
Primary  officers  were  set  apart:  Hazel  Whittle, 
President;  Ida  Hawkes,  1st  Counselor;  Alta  Murdoch, 
2nd  Counselor.  (Stake  reports  of  Dec.  31,  1932) 

1933 
Sunday,  Feb.  26,  1933,  Levera  Hendrickson,  and  her 
counselors  were  released  from  the  Relief  Society,  and 
the  following  officers  were  sustained:  Mathilda  Baird, 
President;  Lavera  Hendrickson,  1st  Counselor;  Sarah 
Murdoch,  2nd  Counselor;  Anna  Benson,  Secretary. 
(Stake  report  of  March  31,  1933). 
Sunday,  Sept.  17,  1933,  Bishop  Thomas  Todd 
Murdoch  and  his  counselors  were  honorably  released, 
and  the  following  Bishopric  sustained:  Percy  S. 
Hawkes,  Bishop;  Thomas  H.  Murdoch,  1st 
Counselor;  Stillman  Whittle,  2nd  Counselor;  Brigham 
Murdoch,  Ward  Clerk.  (Stake  reports  of  Sept.  30, 
1933) 

1936 
In  October,  Thomas  T.  Murdoch,  a  former  Bishop  of 
this  Ward  moved  with  his  family  to  Idaho  Falls  4th 
Ward. 

Oct.  1,  Iver  Hendrickson,  a  former  Bishop,  died  of 
heart  trouble  while  riding  the  range. 
Nov.  1,  Brigham  Murdoch,  a  former  Bishop  and 
Ward  Clerk,  and  some  of  his  family  moved  to  Ashton. 

(Stake  reports  of  Dec.  31,  1936). 

1937 
On  Sunday,  May  30,  1937,  the  following  Primary 
officers  were  installed:  Marian  Hawkes,  President; 
Hazel  Whittle,  1st  Counselor;  Levera  Hendrickson, 
Organist.  On  this  date,  Lester  C.  Hendrickson  not 
having  been  formally  set  apart  as  Ward  Clerk,  was  set 
apart  by  Stake  President  Horace  A.  Hess. 
(Stake  reports  of  June  30, 1937). 
Ward  Conference  was  held  Sunday,  August  15,  1937, 
attended  by  all  members  of  the  Stake  Presidency  and 
Stake  Clerk. 

(Stake  reports  of  Sept.  30,  1937). 

First  Counselor  to  Bishop  Hawkes,  Stillman  Whittle, 
moved  from  the  ward  during  this  quarter  -  date  not 
given  by  ward  clerk  -  and  his  wife.  Hazel  Whittle  was 
released  as  1st  Counselor  in  the  Relief  Society.  (Stake 
reports  of  Dec.  31, 1937). 


Famum  Ward  picnic 


1938 
Sunday,  May  29,  1938,  Blaine  Peterson  was  sustained 
from  2nd  to  1st  Counselor  to  Bishop  Percy  Hawkcs, 
succeeding  Stillman  Whittle  released  because  of 
moving  away,  and  Curtis  Marsden  was  sustained  as 
2nd  Counselor  to  Bishop  Hawkes. 
Sunday,  May  1,  1938,  the  following  were  sustained  in 
Sunday  School:  Chester  French,  Superintendent; 
Percy  Nyborg,  1st  Assistant.  (Stake  reports  of  June 
30, 1938). 

1939 

During  January  a  new  hard  wood  floor  was  laid  in  the 

Meeting  House,  and  during  March  the  building  was 

painted  and  calsomined.  (Stake  reports  of  March  31, 

1939) 

During  May  finished  painting  the  interior  of  the 

Chapel. 

Sunday,  May  14,  1939,  a  summer  M.I. A.  was 

organized  with  the  following  officers:    Homer  Jones, 

President;  Lloyd  Bean,  1st  Counselor;  Ida  Hawkes, 

2nd  Counselor;  Verla  Benson,  Secretary. 

Geneva  French  and  Luella  Miller  were  set  apart  as 

counselors  to  the  President  of  the  Relief  Society. 

(Stake  reports  of  June  30, 1939) 
Ward  Conference  was  held  Sunday,  August  20,  1939, 
attended  by  E.  Glen  Cameron  and  O.  K.  Mescrvy. 

In  September  the  Chapel  was  wired  for 
electricity. 

(Stake  reports  of  Sept.  30, 1939). 

1940 
Bishop  Percy  Hawkes,  Blaine  Peterson  1st  Counselor, 
and  Curtis  Marsden  2nd  Counselor  were  released 
Nov.  17, 1940. 

Lester  Hendrickson  was  sustained  as  Bishop  with 
Chester  French  as  1st  Counselor  and  James  Lee 
Angell  as  2nd  Counselor  November  17, 1940. 


Famum  Ward  members  about  1942 


Bishop  Lester  Hendrickson,  Chester  French,  and 
James  Lcc  Angell  were  released  Nov.  29,  1942. 
Herbert  Benson  was  sustained  as  Bishop  with  James 
Lee  Angell  as  1st  Coimselor  and  Percy  Nyborg  as  2nd 
Counselor  Nov.  29, 1942. 

1943 

James  Lee  Angell  1st  Coimselor  was  released  July  25, 

1943. 

Walter  Clark  was  sustained  as  1st  Counselor  July  25, 

1943. 

1945 
Bp.  Herbert  Benson,  Walter  Clark  1st  Counselor,  and 
Percy  Nyborg  2nd  Counselor  were  released  July  1, 
1945. 

Walter  Clark  was  sustained  as  Bishop,  with  Sam  Reese 
as  1st  Counselor,  and  Chester  French  as  2nd 
Counselor,  with  Percy  Nyborg  as  Ward  Clerk,  July  1, 
1945 
Sam  Reese  was  released  November  18,  1945. 

1946 
Chester  French  was  sustained  as  1st  Counselor,  and 
Curtis  Marsden  as  2nd  Counselor,  July  21, 1946. 

Note:  (The  following  note  was  written  by  Anna  Jones, 
Sec.  of  the  Sunday  School).  We  are  fully  organized 
with  nine  officers  and  teachers.  Have  had  faculty 
meetings  every  month.  Due  to  sickness  in  the  Supt's 
and  Secretary's  home  the  faculty  meetings  weren't 
held  in  Feb.  and  March  but  were  made  up  in  August. 
Veta  Brown,  our  organist  and  2nd  Int.  teacher  has 
attended  every  Sunday  School  session  (41),  every 
faculty  meeting  and  every  Union  meeting,  except  one 
faculty  meeting  and  she  was  excused. 
Our  Church  house  was  condemned  by  the  church 
inspector  from  Salt  Lake  City,  Sept.  22,  1946.  We 
had  held  Sunday  School  there  that  day  with  50  in 
attendance.  Some  of  us  went  and  seen  our  Bishop,  to 
see  if  we  could  hold  Sunday  School  in  the  Drummond 
school  house.  After  missing  two  Sundays  we  started 
to  hold  Sunday  School  in  the  Drummond  school 
house  with  58  present  the  first  Sunday  (including 
visitors).  We  only  have  61  enrolled. 

1947 
Bishop  Walter  Clark,  Chester  French  1st  Counselor, 
Curtis  Marsden  2nd  Counselor. 

Sunday  School  Supt.,  Homer  Jones,  with  Percy 
Nyborg  1st  Assistant,  Francis  W.  Bratt  2nd  Assistant, 
Anna  L.  Jones  Secretary,  Elna  Nyborg  Assistant 
Secretary. 

Sunday  School  teachers: 

Clariece  Oberhansley  Gospel  Doctrine  &  Chorister 
Veta  Brown  Organist  &  1st  &  2nd 

Intermediate 
Anna  Jones  Enlistment  Director 

Mary  Marsden  Senior 

Miriam  Dcdman  Junior 

Mona  Bratt  Primary 


Geneva  French 
Hazel  WorrcU 
Leah  Belle  Hawkes 

RuthBratt 

1948 


2nd  Intermediate 
Organist 

Chorister  and 
Gospel  Doctrine 

Kindergarten 


b.r.  Brigham  Murdoch,  Herbert  Benson, 

Thomas  T.  Murdoch,  f.r.  Percy  S.  Hawkes, 

Walter  R.  Clark,  Lester  C.  Hendrickson 

Bishop  Walter  Clark,  Chester  French  1st  Counselor, 
and  Curtis  Marsden  Second  Counselor,  were  released 
Jan.  11,  1948. 

The  Famum  Ward  was  discontinued  at  this  time  and 
the  membership  records  were  moved  to  Marysville 
Ward,  YeUowstone  Stake.  Jan.  11, 1948. 

Note:  In  the  Lloyd  and  Venna  Bratt  femily  history 
in  this  book  is  a  complete  history  of  the  last  few  years 
of  the  old  Famum  Ward  Building  and  its  conclusion. 

Very  early  L.D.S.  Church  services  were  held  at  the 
Highland  School.  Elias  Gardner  may  have  been  the 
first  Presiding  Elder,  and  Joseph  C.  Orme  was  the 
Superintendent  of  Sunday  School.  Later  the  people 
met  at  the  Lamont  School,  and  after  that  they  joined 
with  the  Famum  Ward.  Now  all  members  from  this 
area  travel  to  Ashton,  where  they  belong  to  the 
Ashton  Fourth  Ward. 

The  Fremont  Republican  reveals  that  in  1898  you 
could  buy  a  round  trip  ticket  to  attend  L.D.S.  Annual 
Conference  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  for  $9.00. 

Lutheran  Chxirch 

Note;  Following  is  a  copy  of  the  1907  —  1957 
Golden  Anniversary,  Zion  Lutheran  Church,  Ashton, 
Idaho. 

HISTORY  OF  ZION  LUTHERAN 

Zion  Lutheran  Church,  as  we  know  it  today,  is 
actually  an  integration  of  two  congregations,  the 
initial  and  original  congregation  in  Squirrel  with  the 
name  of  Zion,  which  is  retained  to  this  day,  and  the 
later  and  sister  congregation  in  Ashton  with  the  name 


Redeemer,  which  was  relinquished  after  the  merger  of 
the  two  congregations.  This  history  of  Zion  Lutheran 
then  rightfully  concerns  itself  with  both  Zion  of 
Squirrel  and  Redeemer  of  Ashton,  as  both  of  these 
congregations  make  up  much  of  the  history  of  the 
new  merged  congregation,  known  as  Zion  Lutheran. 
Zion  Lutheran  had  an  indeed  humble  beginning.  It 
was  way  back  in  1901  that  work  was  begim  among 
Lutherans  in  the  area,  which  makes  it  one  of  the 
oldest  Lutheran  congregations  in  Idaho.  It  was  only 
natural  that  Lutherans  who  had  come  to  Greentimber 
at  that  early  date  should  wish  to  be  served  by  a  pastor. 
And  so  it  was  that  the  Rev.  W.  F.  Georg,  missionary  in 
Oregon  at  that  time,  visited  these  and  other  Lutherans 
in  this  vicinity  in  the  fall  of  1901,  well  over  half  a 
century  ago. 

It  was  not  long  after  this  that  a  resident  worker  arrived 
to  be  a  spiritual  advisor  for  the  people,  and  ultimately 
their  first  pastor.  He  was  the  Rev.  F.  A.  C.  Meyer, 
although  only  a  smdent  on  vicarage  at  this  time  in 
1901.  After  serving  till  1903  he  was  succeeded  by 
Student  Linse,  who  came  to  this  area  on  September 
15,  1903,  to  serve  the  people  for  a  year  while  on 
vicarage.  He  conducted  school  for  the  Lutheran 
children  in  the  Greentimber  area,  the  first  class  of 
catechumens  being  confirmed  there  in  May,  1904,  by 
Pastor  Hudloff  of  Butte,  Montana,  predating  Zion 
Lutheran's  organization. 

Student  Linse  left  in  May  of  1904  to  continue  his 
studies  at  the  Seminary  in  St.  Louis  and  was  replaced 
by  Rev.  Meyer,  who  was  destined  to  be  Zion 
Lutheran's  first  pastor.  After  completing  his 
theological  studies  at  the  Seminary  in  St.  Louis,  he 
was  called  as  the  first  resident  pastor  and  became  in 
instigator  and  organizer  of  the  first  congregation.  It 
was  under  him  that  the  organization  of  the 
congregation  took  place  on  May  19,  1907.  Prior  to 
this.  Pastor  Meyer  donated  land  for  the  first  church 
site  at  Squirrel,  the  first  church  building  being  built 
later  that  year. 

Pastor  Meyer  resigned  on  October  17,  1907,  because 
of  the  illness  of  his  wife,  but  continued  to  serve  the 
congregation  until  later  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  when 
the  Rev.  J.  G.  Toenjes  was  called  and  installed  in 
March  1908.  During  his  tenure  of  office  Sunday 
School  was  started,  and  a  Parochial  School  initiated  a 
httle  later  that  same  year  on  April  1,  1908.  During 
this  same  year  an  acre  of  land  for  the  present  Squirrel 
cemetery  was  donated  by  a  member,  and  1910  a 
parsonage  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  church  acreage. 
Rev.  Toenjes  served  Zion  until  late  1912,  at  which 
time  he  retired  from  the  ministry,  being  the  oldest 
pastor  Zion  has  had  in  its  fifty  year  history. 
A  vacancy  ensued  until  the  fall  of  1913  when 
Candidate  for  the  Ministry  Paul  Schaus  accepted  the 
call  to  Zion.  Pastor  Schaus  served  the  congregation 
until  his  transfer  to  Shefflin,  Oregon,  on  February  2, 
1919.  He  is  known  as  having  spent  one  of  the 
longest  pastorates  at  Zion,  Squirrel.  Many  know  him 
as  the  anniversary  speaker  of  the  Fortieth  Anniversary 


of  Zion  Lutheran.  He  is  at  present  pastor  of 
Snohomish,  Washington,  his  wife  having  passed  away 
only  last  year.  It  was  during  his  pastorate  here  that 
they  were  married. 

After  Pastor  Schaus  left  in  1919,  the  Rev.  F.C.  Braun 
of  Swan  Valley  was  called  and  served  the  congregation 
until  1921.  Noteworthy  during  his  ministry  here  was 
his  instrumentality  in  the  instigation  of  a  church  band, 
unique  in  its  own  right.  He  will  perhaps  best  be 
remembered  for  this  by  the  constituency,  though  he  is 
no  longer  in  the  ministry.  On  December  11,  1921, 
he  was  released  to  accept  a  call  to  Idaho  Falls,  but 
continued  as  vacancy  pastor. 

The  Rev.  J.M.  Kempf  arrived  early  in  October  of 
1922.  He  served  Zion  until  March  1,  1925,  when  he 
accepted  a  call  to  Klickitat,  Washington.  Besides  his 
pastoral  prowess,  Pastor  Kempf  was  known  for  his 
athletic  prowess.  He  is  knovm  to  us  as  present  pastor 
of  the  old  folks  and  official  head  and  chaplain  at  the 
beautiful  and  spacious  Lutheran  Home  for  the  Aged 
at  Arlington  Heights,  Illinois,  near  Chicago.  He  too 
continued  to  serve  as  vacancy  pastor  for  several 
months  here  at  Zion  in  1925. 

On  November  27,  1925,  a  call  was  extended  to  the 
Rev.  H.  Westendorf,  who  accepted  and  served  the 
congregation  for  approximately  five  years  until 
November  9,  1930,  when  he  in  turn  accepted  a  call  to 
Eden,  Idaho.  Since  that  time  Pastor  Westendorf  has 
retired  from  the  ministry  and  enjoyed  a  successful 
career  as  a  farmer  near  Filer,  Idaho,  where  he  resides 
at  the  present  time.  Parochial  School  continued  from 
its  inception  in  1908  until  this  time,  1930,  and 
throughout  the  tenure  of  office  of  Pastor  Westendorf. 
However,  shordy  thereafter  it  was  discontinued. 
The  Rev.  H.A.  Kriefall  of  Idaho  Falls  served  as 
vacancy  pastor  until  Pastor  R.  C.  Muhly  arrived  in 
October  of  1931.  Under  the  leadership  of  Pastor 
Muhly,  Zion  Lutheran  had  its  most  success  and 
enjoyed  its  most  phenomenal  growth.  It  was  during 
this  time  that  a  mission  was  begun  in  Ashton,  which 
ultimately  climaxed  in  the  establishment  of  another 
and  new  congregation  by  the  name  of  Redeemer 
Lutheran.  Pastor  Muhly  labored  in  Zion  and 
Redeemer  intermittently  until  November  7,  1937, 
when  he  was  released  to  accept  a  call  to  Shelton, 
Washington.  Under  his  leadership  new  churches  were 
built  both  at  Zion,  Squirrel,  and  Redeemer,  Ashton  in 
1936. 

Redeemer  Lutheran,  Ashton,  was  officially  organized 
January  24,  1935.  Original  services  were  conducted 
in  the  I.O.O.F.  Hall  by  the  Rev.  R.C.  Muhly.  Plans 
were  proposed  for  a  new  building  and  a  suitable  lot 
for  the  building  in  Ashton.  The  Rev.  Paul 
Koppelmann  was  called  through  the  Mission  Board  of 
the  Northwest  District.  He  arrived  in  October,  1935, 
and  served  until  June  1,  1936,  less  than  a  year.  He  is 
no  longer  in  the  ministry.  He  was  followed  at 
Redeemer  by  the  Rev.  H.  C.  Streufert,  who  likewise 
served  only  for  a  short  time  in  1936,  and  is  a  present 
pastor  in  Seattle,  Washington.    The  Rev.  R.  Reith       7 


followed  in  the  procession  of  pastors  at  Redeemer 
from  1935-1938.  He  too  served  only  for  a  short 
time,  and  is  at  present  pastor  at  Hoyleton,  Illinois. 
All  this  while.  Pastor  Muhly  continued  to  serve  Zion, 
Squirrel,  until  his  release  in  1937.  From  Washington 
he  returned  to  Idaho  and  Twin  Falls,  where  he  was 
largely  responsible  for  building  one  of  the  largest 
congregations  in  the  Northwest  District.  At  the 
present  he  holds  one  of  the  top  positions  in  the 
Lutheran  Church  —  Missouri  Synod  as  Assistant 
Stewardship  Counselor  in  St.Louis,  where  he  resides 
at  the  present  time.  He  will  long  be  remembered  for 
his  amazing  missionary  success,  while  here,  and  for 
the  second  longest  tenure  of  office  so  far  in  the  history 
of  Zion  Lutheran. 

The  Rev.  R.  Reith  served  as  vacancy  pastor  until  the 
arrival  of  the  Rev.  N.E.  Dey,  who  was  installed  on 
April  24,  1938.  Pastor  Dey  holds  the  distinction  of 
having  spent  the  longest  tenure  of  office  at  Zion 
Lutheran,  serving  as  pastor  of  the  combined  Zion- 
Redeemer  parish  until  November  10,  1946,  or  a  total 
of  eight  and  a  half  years.  It  was  during  his  time  here 
that  the  parsonage  was  moved  to  Ashton  in  1943,  in 
order  that  the  pastor  might  do  his  work  more 
effectively.  Pastor  Dey  will  never  forget  Ashton,  as  it 
was  here  that  he  imfortunately  lost  the  sight  of  his  one 
eye  in  an  accident  at  the  church,  while  playing  with 
the  children  of  the  Sunday  School  whom  he  loved! 
He  left  in  1946  to  serve  the  congregation  at  Sandy, 
Oregon;  however,  has  since  returned  to  Idaho  where 
he  serves  a  congregation  at  Weiser.  He  returns  as  one 
of  our  Golden  Anniversary  speakers. 
Pastor  H.  A.  Kriefall  again  served  as  vacancy  pastor 
until  April  27,  1947,  when  the  Rev.  E.  Paul  Riedel 
took  over  the  reins  as  pastor  of  the  Zion -Redeemer 
parish,  the  parish  again  enjoying  a  district  upsurge.  It 
was  during  his  tenure  of  office  that  the  merger  of 
Zion  and  Redeemer  into  one  congregation  took  place. 
This  was  accepted  and  carried  out  on  the  last  Sunday 
of  November,  1950,  with  the  name  of  Zion  being 
retained.  At  the  same  meeting  it  was  resolved  to 
begin  work  in  the  spring  of  1951  on  a  new  church  in 
Ashton,  groundbreaking  taking  place  in  April  of  that 
year.  In  the  fall  of  1952,  after  some  five  and  a  half 
years  at  Zion  Lutheran,  Pastor  Riedel  accepted  a  call 
from  Ashton,  Idaho  to  Ashland,  Oregon,  where  he 
serves  and  resides  at  the  present  time,  having  served 
the  congregation  well. 

Rev.  W.  Rist  served  as  vacancy  pastor  until  the  present 
pastor  arrived  on  February  1,  1953.  In  the  spring  of 
that  year  finish  work  on  the  present  church  was 
begun,  the  Cornerstone  Laying  took  place  in  May, 
and  by  fall  the  new  church  was  completed. 
Dedication  Day  took  place  on  November  22,  1953, 
with  Pastors  Muhly  and  Riedel  as  speakers.  The 
present  parsonage  was  procured  just  south  of  the  new 
church,  also  in  May  of  1953.  The  lot  adjacent  to  the 
church  property  and  just  east  of  the  present  church 
was  purchased  in  1956  to  accommodate  any  future 
expansion  in  the  form  of  a  parish  hall  or  parish  school. 


Zion  Lutheran  Church  today  numbers  some  332 
baptized  members  and  210  communicant  members, 
as  of  the  first  of  this  Golden  Anniversary  year,  the  first 
time  in  her  history  that  she  has  reached  that  number. 
From  a  humble  beginning  indeed  to  the  nice-sized 
congregation  she  is  today.  She  looks  forward  to  the 
next  fifty  years  in  joyous  anticipation  of  future  growth 
and  expansion  under  the  blessings  of  the  Lord  of  the 
Church.  On  this  Golden  Anniversary  may  we 
recognize  Him  who  has  purchased  us,  not  with  gold 
or  silver,  but  with  His  holy,  predous  blood,  and  pour 
our  gold  and  silver  in  thankfiil  return,  and  see  whether 
He  won't  pour  out  a  continued  blessing! 

Note:  A  lengthy  well-written  account  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  in  Squirrel  and  later  when  its  activities  moved 
to  Ashton  is  found  in  the  Golden  Anniversary  issue  of 
the  Ashton  Herald,  1956. 


Zion  Church  Band, 
b.r.  Rev.  Braun,  Icadcr^Hcnry  and  Ernest  Schacfcr,  Arthur  Griffcl, 

Franz  Kuchl,  Wm.  Bolland, 

f.r.  Rudolph  Habccost,  Fritz  Lcnz,  Louis  Kappclman,  Bill  Garz, 

Herman  Lcnz,  Carl  C.  Lcnz,  Louis  KandJer.   1919 


Inside  Chapel  of  Zion  Lutheran  Church 


Zion  Lutheran  Church  at  Squirrel 


THE  CHURCH  IN  DRUMMOND 

In  the  early  1900's  a  community  church  was  built  on 
the  comer  just  north  of  the  school  and  south  of  the 
Merle  Harshbarger  home  in  Drummond.  A  traveling 
minister  would  come  fi-om  one  of  the  larger  towns 
down  the  country  and  hold  services  for  the  people  of 
Drummond  and  surrounding  area.  This  building  has 
since  been  torn  down  as  is  the  case  with  most  of  the 
older  buildings  in  Drummond. 


The  Original  Zion  Church 


8 


Chapter  Two 
Our  Pioneer  Schools 


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m 


Famum  School  built  in  1909-1911 


Another  wheel  to  support  our  pioneer  wagon 
was  the  ever  expanding  school  system.  Since  this 
book  is  looking  closely  at  the  land  area  between  the 
Teton  River  and  the  Fall  River  on  a  line  South  of 
Ashton,  then  East  to  the  Wyoming  State  line,  let's 
take  a  brief  look  at  eleven  pioneer  public  schools. 
With  a  1899  beginning  at  Famum  these  schools 
flourished  and  provided  a  great  educationjil  service  to 
the  youth  until  1954  when  the  last  building  was 
closed  at  Drummond. 

Let  us  pay  tribute  to  over  fifty  years  of  success 
and  hundreds  of  devoted  people  as  they  worked 
together  to  provide  this  great  service.  Following  are 
some  vivid  excerpts  fi-om  the  histories  of  our  eleven 
schools:  Farnum,  Lillian,  Drummond,  Grainville, 
Squirrel,  Highland,  Sheetz,  Lamont,  Ferrin,  France, 
and  Greenhill. 

FARNUM  -  About  1899  a  small  log  building  was 
erected  near  the  Frank  Bratt  farm.  (The  first  School 
was  held  in  1898  with  my  sister  Elsie,  as  teacher  -  A. 
S.  Hawkes).  At  first  school  was  held  only  in  the 
summer.  Sunday  School  was  held  there  until  a  church 
house  was  built  in  1909.  The  Famum  School  District 
was  formed  in  July  9,  1900.  As  more  settlers  arrived, 
a  new  rock  one-room  school  was  built  in  1909. 
Marion  F.  Higginbotham  taught  in  1909-10.  In 
1911  another  room  and  hall  were  added  to  the 
building  and  two  teachers  were  hired.  Hugh  Davis 
and  his  brother  were  the  contractors.  A  well  was  dug 
and  large  stoves  stood  in  one  corner  of  each  room 
There  was  a  belfty  with  a  bell.  A  teacher's  cottage 
was  built  later.    Frances  Hargis  and  Rachel  Hardy 


1912  or  1913  Famum  School 


1918  or  1919  Famum  School 


1931  Famum  Graduating  Class 
b.r.  Boyd  Wickham,  Earl  Kidd,  Ed  Benson,  MyrtJc  Schoficld,  Brian  Bean,  teacher 


1932  Famum  Graduating  Class 

standing,  Trcssa  Murdoch,  Helen  Hawkes,  Don  Henry,  Vaugh  Murdoch,  Earl  Wickham, 

Marion  White,  sitting,  Frands  W.  Bratt,  Brian  Bean,  teacher 


1933  Famum  Graduating  Class 
b.r.  Jay  N.  Hill,  Afton  White,  Cecil  Whitmore,  f.r.  Eva  Benson,  Martha  Murdoch,  Brian  Bean 

10 


1939  Famum  Graduating  Class 

1938  Famum  Graduating  Class  b.r.  Ila  Miller,  Harold  Bratt,  Lorcl  Benson,  Gwcnncth  Whittle,  Jack  Kidd, 

WiUard  Rogers,  Verla  Benson  Fremont  Brown,  teacher,  William  Rogers  f.r.  Edwin  Smith,tcacher,  Lloyd  Bratt,  Catherine  Rogers 


1940  Famum  studcnlbody 

b.r.  Lee  Graham,  Myrth  Benson,  Melvin  Benson,  Blaine  Hawkes,  Ardclla  Rogers,  m.r.  Margaret  Moon,  teacher,  Lawrence  Hawkcs,  Clyde  White, 

Carol  Moon,  Kay  Moon  (in  front  of  Carol),  Beverly  Graham,  Keith  Benson,  Clark  Kidd,  Howard  Moon,  Jay  Hendrickson, 

f.r.  Doyd  Hawkes,  Jack  Graham,  June  Whitmore,  Abe  Rogers,  Clair  Benson,  KeithHendrickson,  Jimmic  Whitmorc 

11 


1941  tamum  studcntbody 

Lcc  Graham,  Jennie  P.  Ritchie,  teacher,  Ardclla  Rogers,  Blaine  Hawkes,  Beverly  Graham,  ?  Miller,  m.r.  Jay  Hendrickson,  Lawrence  Hawkcs,  Clark 

Kidd,  Keith  Benson,  Clyde  White,  June  Whitmore,  ?  Miller,  f.r.  Jack  Graham,  Abe  Rogers,  Lloyd  Hawkes,  Clair  Benson,  Keith  Hendrickson 


1943  Famum  students 
b.r.  Abe  Rogers,  Jay  Hendrickson,  Geraldine  Hammond,  Lawrence  Hawkes,  Ruby  Hammond  Schofield,teacher,  Clyde  White,  f.r.  Melvin 

Hammond,  Norma  Ruth  Hawkes,  Mary  Ella  Henry,  Keith  Hendrickson,  Doyd  Hawkes 


taught  in  1913-14  and  Melvin  Neeley  and  Helen 
Enou  were  the  teachers  in  1916-17.  A  barn  was 
provided  for  the  horses  and  many  boys  rode  skis 
pulled  by  dogs  in  the  winter  time.  No  school  was  held 
in  1944-45  and  the  building  was  closed  with  the 
students  being  bussed  to  Ashton  Elementary.  The 
teacherage  was  moved  to  Ashton  and  renovated  for  a 
rental  unit.  The  building  was  sold  for  $250.00  to  Mr. 
Henry  and  is  now  used  for  storage. 


12 


LILLIAN  -  The  two-room  frame  building  had  a 
basement  and  was  located  on  the  Drummond 
Highway.  Roy  Duke  was  the  teacher  in  1909-10.  It 
was  also  used  as  a  community  center  for  meetings  and 
dances.  After  the  district  was  consolidated  in 
February,  1948,  the  building  was  moved  to  Ashton  to 
be  renovated  for  a  rental  unit  for  teachers.  When  it 
was  no  longer  needed  for  rental  housing,  it  was  sold. 
The  building  foundation  can  still  be  seen  by  the  side 
of  the  highway. 


Ullian  School  north  of  the  Hcndrickson  and  W.  G.  Baird  homesteads 


1909  LiUian  School,  teacher  and  students 


DRUMMOND  -  The  three-story  brick  building  was 
erected  around  1913  when  the  village  of  Drummond 
was  a  thriving  community  with  a  fairly  large  farm 
population.  It  was  located  near  the  railroad  and  was 
very  well  constructed  -  being  three  bricks  thick  so  far 
up  from  the  ground.  At  first  it  was  used  for  an 
elementary  and  two  year  high  school.  The  basement 
contained  a  coal  furnace,  coal  room,  storeroom  and 


13 


the  building  was  steam  heated.  There  were  two  large 
classrooms  on  the  first  fioor,  wide  entry  hall  and 
rcstrooms  for  the  students.  There  were  two  large 
classrooms  on  the  top  floor  and  a  big  room  where 
volleyball  was  played.  There  was  also  one  classroom  in 
the  basement.  The  school  became  Independent  #5 
in  1917-18.  W.  A.  Caldehead,  E.  G.  Cowles, 
Florence  Armount  and  Alice  Fitzpatrick  taught  in 


Drujnmond  School  house 


1917  Dnimmond  school  studcntbody 


1928  Dnimmond  school  studcntbody 

r.5.  Marion  Brown,  Mrs.  Durry,  Ruth  Painter,  r.4. 
Jack  Nicndorf,  Merrill  OrmeLloyd  McFarlin,  ?, 
Kenneth  Dcdman,  r.  S.Emory  Hawkes,  Orville 
McFarlin,  LaVon  Gardner, Harold  Hendrickson, 
Grant  Thorsted,  ?,  r.2.,  ?,  ?,  Margaret  Niendorf, 
Mary  Lou  Dedman,  Delorcs  Brown,  Lula  Lamb,  ?, 
Maxinc  Franz,  ?,  ?,  Marion  Niendorf,  r.l.  Morinc 
Clark,  Edna  Frank,  Viola  Butler,  ?  Brown,  ?, 
RuthGarver,  Maragaret  Garz,  Audrey  Niendorf, 
Marian  Franz,  Gladys  Garz,  ?,  Frank  Miller,  and 
Clcora  Baker,  teachers 


14 


1916-17.  Later  when  the  high  school  students 
boarded  in  Ashton,  St.  Anthony  or  other  towns  in  the 
valley,  the  walls  were  removed  on  the  top  floor  and  it 
was  used  as  a  gym  for  the  elementary  grades.  Many  of 
the  local  people  began  maintaining  homes  in  Ashton 
or  other  towns  in  order  to  keep  their  children  in 
school.  As  the  population  dwindled,  there  were  fewer 
elementary  students.  The  district  was  consolidated  on 
February  20,  1948,  and  bus  service  started  to  carry  the 
students  down  to  the  Ashton  schools.  During  the 
later  years  Mrs.  Helen  Hawkes  was  the  lone  teacher 
with  twenty-two  students.  About  1952-53  she  taught 
two  students,  her  daughter,  Margaret,  and  Don 
Harshbarger.  In  1953-54  Margaret  was  the  only 
student  so  the  school  closed  at  the  end  of  the  term. 
The  building  stood  empty  until  it  was  purchased  in 
1961  by  Mr.  Merle  Harshbarger  for  $500.00  and  the 
school  ground  was  farmed.  Because  people  kept 
going  through  the  building  and  removing  anything  of 
value  they  could  find,  it  became  a  hazard  and  Mr. 
Harshbarger  worried  about  someone  getting  injured 
or  killed.  The  roof  began  to  cave  in  so  it  was  torn 
down  in  1982. 


1934  Drummond  school  students  b.r.  Dexter  Hcndrickson,  Bill  Bowcrsox, 
Donald  Gaugcr,  m.r.  Dean  Garvcr,  DarrcU  Newcomb,  Bcmis  Baird,  Blaine 
Hawkes,  Gene  Hawkes,  Dorothy  Rogstad  Baum,  f.r.  Dooley  Obcrhansli, 
Alice  Garz,  Mac  French,  Lottie  Riles,  Gene  Dickason,  Bert  Miller 


3l 


>* 


f 


1935  Drummond  school  students 
b.r.  Lcland  Carlson,  T.E.  McDonald,  teacher,  m.r.  David  Gauger,  Margaret  Garz,  Elizabeth  Bailey,  Alta  Hawkes,  Joyce  Hendrickson,  Gladys 
Garz,  f.r.  Emery  Hawkes,  Bobby  Niendorf,  Margaret  Bowersox,  Doris  Newcomb,  Peggy  Niendorf,  Keith  Garver 


1936  or  1937  Drummond  school  students 

r.4.  Ray  Carlson,  Emery  Hawkes,  Keith  Garver, 
Leonard  Johnson,  Bobby  Niendorf,  r.3  Janice 
Jcssen,  teacher,  Bessy  Hill,  Theima  Johnson, 
Margaret  Bowersox,  Peggy  Niendorf,  Doris 
Newcomb,  Theima  Angeli,  Fremont  Brown, 
teacher,  r.2.  Darrel  Newcomb,  Gene  Hawkes, 
Billy  Bowcrsox,  Fred  Niendorf,  Naomi  Angeli, 
Roscoe  Johnson,  Alice  Garz,  Evelyn  Johnson, 
Bcmis  Baird,  r.l.  Billic  Hill,  Max  Garvcr,  Bert 
Miller,  Ruth  Garver,  Gene  Dickason,  Lawrence 
Hawkes,  Dean  Garvcr,  Blaine  Hawkes,  June 
Whitmore,  Charlie  Garvcr 


15 


1938  Dnimmond  School  Band 

r.4.  George  Amen,  Lucille  Baird,  instructor,  Joy 
Harshbargcr,  Gene  Hawkes,  Glen  Baird,  leader, 
Gene  Dickason,  r.3.  Dean  Fcmcy,  Bemis  Baird, 
Alice  Garz,  Betty  French,  Barrel  Newcomb, 
Harry  Peterlin,  r.2.  Naomi  Angell,  Doris  Murri, 
Rosalie  Butner,  Jack  Amen,  Doolcy 
Oberhansli,r.l.  Ruth  Garvcr,  Leon  Murri, 
Kenneth  Nett]es,Billie  Guthrie,  John  Butner 


1940  Drummond  School  Band 
h.r.  Glen  Baird,  leader,  Betty  French,  Billy  Bowersox,  George  Amen,  Bemis  Baird,  Dean  Femcy,  Gene  Dickason,  Clyde  Lcnz,  Jackie  Amen,  Dooley 
Oberhansli,  Harry  Peterlin,  Darrell  Newcomb,  Kieth  Nyborg,  f.r.  Gerald  Nyborg,  Rosalie  Butner,  Naomi  Angell,  Doris  Murri,  Willa  Peterson 


1945  Drummond  School  Pupils  and  Teacher 
b.r.  Milton  Nyborg,  Mrs.  Floy  Bratt,  teacher,  Nola  Nyborg,  Clara 
Garz,  f.r.  Jerry  Gutheric,  Bonnie  Baum,  Neal  Dedman,  DeWayne 
Jones,  Glade  Oberhansli,  Larry  McFarlin 


16 


1949  Drummond  School  Pupils  and  Teacher 
b.r.  Bonnie  Baum,  Helen  Hawkes,  teacher,  Neal  Dedman,  Terry 
Moyer,  m.r.  Larry  McFarlin,  Jerry  Guthrie,  Jesse  McFariin,  Linda 
Holbrook,  f.r.  Lloyd  McFarlin,  Carla  Whitmore,  Jackie  Baird 


GRAINVILLE  -  This  one-room  frame  building  was 
located  near  the  railroad  in  Grainville.  A  well  was  dug 
for  drinking  water  and  is  still  there.  The  boys  rode 
horses  to  school  in  the  summer  and  traveled  by  skis  in 
the  winter;  many  were  pulled  by  dogs.  One  of  the 
teachers  was  Kate  Thomas  Lamont  and  around  a 
dozen  children  attended  the  school.  After  the 
children  were  moved  to  other  schools,  the  building 
was  used  as  a  home  for  the  hired  man  of  a  local 
farmer.  It  stands  empty  now. 

FRANCE  -  Miss  Gertrude  Strong  grew  up  in  the 
Ashton  area  and  began  her  teaching  career  at  the 
Greenrimber  school,  approximately  10  miles  east  of 
Ashton.  After  three  years  she  accepted  a  position  in 
the  Drummond  School  District,  approximately  10 
miles  southeast  of  Ashton.  After  teaching  two  years  in 
Drummond  she  was  asked  to  teach  at  France.  The 
people  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Drummond  District 
had  decided  to  build  a  one  room  school  nearer  to 
their  farms  in  the  community  of  France,  and  Miss 
Strong  was  asked  to  be  the  first  teacher.  The  log 
school  was  constructed  during  the  summer,  but  it  was 
not  completed  until  Oaober,  and  so  school  was  held 
in  the  living  room  of  a  nearby  form  house  until  the 
harvest  was  completed  and  the  building  could  be 
finished. 


something  that  could  be  warmed  up  for  all  the 
children's  noon  meal. 

Ella  Mae  Smith  lived  at  the  school  with  Miss 
Strong  during  the  winter  months  because  she  lived  so 
far  from  the  school,  but  her  brother  Oscar  Smith,  who 
was  older,  skied  back  and  forth  to  school  as  did  most 
of  the  other  students  during  the  winter,  and  then  rode 
horses  in  the  fall  and  spring. 

The  France  school  was  located  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  north  of  France  Siding  and  the 
France  Grain  elevator,  and  so  Miss  Strong  would 
occasionally  go  home  to  Ashton  for  the  weekend  by 
flagging  down  the  train  at  France  Siding.  Sometimes 
she  would  take  one  of  the  students  with  her  for  the 
weekend,  which  was  a  real  treat  for  them.  They  were 
fascinated  by  electric  lights  and  running  water. 

During  her  second  year  at  France  the 
following  incident  occurred.  When  the  snow  came 
Ella  Mae  Smith  moved  back  in  with  Miss  Strong.  One 
night  as  they  put  on  their  coats  to  go  to  the  outhouse. 
Miss  Strong  put  a  gun  in  her  pocket.  She  states,  "Only 
the  Lord  could  have  led  me  to  do  this  because  I  hardly 
gave  a  thought  to  what  I  was  doing."  As  they  reached 
the  door  of  the  outhouse  they  heard  a  noise.  They 
quickly  closed  the  door  and  hooked  the  wire  over  the 
nail.  There  was  the  sound  of  something  moving  on 
the  roof  and  a  tapping  noise  on  the  side  of  the 


^/^y^fiKi^AWMa^j'j//.j^^yy.^y^a>y/^^ 


1937  or  1938  Franz  Siding  School 
b.r.  Scth  Bean's  daughter,  Ms.  Strong,  teacher,  Velva  Nyborg,  Oscar  Smith,  Elden  Nyborg,  Ella  May  Smith,  Wanda  Bean,  Gerald  Nyborg,  Karma 
Bean,  f.r.  Gene  Peterson,  Ruth  Bean,  Dean  Femcy 


Upon  completion  of  the  little  log  school  in 
late  October  of  1934,  Miss  Strong  moved  there.  The 
wall  with  a  blackboard  separated  the  classroom  from 
the  room  where  she  lived  and  there  was  even  a  party 
line  telephone.  Miss  Strong  relates  that  the  wood 
burning  kitchen  stove  was  close  enough  to  the  door 
that  she  could  stir  a  kettie  of  soup  with  her  right  hand 
and  hold  a  book  in  the  left  while  finishing  a  class 
before  lunch.    Oftentimes  the  parents  brought 


17 


building.  Next  came  the  clawing  over  the  door. 
Uncertain  of  what  was  there  she  felt  it  unwise  to  shoot 
up  through  the  roof  She  told  Ella  Mae  to  lie  down 
on  the  floor  and  she  would  go  out  with  the  flashlight 
and  gun.  If  she  had  to  shoot,  Ella  Mae  would  be  safer 
there.  As  she  opened  the  door  slightly  Ella  Mae 
screamed  and  she  jumped  back.  Ella  Mae  was 
frightened  and  begged  her  to  stay  inside.  The 
temperature  was  well  below  zero  and  she  realized  they 


In  Frontof  France  tcachcragc  1938-39 
back  row  1-r:  Gcrtudc  Tanner,  teacher,  Gene  Peterson,  Howard 
Clark,  Gerald  Nyborg,  Dean  Femey,  Bill  Miller.  3rd  row:  Ella  Mca 
Smith,  Arlene  Bean,  Wanda  Bean.  2nd  Row:  Karma  Bean,Willa 
Peterson.  Front  Row:  Ruth  Bean,  Elna  Nyborg,  Keith  Nyborg,  Joe 
Miller,  Ralph  Bean 


In  Front  of  France  School  1940-41  Band  Students 
1-r:  Ray  Miller,  Bettie  Frence,  Elda  Ryle,  Dean  Femey,  Gerald 
Nyborg,  Bill  Miller,  Willa  Peterson,  Charlotte  Tew,  Gene  Peterson, 
Kenneth  Tew,  Pat  Whittle,  teacher.  Kneeling:  Clarence  Ryle,  Keith 
Nyborg 

couldn't  stay  there  very  long.  There  was  only  one 
thing  left  to  do.  They  got  ready  to  run.  Miss  Strong 
shot  through  the  opening  above  the  door  and  they 
broke  all  speed  records  down  the  path  to  safety. 

Later  that  evening  Ella  Mae's  mother  phoned, 
as  she  did  every  evening,  and  they  told  her  what  had 
happened.  The  next  morning  at  daylight  Ella  Mae's 
older  brother.  Bill  Smith,  came  on  a  horse  with 
hunting  dogs  and  a  rifle.  He  showed  them  where  the 
snow  was  trampled  on  the  roof  of  the  outhouse  and 
on  the  drift  between  there  and  the  road,  they  saw  the 
huge  tracks  of  a  cougar.  Bill  had  hunted  the  animal 
earlier  and  had  shot  off  one  of  it's  toes  and  so  he  knew 
the  track.  He  estimated  it  to  be  about  seven  feet  long 
and  weighing  about  150  pounds. 

Soon  other  men  from  the  community  arrived 
and  they  tracked  it  until  it  began  to  snow  and  they  lost 
the  track. 

Teachers  at  the  France  School  were:  1934-36 
-  Gertrude  Strong;  1936-37  -  Helen  Thomas;  1937- 
39  -  Gertrude  Tanner;  1939-41  -  Patrick  Whittle; 
1941-42  -  Jennie  Ritchie;  1942-43  Joyce  Hend- 
rickson;  1943-44  -  Lena  Taylor. 


In  March  of  1944  the  school  house  burned 
down  and  the  school  year  was  finished  by  holding 
classes  in  the  teacherage.  The  following  year  the 
students  went  to  Drummond  to  school  and  that 
marked  the  end  of  the  France  School.  However, 
those  who  attended  France  School  have  been  heard  to 
say  they  were  raised  and  educated  in  FRANCE.  Quite 
a  prestigious  honor. 

(The  above  France  school  history  was  written 
by  Keith  Nyborg) 

SQUIRREL  -  The  first  school  was  a  one-room  log 
building  south  of  the  Larry  Orme  home.  The  second 
building  was  a  homestead  two-room  shack  located  on 
the  Carl  Lenz  ranch.  Emma  L.  Anderson  taught  in 
1909-10  and  Minnie  Carlson  was  the  teacher  in  1910- 
11.  A  new  two-room  building  was  ereaed  in  1916. 
The  rooms  were  large,  with  one  serving  as  a  classroom 
and  the  other  room  being  used  as  a  gym,  where  the 


1931  or  1932  Squirrel  Students  and  Teacher 


18 


1941  Squirrel  School  grades  1  to  8 
r.l.  Delores  Johnston,  Barbara  Wadcll,  Chris  Harrigfeld,  ? 
Johnston,  Mac  French,  Clyde  Lcnz,  r.2.  Margaret  Wadcll,  Wm. 
Harrigfeld,  Douglas  French,  Fritz  Harrigfeld,  Delores  Carlson,  r.3. 
?  Johnston,  ?  Johnston,  Ernest  Harrigfeld,  Donita  Larsen,  MaryAn 
Lenz,  ?  Johnston,  r.l.  Jay  Lenz,  Joyce  Garz,  Johnnie  Harrigfeld, 
Ken  Garz,  Ira  Harrigfeld,  John  Morris  Larsen 


students  played  volleyball  and  basketball  in  later  years. 
It  was  probably  used  as  another  classroom  at  an  earlier 
time.  The  earliest  record  of  the  school  was  in  1904 
with  thirty-one  boys  and  twenty-three  girls.  In  1906 
there  were  fifty-eight  boys  and  forty  girls  -  evidence  of 
the  large  number  of  families  living  in  the  vicinity  in 
the  early  days.  A  small  two-room  teacherage  was  built 
near  the  school  for  the  teacher  and  a  bam  erected  for 
the  student's  horses.  About  1932  the  local  ladies 
formed  the  Squirrel  Friendship  Club  and  met  in  the 
building  during  the  summer  months.  The  school  was 
dosed  in  1953-54  and  the  students  traveled  by  bus  to 
Ash  ton.  After  standing  empty  for  a  time,  the  building 
was  sold  to  Mr.  Bergman  in  1961  for  $500.00.  He 
moved  it  about  four  miles  to  Grainville  and  placed  it 
on  a  basement  foundation.  It  was  remodeled  by  the 
Albert  Scafe  family  and  is  a  very  attractive  farm  home. 

On  May  9,  1941,  Mrs.  Chantrill  took  the 
Squirrel  students  to  St.  Anthony  to  participate  in  a 
Pageant  on  Democracy.  They  represented  the  years 
1905-1910  showing  Theodore  Roosevelt  as  a  Rough 
Rider  and  as  President,  the  Russian-Japanese  War 
Treaty,  Pure  Food  Laws,  Conservation,  &  firmness 
and  leadership.  After  the  parade  they  went  to  the  city 
park  and  had  fiin  on  the  playground. 

While  teaching  at  Squirrel,  Erna  and  her 
husband  Leigh  bought  2  pair  of  skis  from  the  Squirrel 
store,  owned  by  Axel  Johnson.  They  were  wooden 
slats  with  a  pointed  end  that  turned  up.  The  harness 
was  a  leather  strap  and  rubber  bands  cut  from  an  old 
inner  tube.  Erna  enjoyed  many  an  excursion  wdth 
Mrs.  Axel  Johnson  and  Ruby  Carlson  which  put  them 
in  good  physical  condition  as  they  would  cross- 
country ski  around  the  area. 

SHEETZ  (Kelly)  -  The  school  was  located  on  the 
reclamation  road.  The  D.  H.  Kelly  family  lived  there 
and  was  instrumental  in  getting  the  building 
constructed.  It  was  a  one-room  building  with  a  cloak 
room  and  was  heated  by  a  pot-bellied  stove.    Mrs. 


1931  or  1932  KcUy-Shcctz  School 
b.r.  Herb  Bolland,  Gladys  Griffcl,  Hilrm  Lcnz,  Marion  Lcnz,  Paul 
Bolland,  m.r.  Bcmicc  Griffcl,  Vclma  Griffcl,  Thcima  Lcnz,  Viola 
Lcnz,  Lylc  Lcnz,  f.r.  Donald  and  David  Lcnz,  Dorothy  Bolland, 
John  Ormc 


19 


Kclly-Shcctz  School 
Dorothy  Bolland,  John  Ormc,  Viola  Lcnz,  Thcima  Lcnz,  Lyic  Lcnz 

Duke,  one  of  the  Kelly  daughters,  was  the  first 
teacher.  It  was  sometimes  called  old  #6.  Isabell 
Donaldson  taught  in  1934-35.  No  school  was  held 
after  1941-42.  It  is  still  standing  and  is  used  as 
granary.  Hazel  Duke's  teaching  year  was  1920-21. 

HIGHLAND  -  The  county  map  shows  this  school  to 
be  about  two  miles  straight  east  of  the  Squirrel  store. 
The  frame  building  was  erected  for  students  in  the 
country  area.  It  had  two  outhouses  and  one  teacher 
taught  all  eight  grades.  A  teacher's  cottage  was  located 
nearby  and  a  bam  erected  for  the  horses.  Hazel  Scott 
taught  in  1920-21.  Later  Gertrude  Tanner  and  Ema 
Larsen  Chantrill  served  as  teachers.  No  school  was 
held  in  1942-43.  The  building  was  later  moved  to  the 
Lamont  School  site  to  serve  as  the  new  Lamont 
building.  It  is  still  standing  empty  by  the  side  of  the 
highway. 

LAMONT  -  The  first  school  building  was  a  log  cabin. 
J.  T.  Madden  taught  in  1913-14  and  Ralph  Lamont 
was  the  teacher  in  1916-17.  Then  a  frame  building 
was  constructed  near  the  Lamont  Store.  It  had  a 
classroom,  a  cloakroom,  a  room  where  the  teacher 
lived,  and  a  large  room  used  for  recreation  at  the  time 
Mrs.  Morrison  taught  in  1938-39.  It  was  heated  by  a 
floor  oil  fiimace  that  was  blamed  for  the  fire  when  it 
burned  in  early  1950.  The  students  were  housed  for 
the  balance  of  the  school  year  in  a  small  building  at 
the  rear  of  the  store  that  was  rented  to  the  Fremont 
School  District.  In  1951  a  basement  foundation  was 
laid  and  the  vacant  #9  Highland  school  building  was 
moved  over  and  set  up.  A  coal  fumace  was  installed 
to  heat  the  building  and  a  garage  furnished  for  the 
Lamont  school  bus  that  hauled  the  secondary  students 
on  down  to  North  Fremont  High  School.  The  school 
was  dosed  in  the  spring  of  1954  because  only  four 
students  planned  to  attend  and  they  were  bussed 
down  to  Ashton  Elementary  School.  The  Lamont 
building  was  leased  for  years  by  the  local  ladies  for  the 
Lamont  Community  Club.  Many  of  the  members 
have  died  or  moved  away  so  that  it  now  stands  empty 
by  the  side  of  the  highway.  Supt.  Mclvin  Gruwcll 
marveled  at  the  efforts  made  by  all  the  parents  in  the 


Lament  School  students  on  their  mounts  1945-46  Lament  School  students 


b.r.  Bill  Gallagher,  Martin  Gallagher,  Larry  Fredrickson,  Jerry 
Thomas,  Harvey  Fredrickson,  Randal  Fredrickson,  Billy  Anderson 
Stranger,  f.r.  Betty  Helford,  Margo  Stohl,  Edna  Thomas,  Laura 
Helford,  Gary  Gorton,  Arthur  Callow,  John  Perry,  Bub  Thomas  on 
the  edge  of  the  picture. 

remote  areas  of  the  big  county  to  see  that  their 
children  received  an  education.  He  submitted  a  report 
to  a  school  transportation  publication  telling  of  the 
miles  covered  by  one  of  the  Lamont  students. 
Randall  Frederickson,  the  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry 
Frederickson,  traveled  with  his  brothers  and  sisters 
over  five  miles  each  day  by  pony  or  on  foot  in  the 
summer  and  by  riding  skis  pulled  by  dogs  in  the 
wintertime  for  eight  years  to  the  grade  school.  Then 
he  would  meet  the  Lamont  bus  at  the  school  and  ride 
close  to  forty  miles  each  day  down  to  the  North 
Fremont  High  School.  After  getting  off  the  bus  in  the 
summertime,  he  would  head  east  for  home.  In  the 
wintertime  he  would  board  in  the  Lamont  School 
basement  during  the  week  and  then  slog  on  home 
through  the  snow  on  Friday  night.  At  the  time  of  his 
high  school  graduation,  Mr.  Lawrence  Lindsley,  a 
school  trustee,  told  the  audience  that  Randall's 
mileage  would  go  a  long  way  toward  a  trip  around  the 
world.  He  had  covered  approximately  thirty-five 
thousand  miles.  Randall  now  lives  in  Ashton  and 
works  for  the  Forest  Service.  A  Lamont  resident,  Don 
Niendorf,  drove  the  Lamont  school  bus  for  twenty- 


nine  years  from  1947  to  1976.  During  that  time  he 
worked  part-time  in  the  District  Bus  Shop  in  Ashton 
to  keep  busy  during  the  day  until  his  retirement. 

FERRIN  -  Ferrin  was  a  one  room  school,  about  four 
miles  east  of  Lamont,  and  north  of  Bitch  Creek.  Leda 
Halsey,  Hazel  Niendorf,  and  Judy  Badger  were  some 
of  the  teachers  that  taught  there.  Judy  Badger 
boarded  with  Olga  and  Fred  Hill  while  teaching  at 
Ferrin.  Fred  was  on  the  school  board. 
Some  of  the  families  who  lived  in  the  area  of  Ferrin 
were:  Treptow,  Johnson,  Halsey,  Dudgeon,  Kimbro, 
Colwell,  Lusher,  Miller,  Gibson,  Simmons,  Moody, 
and  Jesse  Ferrin. 

GREENHILL  -  The  log  school  was  located  south  of 
Drummond  near  the  Teton  River  and  started  in  1908. 
Lucy  Niendorf  taught  in  1909-10  and  Katherine 
Byrne  taught  in  1911-12.  Freda  Myslis  was  the  last 
teacher  with  three  Hill  Children,  three  Robinette 
students,  four  Bailey  children  and  Iva  Garver.  The 
school  consolidated  with  Drummond  in  1912-13. 


,„.,«, 


Threshing  at  the  old  Greenhill  Schoolhousc  -  Robinette  place  just 
north  -  Lupton  house  on  the  hill  in  background. 


20 


Note:  Much  of  the  information  for  these  schools  was 
taken  from  A  BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  FREMONT 
COUNTY,  IDAHO,  SCHOOLS  FROM 
EIGHTEEN  EIGHTY  TO  NINETEEN  NINETY  by 
-  Gamot  C.  Bischoff 

Lets  put  the  magnifying  glass  on  the  Famum 
School  Dist.  #64  and  take  a  closer  look  at  the 
buildings,  teachers,  students,  trustees,  and  the 
circumstances  that  made  up  its  46  year  history.  Tressa 
Garrett  Murdoch  narrates  some  interesting 
information  as  follows: 

Our  pioneer  parents  realized  the  importance 
of  education  for  their  children.  Schools  were  built 
almost  before  the  homes  were  completed  in  some 
cases.  The  first  few  years  the  people  homesteaded, 
they  worked  their  land  in  the  summer  and  would  go 
to  other  more  settle  areas,  or  to  their  former  homes  to 
give  their  children  access  to  church  and  schools  in  the 
winter. 

Early  in  the  spring  they  would  load  their 
wagons  with  food  supplies  and  necessary  household 
items,  and  farm  equipment  that  was  needed,  and  their 
families,  and  go  back  to  the  homestead.  They  did  this 
until  their  homes  were  completed.  The  school  usually 
being  built  by  the  time  or  soon  as  they  were  able  to 
make  permanent  homes. 

The  first  school  built  in  Famum  was  a  small 
log  building  built  about  1899.  It  was  between  Frank 
Bratt's  farm  and  the  old  James  Whitmore  farm.  The 
logs  were  filled  with  mud  putty  and  the  roof  covered 
with  dirt.  The  desks  and  chairs  were  wooden  benches 
and  a  wooden  table  for  each  child. 

At  first  school  was  held  only  in  the  summer. 
Sunday  School  was  held  in  the  log  school  house  until 
the  church  house  was  built. 

The  Famum  School  District  was  formed  July 
9,  1900. 

Some  of  the  teachers  who  taught  in  the  log 
school  were: 

1898  -  Elsie  Hawkes,  Hattie  Merrick,  wife  of  George 
Merrick,  Mr.  Wilson,  Rose  Kams  Abt.  1909  -  Lucy 
Niendorf 

Some  of  the  students  who  attended  the  log 
school:  Wallace,  Ardella,  Chester,  Ruth,  and  Naomi 
Green;  Vern  and  Angle  Stephenson;  Ether,  Dcvcrc, 
Ethel,  and  Hazel  Johnson;  Arthur  Day;  Louela, 
Lorraine,  Florence,  and  Ida  Green;  Byron 
Obcrhansley;  Rue  Murdoch,  Ralph  Fcrrin;  Joseph, 
and  Frank  Smith;  Pearl,  Margaret,  Vella,  Willie  (Bill), 
and  Ned  Vansickle;  Laurence  Cazicr;  Stewart,  and 
Geneva  Orr;  Allen,  and  Lester  Hendrickson;  Lea  and 
Ester  Southam;  and  possibly  others. 

As  more  settlers  came  the  log  school  was 
inadequate,  so  a  new  one  room  cement  block  school 
was  built  in  1909.  In  1911  another  room  and  hall 
were  added  on  to  the  other  part  of  the  school.  Two 
teachers  were  hired  then.  One  room  was  called  the 
little  room  (where  the  children  in  grades  1-4  went).      21 


The  other  room  was  called  the  big  room  (where  the 
children  in  grades  5-8  went). 

The  hall  went  the  fiill  length  of  the  building 
dividing  the  two  rooms.  The  front  door  had  double 
wide  doors.  A  cloak  room  was  just  inside.  There  was 
another  double  wide  door  on  the  south  separating  the 
rest  of  the  hall  from  the  cloak  room.  Sometimes  in  the 
winter  if  we  didn't  take  our  lunches  inside  the  room 
they  would  be  frozen.  A  table  with  a  bucket  and 
dipper  provided  our  drinking  water  which  was 
pumped  fresh  every  day  from  the  well  on  the  grounds 
by  the  larger  boys  or  someone  who  had  to  serve 
detention. 

Large  wood  and  coal  buming  stoves  stood  in 
one  comer  of  each  room.  There  were  lots  of  windows 
to  let  in  plenty  of  light.  (There  wasn't  any  electricity 
out  that  way  until  after  1940.)  Each  student  had  a 
desk  with  a  seat  attached,  they  were  wooden.  An  ink 
well  was  in  the  right  hand  corner  of  each  desk.  A 
large  blackboard  covered  the  south  end  of  the  room. 
Flowers  grew  in  pots  on  the  window  sills. 

There  was  a  bell  in  the  belfiy.  It  was  fun  to 
be  the  one  that  got  to  ring  the  bell  in  the  morning  to 
tell  us  it  was  nine  o'clock  and  time  to  start.  It  was  also 
rung  at  both  recesses. 

A  teachers  cottage  was  built  on  the  property 
later.  It  was  moved  to  Ashton  and  used  as  a  dwelling 
hom»e  after  the  schools  were  consolidated. 

Sometimes,  some  of  the  children  would  ride 
horses  to  school.  Most  of  the  time  the  children 
walked,  some  walking  two  and  three  miles. 
Occasionally  the  father,  if  he  could  spare  his  horses, 
would  come  and  get  the  children  on  bad  days. 
During  the  winter  months  they  used  the  school  sleigh. 
It  was  a  box  mounted  on  a  four  runner  sleigh  with 
bows  over  the  box  with  canvas  stretched  tight  to  keep 
the  weather  out.  It  reminded  one  of  the  covered 
wagons  but  was  called  a  covered  sleigh.  It  would  have 
a  small  stove  toward  the  front  of  the  sleigh  which  kept 
us  cozy.  Sometimes  the  boys  had  skis,  sometimes  real 
and  sometimes  made  of  barrel  staves  (these  weren't 
very  successful).  The  boys  would  tie  a  rope  behind 
the  sleigh  and  ride  their  skis  (holding  onto  the  rope) 
from  school.  The  school  sleigh  driver  was  appointed 
by  the  school  board  and  paid  a  small  wage.  One 
driver  I  remember  well  was  George  Kidd,  he  had 
come  from  the  South.  He  was  a  kind  gentle  man  with 
lots  of  patience  with  children.  He  would  tell  us 
stories,  sometimes  sing  and  play  games  with  us  to  keep 
us  entertained. 

These  were  memorable  times,  such  a 
closeness,  to  really  get  to  know  and  love  one  another. 
Many  secrets  were  shared  in  the  far  corner  of  the 
sleigh  away  from  the  rest  of  the  boys  and  girls.  They 
liked  to  huddle  close  to  the  warm  fire.  The  boys 
teased. 

The  winters  were  hard,  school  would  be 
closed  for  days  at  a  time  while  blizzards  raged  and 
after  the  storms,  the  roads  had  to  be  broken  open.  All 
the  farmers  in  the  area  would  help  break  the  roads.  As 


many  as  6-8  teams  following  one  another.  Diseases 
traveled  fast  and  if  one  got  the  measles  or  the  mumps 
everyone  had  them  and  school  would  be  dosed  until 
they  made  their  rounds. 

The  Farnum  school  is  still  standing  and  is 
owned  by  Kenneth  Henry  and  used  for  a  storage 
building.  (From  the  personal  history  of  Tressa 
Murdoch  Garrett). 


Trustees  of  Dist.  64  -  Farnum 

1909-16  Laura  Florence  Lloyd  Vansickle  (no  year 

given)        1916-18  Brig  Murdoch,  Ether  Staker,  Geo. 

Obcrhansley,  Clk. 

1918-20  J.  N.  HiU,  Ether  Staker,  Geo.  Oberhansley, 

Clk.        1920-23  Ether  Staker,  Claude  Henry,  J.  N. 

HiU 

1923-25  W.  B.  Green,  J.  S.  Cazier,  J.  N.  Hill 

1925-26  W.  B.  Green,  Brig  Murdoch,  J.  H.  Vansickle, 

William  Schofield,  T.  T.  Murdoch 
1926-27  William  Schofield,  Brig  Murdoch,  T.  T. 
Murdoch 

1927-28  T.  T.  Murdoch,  J.  N.  Hill,  Wm.  R.  Schofield 
1928-29  T.  T.  Murdoch,  J.  N.  Hill,  D.  W.  Rogers 
1929-31  Geo.  H.  White,  D.  W.  Rogers,  J.  N.  Hill 
1931-33  Geo.  C.  Kidd,  D.  W.  Rogers,  J.  N.  HiU 
1933-36  Geo.  C.  Kidd,  D.  W.  Rogers,  Byron 
Oberhansley 

1936-37  Geo.  C.  Kidd,  D.  W.  Rogers,  Lester 
Hendrickson 

1937-38  Geo.  C.  Kidd,  L.  C.  Hendrickson,  Frank  J. 
Merrick 

1938-39  Frank  J.  Merrick,  L.  C.  Hendrickson,  James 
F.  MUler,  Geo.  C.  Kidd 

1939-41  James  Miller,  L.  C.  Hendrickson,  Percy 
Hawkes 

1941-42  Percy  Hawkes,  L.  C.  Hendrickson,  A.  F. 
Kidd 

1942-43  Geo.  White,  Percy  Hawkes,  A.  f.  Kidd, 
Herbert  Benson 

1943-44  Geo.  White,  Herbert  Benson,  A.  F.  Kidd 
1944-45  School  Dist  #64  temporarily  consolidated 
with  Ashton  Ind.  #8. 

Farnum  School  Teachers 

The  first  records  naming  the  teachers, 
recorded  in  the  Fremont  County  Superintendents 
office  of  schools  starts  in  1909. 

1909-10  Marion  Francis  Higginbotham 

1910-11  W.F.Eaton 

1911-12  W.  F.  Eaton,  Earl  Lay 

1912-13  Francis  Hargis,  Valera  Fillmore 

1913-15  Francis  Hargis,  Racheal  Roop 

1915-16  Paul  Beecher,  Helen  Emory 

1916-17  Melvin  Neeley,  Helen  Emory 

1917-18  Harriet  Slattery,  Edna  Steely  (Lora  Madsen 

&  Helen  Emory  Hawkes  replaced  the  previous     22 


teachers) 

1918-19  Mrs.  Lora  Madsen,  Reva  Baird 

1919-20  Nellie  Keeffer,  Laura  Keeffer 

1920-21  Mrs.  BeUe  Donaldson,  Maggie  Kunz 

1921-22  Wayne  Cheney,  Lula  Cheney 

1922-23  Mrs.  Elizabeth  P.  Whittle,  Mrs.  Lora  Madsen 

1923-24  Mrs.  Lora  Madsen,  Mary  Graham 

1924-25  lillie  Osborne,  Lora  Madsen 

1925-26  lillie  M.  Osborne,  lone  Jensen 

1926-27  Samuel  F.  Davis,  lone  Jensen 

1927-28  Mr.  &  Mrs.  O.  S.  Sartin 

1928-36  Brian  &  Wmifred  Bean 

1936-37  Edwin  O.  Smith,  Elda  Smith 

1937-38  Mr.  &  Mrs.  Fremont  Brown 

1938-39  Dorthea  McLaine,  Ruth  Marsden 

1939-40  Margaret  Moon 

1940-41  Jennie  P.  Ritchie 

1941-43  Ruby  Schofield 

1943-44  No  school  held,  temporarily  consolidated 

with  Ashton  Ind.  #8. 


Fremont  County  Superintendent  of  Schools 

1899-       Augusra  Fletcher 
1906-1911  Harriet  C.Wood 
1917-1918  Francis  Hargis 
1919-1920  Margaret  Bean 
1920-1923  A.  C.  Lambert 
1923-1926  Annie  Clark 
1926-1929  Florence  Martineau 
1929-1942  E.  Glen  Cameron 
1942-1953   E.  O.  Rich  (July  1953  this  office 
was  discontinued  by  law). 

(The  above  records  were  taken  from  the 
Fremont  County  Supt.  of  School  Records) 


(The  following  article  is  taken  from  the  Ashton 
Herald,  Golden  Anniversary  Edirion  1956,  and  was 
written  by  Margaret  Hawkes  Lindsley) 

The  date  on  the  Drummond  schoolhouse  is 
1913  when  the  three  story  building  was  completed  to 
school  children  up  to  the  second  year  of  high  school. 
Among  some  of  the  first  teachers  were  Mr.  Catrin, 
Mr.  Cowles,  Mr.  Caulderhead,  Mrs.  Pete  Madsen, 
Alice  Hannawalt  Simmerley,  Freida  Isenberg,  and 
Mrs.  Steve  Meikles.  In  those  early  years  the 
enrollment  exceeded  200  and  tentative  plans  were 
made  to  build  an  addition  to  the  building.  Of  the 
students  that  attended  the  Drummond  school  May 
Bailey  (Dallas),  Dean  Bailey  (Meese),  and  Joyce 
Hendrickson  (Biom)  returned  there  to  teach. 

Before  incorporation  into  the  Drummond 
School  district,  schools  were  held  at  Green  HUl  (south 
of  Drummond  near  the  Teton  River)  and  at  Lillian 
(across  the  road  from  the  Blaine  Baird  home  on 


Highway  32),  Miss  Mislas  was  the  last  teacher  at 
Greenhill,  numbered  among  her  pupils  Gladys,  Hazel 
and  Ralph  Hill;  Ella  Lorraine,  Florence  and  Lloyd 
Robinette;  Ovid,  Ova,  Kelsey  and  Ernest  Bailey;  and 
Iva  Garver.  The  first  teacher  at  Lillian  was  Roy  Duke 
from  St.  Anthony,  who  taught  a  number  of  years, 
boarded  with  the  Bairds,  later  married  a  sister  of  Cy 
and  Lcs  Young  and  settled  in  South  Fremont.  The 
school  board  consisted  of  William  G.  Baird,  Ned 
Southham,  and  Iver  taught  there  at  least  one  year  and 
so  did  a  Mrs.  Robins.  The  last  teacher  at  Lillian 
before  the  children  transferred  to  Drummond  was 
Hazel  Gibson,  in  1913. 

Until  the  Drummond  school  was  completed 
ft-om  30  to  35  children  crowded  into  the  one  room  at 
Lillian  The  Baird  children  — Reva,  Glen,  Blaine, 
Dean,  and  Preal  attended  it  as  did  the  eight 
Hendrickson  children,  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Irv 
Morrison,  Jim  Newby,  Bob  Hathaway  and  the 
Grupps.  Art  and  Carl  C.  Lenz;  Ralph  and  Agatha 
Ferrin;  Bob  Hawkes,  as  well  as  the  children  of  Pete 
Lenz  were  enrolled  there. 

Some  of  the  Art  Lenz's  schoolmates  still  tease 
him  about  the  iron  windows  at  the  Lillian  school 
house.  When  Art  saw  some  of  the  older  boys  tossing 
handfiils  of  snow  at  the  diamond  shaped  windows  he 
cautioned,  "You'll  break  them,"  and  was  told,  "Oh, 
no,  they're  made  of  iron.  They  won't  break.  Try  it  and 
see." 

Art  did,  but  with  a  hard  snowball  instead  of 
loose  snow.  When  a  window  pane  proved  not  to  be 
iron  and  the  teacher  came  rushing  out.  Art  defended 


himself  in  an  exdted  mixture  of  English  and 
German,  repeating,  "Iron,  they  said.  Iron.  Iron.  They 
do.  They  do.  But  it  broke.  It  do." 

One  of  LiUian's  teachers  from  the  East,  a 
young  woman  who  found  the  first  days  of  spring  with 
the  bright  colors  of  wild  flowers  and  spicy  smell  of 
sagebrush  inviting  after  the  long  winter,  decided  to 
walk  home  to  her  boarding  place  at  the  Ferrins,  over  a 
mile  away. 

When  she  got  home  she  was  covered  with 
ticks  and  the  Ferrins  debated  sending  for  a  doctor. 
Not  because  of  the  ticks — they  knew  how  to  cope 
with  them — but  because  of  her  hysteria  that  had 
increased  with  each  step  and  each  clinging  tick  until 
she  was  nearly  unmanageable. 

The  morning  after  one  Halloween  the 
neighbors,  the  school  board,  the  parents  and  a  few, 
very  few  of  the  Lillian  students  were  astounded  to  see 
Henry  Bratt's  buggy  on  the  ridgepole  of  the 
schoolhouse.  It  had  to  come  down  as  it  went  up — 
piece  by  piece.  Perhaps  it's  just  as  well  that  the 
youngsters  of  today  can't  hear  what  the  adults  said 
during  the  three  days  it  took  them  to  get  the  buggy 
down.  You  can  just  bet  they  weren't  marveling  about 
how  Lillian's  juveniles  managed  the  feat  in  a  few  hours 
in  the  dark. 


23 


ip  • 


24 


Chapter  Three 
Conant  Creek  Canal 


All  of  the  men  and  women  who  organized  the 
Conant  Creek  Canal  Company  came  from  Franklin, 
Idaho.  Most  of  them  were  descendants  of,  or  related 
to  Thomas  S.  Smart  who,  with  others,  led  the  first 
colony  into  Idaho  in  the  year  of  1860.  Under  his 
direction  the  first  irrigation  project  in  Idaho  was 
started.  It  was  known  as  the  City  Ditch  and  was  three 
and  one-half  miles  long.  This,  of  course,  was  in 
southern  Idaho. 

William  Pratt,  a  son-in-law  of  Thomas  S. 
Smart,  laid  out  this  ditch  for  what  he  called  Horseshoe 
Flat,  and  he  later  induced  settlers  to  come  up  here, 
homestead  the  land  and  file  on  the  water.  These 
people  came  here  in  the  early  spring  of  1896. 

On  the  4th  of  May  my  parents,  Joshua  and 
Sarah  Smart  Hawkes,  Joseph  B.  Hawkes,  O.  L.  Packer 
and  Oscar  Pope  had  selected  and  filed  on  their 
homesteads,  and  proceeded  to  organize  a  canal 
company.  They  were  camped  in  their  covered  wagons 
at  a  watering  place  in  the  south  end  of  this  Horseshoe 
Flat.  Little  did  they  realize  what  was  ahead  of  them. 

They  brought  with  them  much  knowledge  of 
pioneer  problems  and  some  experience  in  the  matters 
of  irrigation  and  of  making  nice  homes.  Joshua 
Hawkes  came  to  Utah  in  1852  and  had  pioneered 
most  of  his  life.  This  group  camped  there  in  that 
beautiful  grass  country,  some  with  plows  tied  on  the 
side  of  their  wagons.  They  came  to  settie  and  build 
up  homes.  However  they  had  little  or  no  money  and 
very  little  knowledge  of  legal  and  technical  problems, 
but  the  minutes  show  they  organized  themselves  into 
a  company,  and  it  was  later  incorporated  according  to 
law. 

Their  first  act  was  to  file  on  the  water,  which 
they  did.  The  next  wds  to  survey  the  ditch.  A.  M. 
Carter,  a  farmer  living  west  of  Rexburg,  did  the 
survey.  His  fee  was  $5.00  for  the  complete  survey; 
two  days  on  the  road  and  one  day  doing  the  work. 
The  ditch  was  nine  miles  long  to  the  first  division  with 
a  fall  of  1/10  to  the  100  feet.  The  country  through 
which  it  runs  is  some  brush,  some  rocks  and  some 
open  country  and  all  on  side  hill. 

Then  they  went  to  work.  It  was  a  very  large 
project  for  so  few  people.  After  each  man  had  built  a 
small  cabin,  the  most  important  thing  was  to  build  the 
canal.  The  original  filing  was  for  30  feet  of  water. 
They  thought  this  would  be  a  ditch  10  feet  wide  and  3 
feet  deeps.  But  they  were  later  to  learn  that  30  feet 
was  much  less,  that  this  much  valuable  time  went  by 
and  they  lost  a  very  valuable  water  right. 

The  first  summer  a  few  of  them  worked  on 
some  of  the  open  country  making  a  small  ditch  about 
3  feet  wide.    Bert  and  Estes  Hawkes  came  from 


Franklin  and  worked  with  O.  L.  Packer.  Nathan 
Packer  and  Oscar  Pope  was  the  crew  for  this  period  of 
time.  Some  returned  to  Franklin  to  get  their  families 
and  prepare  to  move  the  next  spring.  My  father  and 
mother  and  J.  B.  Hawkes  and  J.  E.  Morrison  came 
back  the  next  spring,  1897,  and  found  that  all  the 
others  had  given  up  and  went  away  to  other  places. 
The  struggle  then  was  to  get  settlers  who  would  come 
and  take  their  places  and  help  with  the  ditch. 

They  began  to  come  in  a  few  at  a  time,  but 
most  of  them  had  very  little  means  and  had  to  work  at 
other  jobs  for  a  living.  During  some  of  these  years 
there  were  none  to  work  except  my  father  and  myself 
We  would  labor  through  the  hot  summer  alone,  as  he 
told  me  we  would  lose  our  rights  and  what  had  been 
done  would  revert  to  the  government.  But  we  held 
on  and  held  our  rights. 

The  Greens,  Newbys,  Browns,  Wades  and 
others  came  and  helped  at  rimes.  There  were  some 
who  sent  men  and  teams  to  help.  Some  of  these  were 
J.  W.  Webster  of  Rexburg  and  Alma  Blanchard  of 
Chester. 

I  might  state  here  that  the  wages  agreed  upon 
was  $1.25  a  day  for  a  man  and  52.50  for  man  and 
team.  A  day  was  10  hrs;  7  a.m.  to  6  p.m.  This  pay 
was  a  credit  for  which  later  stock  in  the  company  was 
issued.  There  was  no  money  at  any  rime  paid  for 
labor.  A  copy  of  some  of  the  minutes  of  the  meetings 
will  show  that  money  was  a  very  scarce  item  with  this 
company.  During  the  whole  period  of  construction 
there  was  not  a  serious  mishap  or  accident. 

As  time  went  on  and  larger  crews  were  on  the 
job  there  were  some  amusing  and  some  serious 
incidents  came  up  and  in  a  sense  some  sociability  came 
with  the  work.  One  such  incident  I  might  relate: 
There  was  a  large  crowd  around  the  campfire  one 
night  and  someone  said.  "What  if  the  survey  is  wrong 
—  what  if  the  ditch  is  going  up  hill  instead  of  down." 
Everyone  took  notice  and  the  discussion  became 
serious.  Only  one  survey  had  been  made.  A  surveyor 
had  put  in  one  day  at  a  cost  of  $5.00,  and  we  had 
worked  years.  Everyone  said,  "let  us  get  a  surveyor 
and  check."  All  work  was  stopped  until  this  was  done. 
We  found  the  survey  perfect  and  everyone  breathed 
easier  and  went  back  to  work. 

The  minutes  of  the  first  meeting  do  not  show 
Mendcnhall  and  Morrison.  But  they  came  in  soon 
thereafter. 

The  records  show  that  in  1903  the  water  was 
turned  in  the  ditch.  It  was  not  complete  but  a  small 
stream  was  run  through.  This  was  the  canal  to  the 
terminus  or  first  division.  Then  there  were  miles  of 
laterals  to  b>c  made  to  take  the  water  to  the  various 


25 


farms.  At  last  after  so  long  a  time  and  so  much  hard 
work  the  water  came.  There  were  a  number  of  people 
had  settled  here  by  this  time  and  things  began  to  look 
a  little  brighter. 

We  owe  a  great  deal  to  these  and  other 
pioneers  who  have  made  possible  the  many  fine  things 
we  have  to  enjoy,  and  it  is  a  good  thing  to  look  back 
once  in  a  while  and  see  what  our  ancestors  did  for  us 
and  what  a  heritage  they  left. 

I  might  state  here  that  the  place  where  this 
canal  comes  out  of  Conant  Creek  is  in  a  little  flat 
which  should  now  be  called  Henry's  Flat.  In  an  article 
published  in  the  Magazine  Scenic  Idaho,  Summer 
1955  by  Margaret  Hawkes  Lindsley  which  shows 
proof  that  it  is  the  place  where  Captain  Andrew  Henry 
spent  the  winter  of  1810,  and  is  probably  where  Fort 
Henry  was  located.  Hazen  Hawkes  found  carvings  on 
rocks,  with  the  names  of  members  of  Captain  Henry 
and  his  party.  The  date  and  the  history  is  established 
that  this  Flat  was  their  winter  quarters  and  location  of 
the  Fort. 

A.  S.  Hawkes  Ed.  note:  The  above  mentioned 
place  has  now  been  designated  CAMP  HENRY  with 
Fort  Henry  still  located  near  St.  Anthony. 

The  following  articles  were  taken  from  the 
minutes  of  the  Conant  Creek  Canal  Company, 
Famum,  Fremont  County,  Idaho. 

Minutes  of  Water  Ditch  Meeting  held  at 
Mountain  Dell,  Idaho  4  May  1896  Joshua  Hawkes 
acted  as  chairman  of  the  meeting.  O.  L.  Packer  was 
chosen  and  elected  president  of  the  Conant  Canal 
Company.  J.  Bryant  Hawkes  was  chosen  and  elected 
secretary  of  the  said  canal  company,  and  was 
instructed  by  the  said  canal  company  to  send  for  a 
surveyor  to  survey  a  ditch  out  of  what  is  now  known 
as  Conant  Creek,  into  what  is  now  known  as 
Horseshoe  Flat,  afterward  named  Mountain  Dell.  The 
meeting  was  then  adjourned. 

J.B.  Hawkes,  Secretary. 

The  names  of  the  members  of  the  above 
organization:  O.  L.  Packer,  President;  J.  B.  Hawkes, 
Joshua  Hawkes,  Oscar  Pope,  Nathan  Packer,  Sarah  A. 
Hawkes.  Minutes  approved  20  June  1896. 

Minutes  of  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Conant 
Canal  Company  18  May  1897  —  Joshua  Hawkes  was 
chosen  chairman  of  the  meeting  by  vote  of  the 
meeting  or  company.  First  motioned  and  seconded 
that  O.L.  Packer  be  released  as  president  of  the 
Conant  Canal  Company.  Carried  by  vote  of  all 
present.  The  following  named  officers  were  chosen 
and  elected:  Joshua  Hawkes,  president;  J.  B.  Hawkes 
secretary.  Directors:  J.  E.  Morrison,  James  Green, 
Oscar  Pope.  These  minutes  were  accepted  by  vote  of 
the  meeting.  Meeting  then  adjourned. 

J.  B.  Hawkes,  Secretary. 

13  May  1898 — Joshua  Hawkes,  President; 
J.B.  Hawkes,  Secretary.  Direaors:  Sarah  A.  Hawkes, 
James  Green,  Silas  Green.  These  minutes  were 
accepted  by  vote.  26 


J.  B.  Hawkes,  Secretary. 

29  May  1899 — Meeting  held  at  Mountain 
Dell.  The  following  names  were  voted  as  directors: 
Joshua  Hawkes,  president;  J.  B.  Hawkes,  secretary;  J. 
E.  Morrison,  James  Green,  Silas  Green,  Swen  H. 
Jacobs  and  Fred  Parker  were  admitted  as  members  of 
the  company.  The  minutes  were  read  and  approved 
before  the  meeting  was  adjourned 

.    J.  B.  Hawkes,  Secretary. 

There  were  thirteen  homesteaders  in  the 
community  at  that  time.  Minutes  of  the  Conant 
Canal  Company  held  at  Mountain  Dell  19  May 
1900 — Minutes  of  previous  meeting  were  read  and 
approved.  Joshua  Hawkes  was  released  as  president 
and  J.  E.  Morrison  was  elected  president  for  the 
ensuing  year.  With  this  exception  the  old  board  of 
officers  was  held  over.  Bylaws  were  talked  about  and  a 
discussion  carried  on  concerning  a  sinking  fiind  for 
carrying  on  the  expenses  of  the  ditch  work  which  was 
slowly  progressing.  The  following  names  were 
admitted  as  members  of  the  company:  Hans  Nielsen, 
Francis  Ferrin,  William  Stevenson,  John  Vansickle,  G. 
Y.  Brown,  L.  B.  Hawkes,  George  McArthur,  Simon 
Sanders.  These  minutes  were  read  and  approved. 

J.  B.  Hawkes,  Secretary. 

Minutes  of  Meeting  of  Conant  Canal 
Company  held  at  Rexburg  Jan.  28,  1901 — Swen  H. 
Jacobs  appointed  to  preside  as  the  president  was  not 
present.  Business  was  attended  to.  James  Green  was 
allowed  $151.75  for  work  that  had  been  done  on  the 
canal,  also  $11.25  worked  by  Davis  Brothers 
transferred  to  him.  The  old  plow  that  was  first  used 
was  fiirnished  by  James  Green  and  he  was  allowed 
$10.00  for  its  use,  making  a  total  of  $173.00.  It  was 
motioned  and  seconded  the  capital  stock  should  have 
10  per  cent  added  to  the  paid  up  stock,  and  that  the 
stock  should  be  divided  into  shares  of  $10.00  each. 
Mrs.  Mary  Jacobs  was  admitted  a  member.  Meeting 
adjourned. 

J.  B.  Hawkes,  Secretary. 

May  15,  1901 — Minutes  of  the  annual 
meeting,  J.  E.  Morrison,  presiding.  Minutes  read  and 
approved.  Swen  Jacobs  and  Joshua  Hawkes  reported 
that  they  had  recorded  our  canal  or  water  that  is  in  the 
Conant  Creek  for  and  behalf  of  the  company  in  order 
to  secure  our  water  for  the  company.  Henry  Sermon, 
Thomas  T.  Murdoch,  Brigham  Murdoch  were 
admitted  as  members  of  the  company.  Seven  directors 
were  appointed;  Hans  Nielsen,  Joshua  Hawkes,  Silas 
Green,  Henry  Sermon,  J.  E.  Morrison,  J.  B.  Hawkes. 
Meeting  adjourned. 

J.  B.  Hawkes,  Secretary. 

Famum,  Idaho,  May  31,  1902  Minutes  of 
the  Stockholders'  meeting  of  the  Conant  Creek  Canal 
Co.  Meeting  called  to  order  by  President  Joshua 
Hawkes.  Minutes  of  last  meeting  read  and  approved. 
It  was  moved  that  we  take  steps  today  to  incorporate. 
The  name  of  the  company  to  be  The  Conant  Creek 
Canal  Co.  Voted  by  ballot,  11  for,  and  4  against. 
Motion  carried. 


Moved  and  seconded  that  we  appoint  a 
committee  to  look  after  Articles  of  Incorporation. 
Joshua  Hawkes,  H.  Sermon  and  Swcn  Jacobs  were 
appointed.  It  was  moved  and  seconded  that  we  levy 
an  assessment  according  to  the  shares  to  pay  Joshua 
Hawkes  for  a  plow  he  bought  for  the  company 
amounting  to  $16.50  with  interest  to  date. 

There  were  several  Directors'  meetings  held 
in  1902  and  we  come  to  some  interesting  items  and 
figures:  Moved  and  carried  that  25  cents  be  paid  for 
each  transfer  to  help  pay  expenses.  It  was  moved  and 
seconded  that  9  hours  be  a  day's  work,  and  $2.50  per 
day  for  man  and  team  and  $1.25  for  single  handed 
man.  (All  amounts  to  be  paid  in  ditch  stock  in  the 
company.) 

On  page  198  of  this  record  book  is  this 
interesting  account  involving  money;  this  is  not  dated 
but  probably  was  in  1898. 

Names  of  those  who  paid  cash  for  a  new 
plow: 

J.  E.  Morrison $1.50 

Alma  Blanchjird 1.50 

Dan  Gibson 1.50 

Swen  Jacobs 1.50 

James  Webster 1.50 

Joshua  Hawkes 1.50 

H.  A.  Nielson 1.50 

James  Green 1.50 

Silas  Green 1.50 

George  McArthur 50 

Francis  Ferrin 75 

On  page  199  are  the  names  of  23  persons 
who  had  paid  their  entrance  fees  of  $2.25  each.  This 
has  been  counted  in  with  Capital  Stock.  On  page  22 
is  the  account  of  the  work  figured  in  dollars  and  cents 
and  credited  to  the  several  individuals,  for  the  years  of 
1896  and  1897.  The  following  cash  items  appear: 

O.  L.  Packer  paid  first  survey $  5.00 

O.  L.  Packer — second  survey 10.00 

For  recording 2.00 

Bolts  for  go-devil 2.00 

J.B.  Hawkes  for  record  book 2.25 

On  page  202  the  following  notes: 

Transfers  fi-om  party  or  persons  to  the  other 
by  written  orders. 

Transfer  from  O.  L.  Packer  all  of  his  ditch 
stock  $215.50  to  H.  C.  Lamoreaux  from  H.  C. 
Lamoreaux  to  S.  H.  Jacobs. 

Transfer  from  Francis  Preece  all  of  his  stock  in 
die  Ditch  $4.70  to  H.  B.  Hawkes. 

Transfer  from  Oscar  Pope  all  of  his  stock  in 
the  ditch  $48.75  to  E.  Bagley,  also  from  E.  Bagley,  all 
of  his  stock  in  the  ditch  to  S.  H.  Jacobs. 

From  Nathan  Packer  to  T.  T.  Murdoch 
$72.80. 

Note  from  Directors'  meeting  of  Aug.  28, 
1903:  The  question  of  watching  the  water  in  the 
canal  and  how  they  will  be  paid.   Moved  that  they  be     27 


paid  in  ditch  stock.  Pres.  Jacobs  reported  that  the 
company  was  in  litigation  with  other  canal  companies 
and  that  he  had  secured  the  services  of  Atty.  Caleb 
Jones  to  see  to  affairs  for  the  present  time  for  the  sum 
of  $10.00.  Capital  stock  as  incorporated  in  1902  was 
$8,630. 

During  these  years  it  was  a  hard  struggle  for 
the  pioneers  to  make  a  living,  improve  their  homes 
and  make  a  canal.  They  had  to  work  when,  and 
wherever,  they  could  get  work  and  whenever  possible 
they  worked  on  the  canal.  The  men  took  their  pay  in 
stock  in  the  company  and,  when  in  need,  would  sell 
some  of  the  stock  to  other  setders  who  had  the  money 
but  could  not  work  on  the  canal.  What  little  crops 
and  gardens  were  raised  at  that  time  were  ofttimes 
destroyed  by  squirrels.  Many  of  the  early  settlers 
became  discouraged  and  gave  up  land  rights  or  sold 
them  for  whatever  they  could  get  for  the  land.  Others 
were  eager  to  take  the  land  being  deserted. 
Sometimes  they  felt  very  doubtful  that  water  could 
ever  be  brought  on  to  the  land. 

There  was  always  a  camp  of  men  and  some 
women  who  cooked  for  their  husbands.  Pleasant 
evenings  were  held  around  the  campfires  with  stories, 
songs  and  music.  Tom  and  Brig  Murdoch  had  a 
fiddle  and  guitar  and  were  always  willing  to  share  in 
the  entertainment. 

The  squirrels  were  a  real  problem  to  the 
people.  They  burrowed  in  the  bottom  of  the  ditch 
and  caused  many  washouts  which  would  take  days  to 
replace.  Finally  the  canal  was  completed  to  the 
terminus  where  the  canal  was  to  be  divided  and  go 
through  the  laterals  to  the  forms.  How  Happy  the 
people  were!  What  gratitude  the  people  felt  for  their 
Heavenly  Father's  care!  They  held  a  celebration  in 
honor  of  the  completion  of  their  canal  company  which 
was  now  called  the  Conant  Creek  Canal  Company. 
(This  was  1902) 

This  country  had  been  a  haven  for  summer 
feeding  to  the  stockmen  and  sheepmen  in  the  '80s. 
The  long-horned  Texas  cattle  were  seen  in  these 
valleys  and  in  the  streams,  wild  game  and  fishing  were 
plentifijl.  Indians  had  roamed  these  bcautiftil  valleys 
but  through  the  diligence,  faith  and  toil  of  these  fine 
men  and  women  this  became  another  desert  that 
blossomed  as  the  rose. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  men  who 
played  such  a  big  part  in  the  completion  of  this 
project:  Joshua  Hawkes,  J.  B.  Hawkes,  Lewis  Hawkes, 
Sarah  A.  Hawkes,  O.  L.  Packer,  Oscar  Pope,  Nathan 
Parker,  John  E.  Morrison,  James  Green  Silas  Green, 
Francis  Ferrin,  Jesse  Ferrin,  Phillip  Ferrin,  Samuel 
Ferrin,  Thomas  T.  Murdoch,  Brigham  Murdoch, 
Hans  Nielsen,  Simon  Saunders,  George  McArthur, 
Dan  McArthur,  John  Vansickle,  Frank  Vansickle,  Will 
Vansickle,  G.  Y.  Brown,  Swcn  Jacobs,  William  G. 
Baird,  Ed  Southam,  Henry  Boylan,  Iver  Hendrickson, 
Henry  Sermon,  Tom  Wood,  Frank  Hilt,  James  Cook, 
George  Obcrhansley,  Dan  Gibson,  Hatric  Watson, 
Jack  Newby,  Bob  Ncwby,  Jim  Newby,  Eugene 


Higginbotham,  Willie  Green,  and  Al  Dotter. 

^Mrs.  LAiann  Murdoch 

The  above  was  written  using  the  information  from 
PIONEER  IRRIGATION  Upper  Snake  River  Valley 
by  Daughters  of  Utah  Pioneers  1955  (pages  256-262) 

My  mother  stated,  she  was  a  bride  and  took 
her  cow,  her  mother  had  given  her  for  a  wedding 
present  and  went  with  Dad  to  help  cook  for  the  men. 
They  always  had  fresh  milk  while  they  were  helping  on 
the  canal. 

The  squirrels  were  a  real  problem  to  the 
people.  They  would  burrow  in  the  ditches  and  cause 
washouts  which  would  take  days  to  fix. 

I  remember  my  father  having  to  go  up  the 
canal  to  fix  washouts  which  sometimes  would  wash 
out  some  of  the  crops.  This  was  a  common  occurrence 
of  all  the  people.  They  all  had  their  turn  at  fixing  the 
washouts.  It  was  also  a  struggle  to  keep  the  water 
running  in  the  right  places  on  the  forms,  and  had  to 
be  watched  constantly,  while  the  irrigating  season  was 
on. 

The  squirrels  also  would  destroy  quite  a  bit  of 
the  grain  and  some  years  poison  would  be  set  out  for 
them. 

The  canal  brings  many  fond  memories  to 
many.  The  hard  work  and  discouragements  that 
brought  them  so  close  together  to  bind  a  bond  of 
friendship  that  is  still  very  special,  even  to  the 
descendants  that  still  remain  today. 

It  was  a  special  place  of  many  shouts  of  joy. 
Among  those  who  had  their  first  lessons  in  swimming 
and  to  my  knowledge  there  was  never  a  casualty  in  the 
building  of  the  canal  or  the  young  people  who  spent 
many  hours  playing  on  its  banks. 

As  the  years  have  passed  this  is  one  of  the 
greatest  achievements  that  was  made  in  subduing  the 
land. 

— Memories  of  Tressa  Murdoch  Garrett 

The  canal  flows  as  far  as  Homer  Jones  place 
before  any  water  is  taken  from  the  canal.  This  is 
where  the  first  lateral  starts.  It  still  is  a  constant 
struggle  to  keep  the  canal  flowing.  The  assessments 
are  very  high  to  keep  it  in  repair  to  still  water  the  area. 

(With  the  advent  of  the  sprinkling  systems 
which  take  water  from  the  canals,  it  has  enable  the 
farmers  to  water  more  land  and  flood  irrigation  is 
slowly  becoming  a  piece  of  history.)  Blaine  H. 

In  years  when  snow  depth  is  short  and  not 
much  water  content  in  the  snow  fall,  it  will  cause  a  dry 
year.  It  depends  on  the  water  level  in  Conant  Creek 
as  to  the  abundance  of  the  harvest. 

— ^Adl  S.  Hawkes,  personal  history 

Conant  Creek  was  named  after  a  man  named 
Conant.  The  story  is  that  he  went  out  for  a  load  of 
wood  in  the  area  in  early  winter  time.  During  the 
process  he  had  an  accident  in  which  his  load  somehow 
turned  over  pinning  him  down  under  it.    When  they     28 


found  him  the  next  day  he  had  frozen  to  death.  In  his 
honor  they  named  the  nearby  creek,  Conant. 
(Some  people  claim  this  is  a  legend  and  not  a  fact). 

DISCOVERY  OF  "CAMP  HENRY" 

Just  as  many  finds  are  made,  this  one  came 
about  by  accident,  in  1917. 

Ashton  was  just  11  years  old,  Drummond  not 
yet  five.  The  people,  most  all  of  them  fairly  recent 
migrants  from  a  variety  of  other  places,  generally 
assumed  the  history  of  the  region  was  not  much  older 
than  they  were. 

Hazen  Hawkes  was  no  exception.  Part  of 
that  history,  for  the  Hawkes  family,  had  been  the 
construction  of  the  Conant  Creek  Canal  and  its 
network  of  subsidiary  laterals  between  1900  and  1906 
to  irrigate  the  settler's  crops. 

Each  spring,  the  men  who  depended  on  that 
water  reaching  their  farmlands  went  up  to  the  head  of 
the  canal,  set  up  camp,  and  spent  several  weeks 
repairing  the  damages  winter  had  inflicted  on  the 
canal.  Cash  money  was  in  short  supply  so  fathers  and 
sons  contributed  their  labor  to  pay  off  their  annual 
water  assessment. 

In  May  of  1917,  the  customary  practice  was 
being  followed,  involving  a  number  of  farmers.  From 
the  canal  bank  where  they  had  been  assigned  to  fill 
gopher  holes,  Hazen  and  another  young  man  could 
look  down  upon  a  rocky  hillside  outcropping.  Seeing 
something  move,  Hazen  said,  "Shh.  There's  a  couple 
of  coyote  pups  down  there.  Must  be  a  den  in  those 
rocks." 

Leaning  on  their  shovels,  they  watched  the 
pups  at  play  and  wondered  if  they  wouldn't  make  nice 
pets.  With  youthful  enthusiasm,  they  decided  to  find 
out  and  scrambled  down  the  hill  to  the  coyote  den. 
After  a  lot  more  shovel  work  than  anticipated,  Hazen 
straightened  up  and  saw  before  him  a  rock  with 
writing  on  it.  The  Powder  monkey,  who  had  been 
observing  their  fruitless  efforts,  volunteered  to  make 
their  task  easier.  He  elbowed  the  two  young  men 
aside,  planted  and  set  off  a  charge  of  dynamite  in  the 
rocks. 

When  the  dust  settled,  they  had  nine  stunned 
coyote  pups  and  an  intriguing  rock.  The  names,  as 
they  spelled  them  out,  of  Henry  and  his  mountain 
men,  weren't  familiar.  The  1810  date  gave  them 
pause. 

"Let's  show  it  to  P-P-Pa,"  said  Hazen's 
companion. 

Since  P-P-Pa  was  a  mile  or  so  away,  they  took 
a  couple  half  hitches  around  the  rock  with  some  halter 
ropes,  figuring  Hazen'  strawberry  roan.  Bob,  could 
pull  it  to  camp. 

Hazen,  holding  a  gunny  sack  full  of  coyote 
pups  in  one  hand,  mounted.  Bob  rolled  his  eyes  at 
the  gunny  sack,  where  the  recovering  pups  were 
beginning  to  wriggle,  and  took  several  side  steps. 
When  the  weight  of  the  rock,  anchored  by  the  ropes 


to  the  saddle  horn,  pulled  the  saddle  back  into  his 
flanks,  he  unloaded  Hazen  and  the  pups. 

The  pups  fought  their  way  out  of  the  sack  and 
scrambled  safely  away.  Bob,  bucking  furiously, 
disappeared  from  sight  with  dust,  sagebrush  and  rock 
flying  behind  him.  When  Hazen  caught  up  with  him 
two  days  later,  the  saddle  was  under  his  belly  and 
there  was  no  rock  anywhere  near  him. 

Before  Hazen  was  to  find  that  rock  again,  he 
stumbled,  literally,  over  the  Camp  Henry  rock.  It  was 
several  years  later  when,  employed  by  the  canal 
company  as  the  ditch  rider,  he  was  riding  through  the 
meadow  below  the  site  of  the  original  find.  Bob 
stubbed  his  toe  on  a  rock.  Hazen,  in  pulling  him  up, 
glimpsed  the  rock.  The  luxuriant  wild  hay  reached  the 
horse's  belly  and  entirely  concealed  the  rock  from  view 
of  anyone  on  foot. 

From  horseback,  with  the  noon  day  sun 
directly  overhead,  he  could  see  the  carving  "Camp 
Henry"  and  "Sept.  1810"  in  the  midst  of  the  growth 
of  lichen. 

It  was  the  horse  Bob,  too,  who  enabled  him 
to  rediscover  the  first  Henry  rock.  Hazen  was 
occupied  plugging  a  gopher  hole  on  the  canal  when 
the  roan  wandered  off.  Hazen  tracked  him  down  but 
when  he  tried  to  catch  him,  he  stubbed  his  toe  on  the 
lost  rock.  This  time  he  marked  the  spot  in  his  mind, 
turned  the  rock  face  down  to  protect  it  from  the 
erosion  of  wind  and  weather,  caught  his  horse,  and 
went  back  to  work. 

He  mentioned  his  find  to  different  people. 
Those  who  displayed  more  than  passing  interest 
wanted  to  carry  the  rock  away,  for  their  own  prestige 
or  profit.  Conveniently,  he  forgot  where  the  rock 
could  be  found. 

Some  years  later,  when  the  subject  came  up 
at  a  family  gathering,  he  confided  his  doubts  about  the 
wisdom  of  removing  the  rock  in  the  first  place.  He 
didn't  like  to  think  he  might  have  inadvertently 
removed  the  headstone  of  some  long-gone  trapper 
laid  to  rest  by  his  companions. 

His  family  urged  him  to  locate  the  marker 
again  in  order  to  make  certain  what  was  carved  on  it. 
In  1953,  when  he  returned  to  the  spot  where  he  had 
left  it  in  1927,  the  rock  had  disappeared  and  the 
hillside  was  washed  bare  from  spring  runoff. 

He  went  over  the  ground  again  and  again. 
During  the  search,  Mrs.  Hawkes  uncovered  a  small 
rock  bearing  "Henry  1810"  on  it  but  broken  in  such  a 
fashion  that  it  could  have  been  preceded  by  either  the 
letter  "A"  or  the  word  "Camp." 

Finally,  when  everyone  had  despaired  of 
finding  the  rock,  Hazen,  at  age  60,  for  the  third  time 
in  36  years,  spied  it.  As  he  dug  it  out  of  the  willow 
tree  that  grown  up  around  it  and  rolled  it  way  from 
the  creek  that  lapped  one  side,  he  grinned  at  his  wife, 
"You  were  beginning  to  think  there  wasn't  any  such 
rock,  weren't  you?" 

Examination  of  the  marker  and  the  original 
site  relieved  Hazen's  mind.    He  hadn't  disturbed  a      29 


burial  ground.  The  large  rock  remains  in  the 
possession  of  Hazen's  family.  A  replica  can  be  seen  in 
the  Grand  Teton  National  Park  Museum  in  Moose, 
Wyoming.  The  small  rock  found  by  Mrs.  Hawkes  is 
on  loan  to  the  Jackson  Hole  Museum  in  Jackson, 
Wyoming. 

From  that  same  era,  other  men  left  records  of 
their  presence  in  Idaho.  John  Colter,  idling  away 
some  time  in  Teton  Basin,  picked  up  a  rock 
resembling  a  human  head.  Chipping  away  at  it,  he 
made  a  recognizable  profile.  On  one  side  he  scratched 
"John  Colter,"  and,  on  the  other  side,  "1808."  A 
farmer  plowed  it  up  in  1931,  traded  it  for  a  pair  of 
boots  to  another  man,  who  presented  it  to  the  Grand 
Teton  National  Park  Museum. 

The  Astorians  left  three  rocks  near  St. 
Anthony  which  were  brought  to  light  in  excavations 
done  in  the  1920s.  They  read,  respectively,  "Fort 
Henry,"  Gov.  Camp  H.  Well  1811,"  and  "Al  the  cook 
with  nothing  to  cook."  The  Salem  Boy  Scouts  erected 
a  monument  in  1937  approximately  1700  feet  west  of 
the  site  where  the  rocks  were  found.  This  memorial 
to  the  American  Fur  Company  trading  post,  Fort 
Henry  is  near  the  south  bank  of  Henry's  Fork  of  the 
Snake  River.  It  can  be  reached  easily  from  US  20  by 
taking  the  North  Rexburg  exit,  travelling  two  miles 
north  on  the  Sugar-Salem  Road. 

The  "Camp  Henry  Sept.  1810"  and  "LC" 
rock  are  at  their  original  location  on  the  Finlandia 
Ranch  belonging  to  the  Nyborg  family.  In  1965  the 
Fort  Henry  District  Boy  Scouts  erected  a  shelter  over 
the  "Camp  Henry"  rock  left  by  the  men  of  the  St. 
Louis  Missouri  Fur  Trading  Company.  Since  "Camp 
Henry"  is  on  private  land,  it  would  be  advisable  to 
obtain  permission  and  directions  to  visit  it. 


-*H. 


Hazen  A.  Hawkes  -  with  the  Henry  rock 


Hazcn  Hawkcs,  in  1953,  with  two  of  the  rock 
markers  left  by  Major  Andrew  Henry  and  his  men  on 
Conant  Creek.  The  small  rock,  found  by  Helen 
Hawkes  during  the  search  for  the  larger  rock,  has  the 
date  "1810"  and  "Henry,"  the  latter  broken  off  in 
such  a  way  it  could  have  been  preceded  by  "Camp" 
or  "A." 

The  large  rock,  first  found  by  Hazen  in  1917, 
lost,  and  just  re-trieved  from  beneath  the  willow  tree 
next  to  Hazcn  has  five  names: 

A.  Henry  —  Andrew  Henry.  Experienced 
frontiersman,  militia  officer,  respected  lead  miner,  ftir 
trader,  distiller,  farmer.  .Henry's  Fork  of  the  Snake 
River  and  Henry's  Fork  of  the  Green  River  named  for 
him  as  well  as  Henry's  Lake.  Died  in  Missouri 
1833. 

J.  Hoback  —  John  Hoback.  Hunter,  trapper  from 
Kentucky.  Hoback  Canyon  and  Hoback  River  named 
for  him.  Killed  by  Indians  on  Boise  River  1814. 


P.  McBride  —  "Pet"  or  "Pat"  —  Recruited  from  pool 
of  American  frontiersmen  who  emigrated  to  Missouri 
lead  mining  district.  Last  heard  of  "headed  for  the 
Spanish  settlements"  of  Taos  and  Sante  Fe. 

B.  Jackson  —  "Bel"  or  "Belt"  —  Older,  collateral 
relative  of  Davey  Jackson,  for  who  Jackson  Hole  is 
named.  Regaled  extended  Jackson  family  in  Missouri 
with  "tall  tales"  between  trapping  ventures. 

L.  Cather  —  "Leonard"  —  Scotch -Irish  descendant  of 
Jasper  Cather,  emigrant  from  the  "Kingdom  of 
Ireland"  to  Virginia  in  1735.  The  Cather  family  tree 
records  that  "L.  Cather"  moved  from  Kentucky  to 
-Missouri  when  a  young  man,  "Went  to  the  mountains. 
Lost  track  of." 

Note:  The  above  information  is  found  on  page  21-23 
of  Major  Andrew  Henry  In  Idaho  1985  by  Margaret 
Hawkes  Lindslcy.  For  further  information  on  Andrew 
Henry  see  Andrew  Henry  Mine  and  Mountain  Major 
1990  by  Margaret  Hawkes  Lindsley. 


B.S  A.  Camp  Henry  Memorial 


Camp  Henry  Rock  -  Sept.  1810 


30 


Chapter  Four 
A  Panoramic  Bird's  Eye  View 


Let's  first  hear  fi-om  one  of  the  Old-timers  who 
came  here  as  a  boy  in  1896.  This  account  was  written 
in  October,  1946  by  Adl  Smart  Hawkes. 

I  have  been  asked  to  write  some  of  the  incidents 
in  the  settiement  of  this  part  of  the  country,  what  now 
comprises  the  Famum  Ward,  and  the  parts  served  by 
the  Drummond  Post  Office.  I  will  try  and  recount 
these  things  as  nearly  as  I  can  remember  them,  and  I 
hope  they  will  be  of  interest  to  some  in  the  future. 

Prior  to  the  year  1896  there  were  settlements  at 
Wilford,  Chester,  and  Marysville,  and  there  are  at  this 
time  a  number  of  people  living  in  those  places  who 
came  at  or  prior  to  that  date.  But  I  think  I  am  the 
only  person  living  here  who  came  with  the  first 
settlers.  The  people  of  Chester  and  Wilford  travelled 
through  this  place  going  to  the  timber,  and  many  of 
them  looked  upon  it  as  an  ideal  place  for  a  settiement. 
William  Pratt,  an  uncle  of  mine,  lived  at  Wilford  at 
that  time.  He  was  a  real  pioneer,  and  took  great  pride 
in  laying  out  new  roads,  finding  good  timber  and 
getting  people  to  come  in  and  make  new  homes.  The 
roads  he  laid  out  usually  had  a  better  grade  than  the 
roads  laid  out  by  modem  engineers.  For  the  benefit 
of  those  who  have  not  seen  these  early  wagon  roads  in 
this  rolling  prairie,  they  were  just  two  tracks  made  by 
the  horses  and  the  wagon  wheels,  and  they  sometimes 
wore  down  as  much  a  one  or  two  feet,  which  made  it 
very  difficult  for  two  wagons  to  pass  when  going  in 
opposite  directions. 

In  the  spring  of  1896  there  were  eight  people 
who  took  up  homesteads  in  what  was  called 
Horseshoe  Flat.  O.L.  Packer  took  the  first  home- 
stead, which  has  since  been  known  as  the  Swen  Jacobs 
place,  where  the  rock  house  now  stands.  Bryant 
Hawkes  took  the  second  place,  now  owned  by  W.  R. 
Miller.  Oscar  Pope  took  the  place  just  north  and  west 
of  the  rock  house.  Joshua  Hawkes,  my  father,  took 
the  place  just  east  of  Packer's  place,  and  my  mother 
took  the  place  south  where  I  now  live.  Nathan  Packer 
took  the  place  now  owned  by  the  Baird  family,  eighty 
on  each  side  of  the  road.  Lorin  Mendenhall  took  the 
place  now  known  as  the  Brown  place,  and  J.  E. 
Morrison  took  the  place  just  south  of  Brown's,  and  his 
children  now  own  it.  These  people  were  all  related  to 
us  being  related  to  the  Hawkes  and  Smart  families, 
except  Mr.  Pope,  and  I  am  not  sure  if  he  was  or  not. 
It  was  through  the  efforts  of  Uncle  William  Pratt  that 
they  came  here  and  settled. 

At  that  time  Thomas  Pratt,  a  son  of  William  lived 
on  Conant  Creek  just  a  little  west  of  the  Nyborg 
home,  and  Billy  Moss  lived  just  cast  of  him.  These 
were  the  only  two  places  taken  at  that  date,  1896. 
When  they  settled  there  I  do  not  know,  but  a  few 
years  after  we  came  they  sold  out  and  moved  away. 

At  the  time  of  homesteading  the  water  was  filed 
on  and  the  Conant  Creek  Canal  Company  was     31 


organized,  and  work  was  immediately  started  on  the 
ditch.  Some  of  them  returned  to  Franklin,  where 
they  all  came  from,  to  prepare  to  move  their  families 
here  later,  and  some  of  them  stayed  and  worked  on 
the  ditch  through  the  summer.  Those  staying  and 
working  were;  O.  L.  Packer,  J.  E.  Morrison,  Lorin 
Mendenhall,  and  Nathan  Packer,  and  Bert  and  Estes 
Hawkes  came  and  put  in  part  of  the  summer  on  the 
ditch.  Four  of  these  homesteaders  were  young  men 
without  families.  They  were  Morrison,  Mendenhall, 
Pope,  and  Nathan  Packer.  In  November  of  that  year  I 
first  came  here  with  my  father  and  mother.  We  stayed 
one  summer  night  to  fulfill  the  law  of  the  homestead, 
which  said  one  could  not  be  absent  from  the 
homestead  more  than  six  months  at  one  time.  In  the 
spring  of  1897  we  moved  here  to  make  our  home. 
We  found  that  they  had  all  given  up  and  left  except 
our  family,  my  brother  Bryant  and  J.  E.  Morrison.  We 
were  confronted  with  the  problems  of  making  a  living 
and  getting  out  that  water  and  building  new  homes. 
We  did  not  attempt  to  raise  any  crops  for  several  years. 
We  had  no  idea  that  a  crop  could  be  raised  without 
water,  and  our  first  concern  was  to  get  thejwater  out. 
Mr.  Packer  built  a  one-room  log  house  about  18  X  18 
where  the  rock  house  now  stands.  We  lived  in  this 
and  our  wagon  box  until  we  could  build  a  house, 
which  we  built  in  1897  and  1898.  It  was  a  two-room 
log  one.  My  brother,  Bryant  left  his  family  in  Teton 
with  his  brother-in-law,  Jessie  Baker,  until  he  built  a 
one-room  log  house. 

I  guess  we  did  not  realize  the  work  and  hardship 
that  was  before  us  or  we  might  have  given  up  as  some 
of  the  others  did  and  gone  to  other  places  where  life 
would  have  been  easier.  The  weather  was  very  severe 
and  this  place  was  a  long  way  from  other  settiements 
and  to  us  was  very  lonely.  We  had  no  money  except 
what  could  be  earned.  We  were  like  the  first  pioneers 
that  came  to  Utah  and  other  places,  for  we  had  to 
build  our  homes  with  what  was  at  hand.  My  father 
had  pioneered  most  of  his  life  and  his  experiences 
came  in  very  handy  in  getting  us  settled  in  this  place. 
Our  mother  was  determined  that  her  children  should 
have  the  privilege  of  school,  so  we  moved  out  in  the 
winter  for  school.  We  kept  working  on  the  ditch  year 
after  year,  sometimes  my  fether  and  I  working  alone 
for  long  periods  of  time.  If  the  ditch  was  abandoned 
we  would  lose  our  water  right,  and  we  had  five  years 
in  which  to  get  it  out.  This  was  not  done,  and  the 
water  had  to  be  refilcd  on  and  get  an  extension  of 
time.  Wc  were  not  producing  any  crops  and  we  had  a 
hard  time  to  get  along.  After  a  few  years  wc  got  some 
ground  broken  up  and  planted  a  crop,  and  it  froze. 
The  next  year  we  planted  some  wheat  again  and  this 
time  the  squirrels  got  it.  Just  what  year  I  am  not  sure 
be  we  did  finally  raise  a  small  crop  of  wheat.  Wc  got  a 
man  to  come  from  Marysville  and  cut  it  with  his 


binder.  It  was  put  in  a  stack  and  Hall  Egbert  came 
from  Marysville  with  his  thrasher  and  thrashed  it.  I 
remember  this,  our  first  crop,  and  I  think  the  first  crop 
raised  in  this  district  was  230  bushels.  There  was  a 
little  more  than  we  needed  for  flour,  so  we  took  it  to 
market,  which  was  Market  Lake.  It  took  us  four  days 
to  make  a  trip,  and  the  price  was  fifty  or  sixty  cents  per 
hundred,  I  am  not  sure  which. 

In  the  summer  of  1897,  The  Green  families 
settled  on  the  Creek  and  Fall  River.  There  were  Silas, 
James,  Wilmer,  and  Emerson  who  settled  in 
Marysville.  They  helped  some  on  the  ditch,  and  they 
made  permanent  homes  living  here  through  the 
winter.  It  was  Silas  who  afterwards  got  the  Famum 
Post  Office,  and  named  it  after  his  mother,  Rosamond 
Farnum  Sprague.  At  an  early  date  the  Murdoch 
brother,  Thomas  and  Brigham  came.  They  have  both 
been  hard  workers  and  pioneers  who  helped  very 
much  in  building  the  country.  Both  have  served  as 
Bishop  of  the  ward.  A  short  time  after  this  the  Newby 
family  came  in  and  settled.  They  had  a  very  hard  time 
having  to  work  out  most  of  the  time  to  make  a  living, 
and  could  not  help  much  on  the  ditch.  It  was 
through  the  efforts  of  the  Newby  family  that  the 
Lillian  Post  Office  was  secured,  and  was  named  after 
Mrs.  Lillian  Newby. 

For  a  number  of  years  we  hauled  water  from  the 
Creek.  There  was  a  road  made  down  about  directly 
north  of  Homer  Jones'  house,  and  with  four  horses 
we  could  haul  one  barrel  of  water  up  the  hill.  This 
continued  for  some  years  until  Mr.  Morrison 
suggested  we  dig  a  well.  It  was  decided  to  dig  in  front 
of  our  house  and  one  day  water  was  found  at  18  feet. 
For  many  years  this  well  was  very  popular,  it's  being 
the  only  water  between  the  Wilford  county  and  Mud 
Spring,  near  the  timber,  and  most  of  the  people  from 
the  lower  country  hauled  their  wood  and  timber  over 
this  road. 

There  have  been  many  people  come  in  and  settle 
and  move  away.  I  might  mention  just  a  few  of  the 
earliest.  There  were  Ed  Southam  and  Thomas  Pashley 
who  came  and  settled  on  the  Creek  just  below  the 
railroad  bridge.  There  were  Mr.  Sermon  and  Mr. 
Huston  who  settled  just  below  them,  also  G.  Y. 
Brown  a  little  farther  down,  whose  wife  was  the 
mother  of  the  Whitmore  family.  All  the  other  families 
have  long  since  left  and  gone  to  live  in  other  parts. 
One  of  the  commimity  problems  was  the  death  of  a 
boy  in  the  Huston  family.  That  was  the  first  death 
here  and  burial  had  to  be  attended  to.  My  father  and 
Bryant  looked  around  for  a  burial  ground  and  selected 
the  Knoll.  A  funeral  service  was  held  at  the  home,  a 
small  log  house,  and  the  body  was  taken  up  on  the 
Knoll  and  buried.  That  was  the  first  burial  in  our 
cemetery. 

Hans  A.  Neilson  came  at  an  early  date  and  settled 
where  he  still  owns  his  farm.  Mrs  Olive  Wade,  a 
widow,  with  her  family  settled  on  the  place  now 
owned  by  Mrs.  Vera  Bratt.  Simon  Saunders,  Mrs. 
Wade's  son-in-law,  settled  on  the  Wilford  Bratt  place. 


They  all  took  an  active  part  in  building  up  the 
community.  Mrs.  Hattie  Watson  with  her  family  and 
grown  son,  Dan  Gibson,  settled  at  an  early  date  one- 
half  mile  south  of  the  Farnum  school  house.  Her 
husband  at  that  time  was  Mr.  John  Orr  and  he  was 
killed  in  an  accident  at  the  time  they  came  here.  She 
later  married  Mr.  John  Watson  and  he  resided  in  this 
place  until  his  death  some  years  later.  Mrs.  Watson 
now  resides  at  St.  Anthony  at  the  age  of  89.  Her 
children  were  Daniel  Gibson,  John  A.  and  Stewart 
Orr,  Mrs.  Gladys  Hill,  Mrs.  Persus  Schwister, 
deceased,  Mrs.  Orland  Higginbotham,  deceased  and 
Mrs.  Geneva  Wyles.  They  were  all  very  active  in 
community  and  church  afifairs.  note:  Lewis  J.  Hawkes 
came  in  1898.  (T.  M.  G.) 

As  to  our  church  affairs,  we  were  part  of  the 
Marysville  Ward  and  went  there  to  meetings  when  it 
was  possible.  We  forded  Fall  River  at  what  is  now 
Anderson's  bridge.  We  got  along  very  well  in  low 
water,  but  in  the  high  water  season  to  get  to 
Marysville  we  had  to  go  by  way  of  Chester.  I  do  not 
remember  the  date,  but  it  was  not  long  before  Bishop 
Wilson  came  out  here  and  held  a  meeting  under  a 
bowery  in  front  of  the  house  we  were  then  living  in.  I 
was  present  at  this  first  meeting  held  here,  and  as  I  can 
remember  I  and  my  sister  are  the  only  persons  living 
who  were  at  that  meeting.  Bryant  Hawkes  was  placed 
in  charge  at  the  time  and  it  was  but  a  short  time  when 
this  was  organized  as  a  branch  with  James  Green  as 
Presiding  Elder.  The  first  Sunday  School  was  held  in 
the  same  place,  and  I  am  not  sure  of  the  date  or  if  the 
Sunday  School  was  organized  at  that  time,  but  I  rather 
think  it  was.  John  T.  Smellie  was  Superintendent  of 
the  Fremont  Stake  Sunday  Schools,  and  he  came  here 
and  held  the  first  one.  I  think  this  all  took  place  in 
1897.  We  have  been  active  as  a  Branch  and  a  Ward 
ever  since.  We  soon  built  a  log  school  house,  which 
was  used  for  school  and  meeting  house  too.  It  was  on 
a  little  hill  near  the  north-west  comer  of  Frank  Bratt's 
place.  It  remained  in  use  until  the  meeting  house  was 
built  in  1909.  The  first  school  was  held  in  1898  with 
my  sister,  Elsie,  as  teacher.  I  will  not  attempt  to 
recount  all  the  history  of  the  Church  and  School 
through  the  years,  but  as  nearly  as  I  can  remember  this 
is  an  account  of  the  beginning  of  both. 

I  will  try  to  give  my  impression  as  to  the  country 
at  the  time  of  settlement.  It  was  a  prairie  of  waving 
grass.  Fires  being  very  frequent,  they  would  kill  out 
the  shrubbery  and  sage  brush  and  the  grass  would 
grow  very  quickly  and  to  a  considerable  height.  It  was 
a  very  beautiful  place,  and  an  ideal  range  for  stock,  but 
there  were  not  stock  ranged  here  prior  to  our  coming. 
The  snow  seemed  to  drift  more  than  it  does  in  later 
years  and  would  stay  in  the  drifts  until  late  in  the 
summer.  There  was  an  abundance  of  game  of  all 
kinds.  Elk,  deer,  and  antelope  were  often  seen  in 
herds.  There  was  a  salt  lick  where  my  house  now 
stands.  It  seems  that  the  ground  in  places  was  salty, 
and  the  game  would  lick  at  the  dirt,  until  it  was  eaten 
32      out  at  this  place  for  several  feet  and  covered  an  area  of 


an  acre  or  two.  On  a  spring  morning,  it  was  very 
common  to  see  a  herd  of  antelope  here  at  these  licks. 
There  were  no  bufl&Jo  here  at  that  time,  but  we  found 
skulls  and  horns,  which  indicated  that  it  had  not  been 
long  since  they  were  here.  It  was  thus  that  we  found 
this  virgin  prairie  and,  to  our  knowledge,  had  never 
before  been  tilled  by  man.    — ^Adl  S.  Hawkes 

The  Postal  System 

A  post  office  was  established  in  Famum  with  Silas 
Green  as  the  first  postmaster.  Silas  had  built  a  home 
and  store  where  wagons,  buggies,  catde,  &  etc.  forded 
the  river  on  Fall  River.  The  store  had  a  long  fi-ont 
porch  with  a  hitching  rail.  This  was  located  where  the 
Jay  Hill  home  is  located  now  and  where  the  Fall  River 
bridge  crosses  the  river  on  State  Highway  #32. 

At  this  time  there  weren't  any  bridges  north  of 
St.  Anthony.  One  had  been  built  there  in  1887.  The 
town  of  St.  Anthony  hadn't  been  platted  until  1889 
and  it  wasn't  until  around  1890  before  any  families 
settled  in  St.  Anthony. 

The  present  town  of  Roberts,  then  called  Market 
Lake,  was  the  nearest  railroad. 

The  mail  arrived  by  stagecoach  about  three  times 
a  week  from  Idaho  Falls,  provided  they  could  ford  the 
South  Fork  of  the  Snake  River.  About  1891  the  Star 
Route  from  Market  Lake  via  Rexburg  was  established 
and  daily  mail  reached  St.  Anthony.  In  1899  the 
railroad  came  to  St.  Anthony. 


Rosamond  Famum  Spraguc  Green,  mother  of  Silas  Green,  the  1st 
postmaster.  Famum  was  named  after  this  lady. 


Silas  Green  named  this  first  post  office,  Famum, 
in  honor  of  his  mother,  Rosamond  Famum  Sprague 
Green.  It  followed  that  of  the  school,  and  the 
community  took  the  name  Famum  in  her  honor  also.        33 


Lizzie  Green,  wife  of  Willy  Green,  was  a  mail 
carrier  to  Famum  Post  Office  and  on  southeast  to  the 
Lillian  Post  Office  where  Lewis  J.  Hawkes  owned  a 
store  at  this  time. 

Drummond  wasn't  established  until  after  the 
railroad  spur  to  Drummond  was  established  in  1910. 

Phobe  White,  George  White's  mother,  was  a  mail 
carrier.  The  mail  came  from  Ashton  to  Famum  to 
Lillian  and  on  to  Squirrel.  The  mail  was  delivered 
three  times  a  week.  Later  when  the  train  route  was 
established  to  Drummond  the  people  of  the  area  took 
up  a  petition  to  have  the  mail  carried  daily.  Now  the 
mail  comes  out  of  Ashton  daily  to  Farnum, 
Drummond,  Bitch  Creek,  Squirrel  and  as  far  south  as 
Rogers  place. 

Mr.  Dotter  was  probably  a  postmaster  as  he  took 
care  of  the  mail  and  store  for  many  years.  Mr.  Dotter 
lived  on  the  land  owned  by  George  White  which  was 
later  sold  to  Owen  Jensen.  Other  mail  carriers:  Mr. 
John  McFarland,  Mr.  Hazen  Hawkes,  Mr.  Darrell 
Ritchie.  The  family  history  section  shows  many 
others  who  carried  mail  through  the  years  such  as 
Blaine  Hawkes,  Francis  W.  Bratt,  Harry  Benson, 
Conrad  Lenz,  Allan  &  Lester  Hendrickson,  &  others. 

From  a  1956  Ashton  Herald  Golden  Anniversary 
Edition  we  read:  To  most  present-day  residents  of  the 
Drummond  and  Squirrel  area,  it  probably  seems  that 
Hazen  Hawkes  always  carried  the  mail  on  that  route 
in  the  early  days. 

It's  true  that  he's  had  a  total  of  18  years  duty  on 
the  run  —  with  an  intermission  of  eight  years  when 
Conrad  Lenz  had  the  route. 

Back  about  1910,  however,  the  carrier  was  a 
woman,  Mrs.  Phoebe  Saunders  White  Swanner.  Until 
the  railroad  was  pushed  on  from  Ashton  to 
Drummond  she  made  a  looping  swing  out  from 
Ashton  and  back  again  to  deliver  mail  to  Squirrel 
where  Charlie  Burrell  owned  a  operated  the  store  and 
post  office,  down  the  Grainville  road  that  parallels 
Conant  Creek  to  its  junction  with  Fall  River  where 
Silas  Green  owned  and  operated  the  Famum  store  and 
post  office. 

She  had  the  contract  for  about  four  years, 
travelled  by  horse  and  wagon  or  buggy  or  sleigh, 
sometimes  just  on  horseback.  When  the  railroad 
reached  Drummond  the  route  was  changed  so  that 
her  run  was  just  from  Drummond  to  Squirrel  and 
back  as  it  is  now,  while  other  routes  were  established 
to  take  in  Famum.  Mrs.  Swanner  lived  in  Squirrel  on 
the  Highland  ranch  before  moving  to  live  at  Judkins. 

Lloyd  Van  Sickle  carried  the  mail  in  the  winter  by 
dog  sled  in  the  Drummond-Squirrel  area  1947-48. 

Some  postmasters:  Axel  Johnson  at  Squirrel; 
Harry  Benson,  Lloyd  Niendorf,  Lloyd  Bratt,  & 
Wallace  Briggs,  at  Drummond;  Henry  A.  Bratt,  Lewis 
J.  Hawkes  at  Lillian;  &  Silas  Green  at  Famum. 

Note:  For  a  good  description  of  the  last  few 
years  of  the  Drummond  Post  Office  and  store  see  the 
family  history  of  Lloyd  and  Venna  Bratt. 


1947-48  Lloyd  VanSicUc  delivering  mail  by  dog  sled  to  Squirrel 

HISTORY  OF  LAMONT  POST  OFFICE  AND 

STORE 
By  -  Freda  Bailey  Morrison 

As  far  as  I  can  find  out  George  Femey  built  the 
first  store  in  Lamont.  I  assume  he  had  the  post  office. 
It  burnt  down  sometime  around  1918  or  1920,  no 
one  really  can  remember  hearing  for  sure. 

Mrs.  Anna  Shultz  then  had  the  post  office  in  her 
home  about  three  miles  south  east  of  Lamont.  Later 
she  moved  into  the  Lamont  school  hou.se  and  had 
certain  hours  that  you  could  get  your  mail. 

Later  Alton  and  GUie  Bailey  built  a  log  home  at 
Lamont  and  had  the  Post  Office  and  a  small  store. 
After  a  few  years  they  left:  and  Joe  and  Lilly  Cook  ran 
it. 

Pat  Bailey  &  I  bought  the  Cooks  out  in  1941 
and  moved  into  the  home  and  store  we  built  there  at 
Lamont  just  in  fi-ont  of  the  small  white  house  we  lived 
in  when  we  were  married.  We  had  the  Post  Office, 
slore  and  gas  business.  Pat  died  in  the  spring  of  1942. 
I  continued  running  the  business.  In  Nov.  1944  I 
married  Douglas  Morrison. 

Doug  and  I  kept  the  store  and  Post  Office  until 
1946,  when  we  sold  it  to  Katherine  Thomas.  She  kept 
the  store  until  she  retired  and  they  took  the  Post 
Office  out  for  a  rural  delivery  route  out  of  Ash  ton. 

The  Railroad 

Eastern  and  Western  United  States  was  joined 
together  May  9,  1869  with  the  Golden  Spike 
Celebration  at  Promontory  Summit,  Utah.  By  1878 
the  railroad  had  reached  Blackfoot  and  in  April  1879 
it  came  to  Idaho  Falls.  Twenty  years  later  in  1899  it 
was  brought  up  the  valley  to  Rexburg  and  St. 
Anthony.  Five  more  years  and  it  came  on  up  by- 
passing Marysville  in  1904,  but  giving  birth  to  the 
new  town  of  Ashton  in  1906.  On  August  28,  1912 
the  first  train  rumbled  into  the  Driggs  area  where  Don 
C.  Driggs,  President  of  the  Driggs  Stake,  drove  the 
last  spike. 


34 


Drummond  Railraod  Depot 

The  Ashton  Herald,  Golden  Anniversary  Edition, 
1956  reports  a  vivid  picture  of  the  early  construction 
days. 

"Bill  Ashton  was  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the 
Harriman  system.  A  tall  man  he  was,  about  six  four, 
with  a  good  build  and  dark  hair  and  eyes,"  was  close 
to  sixty,  with  the  railroad  on  its  way  to  the  Teton 
Basin,  Ashton  paid  a  visit  to  the  job  in  a  light  spring 
wagon  drawn  by  a  skittish  team  which  ran  away  and 
threw  him  out.  Injured  severely,  he  was  unconscious 
for  nearly  a  week,  and  was  unable  to  take  up  his  duties 
again. 

The  man  who  succeeded  Ashton  as  Chief 
engineer  was  a  light  complected  skinny  six-footer  past 
middle  age  whose  last  name  was  Dnmimond.  All  who 
knew  Drummond  regarded  him  of  high  esteem.  Even 
at  conversational  level,  his  voice  seemed  to  be  pitched 
at  someone  a  rod  or  two  down  the  right  of  way. 

Since  Elmo  Lamont  homesteaded  the  land  that 
became  the  village  of  Drummond,  the  original  name 
was  to  have  been  Lamont.  But  the  new  chief  engineer 
liked  the  idea  of  having  his  name  attached  to  a  brand 
new  town  so  arranged  to  have  the  new  stop  on  the 
railroad  named  Lamont.  Drummond  himself  went  on 
to  Nyssa,  Oregon,  and  was  instrumental  in  getting  the 
Oxbow  tunnel  built. 

The  track  laying  gangs  were  mostly  Japanese  and 
Greeks,  with  Irish  Pat  Feeney  in  charge  of  six  railroad 
cars  of  the  latter,  and  Chris  Carson  of  the  ten  cars  of 
Japanese.  The  pay  was  $2.00  for  a  twelve  hour  day  for 
such  unskilled  labor,  $3.00  a  day  for  carpenters  and 
the  like,  with  no  overtime  pay.  With  the  exception  of 
the  Japanese,  most  of  the  workmen  boarded  in  the 
nearest  town.    They  however,  imported  most  all  of 


Building  the  wooden  railroad  bridge  north  of  Drummond  about  1909 


Drunrniond  Section  Boss  House 


35 


Railroad  engines,  trains,  rotary 


^i 


i4    .. 


JH^9■.■v^ 


,^ 


•4fi>*>^^t^ 


\ 

A 


36 


Railroad  coming  into  Lamont 


their  food  from  Japan  and  one  or  two  of  the  gang  did 
the  cooking  after  work,  enabling  each  man  to  get  by 
on  $7.65  a  month  for  board  since  they  made  their 
home  in  the  railroad  cars. 

The  Herald  Chronicle  New,  Tues.  17,  May, 
1988,  in  the  40  years  ago  column,  reports, "The 
Union  Pacific  Railroad  filed  and  application  with  the 
Public  Utilities  Commission  to  discontinue  the  depot 
at  Drummond."  According  to  local  residents  the  last 
trains  seen  up  the  track  were  in  the  fell  of  1987.  The 
tracks  are  still  in  place  up  to  Tetonia  at  this  time,  but 
have  been  removed  from  there  up  to  Victor  and  also 
from  Ashton  to  Yellowstone  Park. 

Telephones 

Ashton's  first  telephone  exchange  was  established 
by  E.  J.  McKinley.  The  office  was  in  the  Cannon 
building,  that  had  been  established  by  Harry  Cannon 
and  Charlie  Berryman  for  a  general  store.  Through 
the  rural  area  party  lines  were  connected  to  barb  wire 
fences,  with  regular  higher  lines  being  used  only  to 
cross  roads  or  the  highway. 

To  the  north  and  east  of  Ashton,  living  trees 
served  as  telephone  poles.  The  U.  S.  Forest  Service 
cooperated  in  this,  permitting  the  company  to  chop  a 
few  branches  when  necessary. 

The  first  "Hello  Girl"  was  Ida  Pulley.  McKinley 
himself  held  down  the  night  shift  as  a  rule. 


37 


Electricity 

When  the  pioneers  first  came  to  Farnum  and 
Ashton  There  was  virtually  no  ferm  or  rural  home  in 
all  of  Idaho  with  electric  power.  The  Fall  River  Rural 
Electric  Co-op  laid  lines  to  Farnum  about  1938-39. 

Charles  C.  Rogers  was  the  first  with  electricity  in 
the  home  for  lights.  They  built  their  own.  It  was  run 
by  batteries  charged  by  a  wind  mill  generator. 

James  Hill  had  a  carbide  system  installed  in  his 
home  about  1928-30,  also  had  first  radio  and  lights. 

(Page  16,  August  21,  1975,  Progress  Report  has 
this  article)  Those  who  recall  when  there  was  no 

Rural  Electric  Co-op  will  agree  that  electrical  power 
has  been  one  of  the  biggest  boosts  to  rural 
development. 

Instead  of  simply  flicking  a  switch  for  lights, 
many  can  remember  having  to  fill  the  gas  or  kerosene 
lamp,  trim  the  wick  or  replace  the  mantle  and  polish 
the  lamp  shade. 

Instead  of  the  automatic  washer  and  dryer  of 
today,  wash  day  involved  cither  hand  washing  on  a 
wash  board  or  starting  up  the  gas  motor  on  the  old 
Maytag,  rinsing  in  a  separate  tub  and  running  each 
piece  through  a  wringer.  Drying  was  done  on  a 
clothes  line  or  on  a  drying  rack  in  winter. 

Perishable  foods  were  kept  in  an  ice  box  using 


chunks  of  ice  which  were  cut  during  the  winter 
months  and  buried  deep  in  a  pile  of  sawdust  in  the  old 
ice  house,  hopefully  to  last  through  the  summer 
months. 

The  housewife  cooked  on  a  wood-burning  stove 
and  ironed  with  a  flat  iron  heated  on  top  of  the  same 
stove.  Water  for  bathing  and  laundry  was  heated  in  a 
boiler  on  top  or  by  means  of  a  reservoir  attached  to 
the  stove. 

The  first  step  towards  bringing  electricity  to  rural 
areas  was  taken  when  the  National  Rural 
Electrification  Administration,  by  an  Act  of  Congress 
in  1935,  provided  for  government  loans  at  a  low  rate 
of  interest  to  build  transmission  lines. 

The  Fall  River  Rural  Electric  Cooperative  (with 
headquarters  in  Ash  ton)  was  first  started  by  the  efforts 
of  a  group  of  men  mostiy  from  the  Ashton  area. 

Walter  Bratt  (first  manager  and  an  electric 
engineer)  was  instrumental  in  promoting  the  co-op, 
along  wath  the  first  incorporators  —  George  Amen 
George  Marotz,  W.  F.  Griffel,  Elmer  George, 
Rudolph  Habekost,  Alex  Hill,  Francis  Bratt,  Glen 
Sharp,  and  Glen  Baird.  The  area  they  represented  was 
known  as  "A"  Section  and  consisted  of  Ashton, 
Squirrel  and  Drummond.  They  were  incorporated 
Nov.  12.  1938. 

Upon  learning  of  the  actions  of  these  men, 
Clarence  Daw  went  to  work  to  obtain  electrical  service 
for  the  rural  areas  around  St.  Anthony.  Wilford 
Jensen  then  joined,  representing  Madison  County. 
These  2  men  spent  many  hours  selling  the  idea  to  the 
rural  people,  signing  up  members  and  proving  its 
feasibility  to  the  national  R.  E.  A. 

These  areas,  approved  in  April  of  1940,  were 
known  as  "B"  Section.  In  1941  "C"  Section  (Teton 
County)  was  approved;  then  Ririe,  Island  Park  and 
West  Yellowstone  were  added. 

There  were  originally  5  directors.  Today  (1975) 
the  Fall  River  R.  E.  C.  has  the  following  9  directors 
representing  9  distrias: 

Larry  Whitman,  West  Yellowstone;  Vern 
Zollinger,  Island  Park;  Gerald  Egbert,  Greentimbcr; 
Glen  Sharp,  Squirrel;  Vernon  Christopherson, 
Tetonia;  Ralph  Martin,  Driggs;  James  Egbert,  Victor; 
Clarence  Daw,  St.  Anthony;  and  Gale  Reed,  Ririe. 

In  1938  there  were  200  members.  Today  (1975) 
there  are  5,000  and  it  is  still  growing. 

Homcstcading 

In  1862  a  homestead  law  was  enacted  by 
Congress.  It  provided  that  any  dtizcn,  either  head  of 
a  family  or  twenty-one  years  of  age  without  capital, 
could  acquire  a  traa  of  public  land,  not  to  exceed  160 
acres. 

The  homesteader  to  gain  tide  to  his  land  was 
obliged  to  settie  on  and  cultivate  his  homestead  for  a 
period  of  at  least  fourteen  months.  It  didn't  need  to 
be  consecutive  months,  but  sometime  each  year  up  to 
five  years.  20 


The  Federal  homestead  laws  were  important  to 
United  States  History,  mainly  because  it  provided  an 
incentive  for  men  and  families  to  move  West.  The 
first  homestead  issued  under  this  law  was  serried  near 
Beatrice,  Nebraska.  Daniel  Freeman  a  Federal  soldier 
filed  the  first  claim  under  this  law. 

President  Abraham  Lincoln  was  in  office  as 
President  of  the  United  States  at  the  time  this  law  was 
passed.  He  served  from  1861-1865. 

A  filing  fee  of  $16.00  was  required  at  this  time  in 
Fremont  County. 

O.  L.  Packer  was  the  first  to  file  in  the  Famum 
area.  He  was  from  Franklin,  Idaho.  He  built  a  one- 
room  cabin  about  18X18  feet,  probably  about  1896. 
He  became  discouraged  and  turned  his  homestead 
over  to  a  Mr.  Lameraux,  who  didn't  care  for  the  area, 
and  went  into  the  Teton  basin  area.  This  is  where  the 
Joshua  B.  Hawkes  family  lived  while  proving  on  his 
homestead.  This  piece  of  property  later  became  the 
Swen  Jacobs  place. 

A  stone  house  was  built  on  this  place  probably  by 
Swen  Jacobs.  The  Sam  Reece  family  lived  in  this 
house  for  a  few  years.  The  house  has  now  been  torn 
down  and  removed.  I  was  told  that  when  the 
earthquake  hit  Galatin  Valley,  Aug.  17,  1959,  it 
damaged  the  building  and  made  it  unsafe.  It  had  a 
lovely  open  stairway  to  the  2nd  story.  It  had  a 
beautiful  wood  banister.  Raymond  Hawkes  a 
grandson  of  Joshua  B.  Hawkes  owns  this  property 
now. 

Joseph  Bryant  Hawkes,  a  son  of  Joshua  Hawkes, 
was  the  second  to  file  on  a  homestead  in  Famum  area. 
He  built  a  log  house  on  his  property.  This  land  later 
became  know  as  the  W.  K  Miller  place. 

According  to  stories  related  by  older  settiers,  a  60 
mile  an  hour  prairie  fire  swept  the  entire  upper 
country  during  the  fall  of  1879,  from  the  present  site 
of  Sunnydell,  which  was  South  East  of  Rexburg,  up  to 
Warm  River  on  the  north,  over  the  gentle  rolling  hills 
into  the  Teton  Basin  on  the  east. 

This  was  one  of  things  the  pioneers  feared  with 
the  tall  dry  grass  in  the  early  fall.  Acil  S.  Hawkes  in  his 
personal  history  relates,  where  they  fought  a  prairie 
fire  on  their  homestead  and  had  to  back  fire  to  protect 
their  buildings. 

I  remember  many  a  beauriful  sunrise  over  the 
snow  capped  Tetons  and  such  beautiftil  sunsets  in  the 
west.  You  could  see  for  miles  in  any  direction. 

It  has  such  good  rich  farm  land.  Early  settlers 
Hked  the  area  because  of  the  tall  grass  shoulder  high 
and  the  terrain  sloping  to  the  north.  It  was  an  easy  to 
clear  the  area  for  planting  crops.  At  one  time  Famum 
boasted  of  having  a  store,  a  post  office,  a  school,  and 
an  L.D.S.  Church. 

My  father,  Brig  Murdoch,  reported  in  the  early 
days,  that  a  recent  storm  had  caused  a  great  loss  to  the 
farmers  who  still  had  grain  in  the  shock.  Throughout 
the  county  it  is  estimated  many  bushels  of  grain  still 
stand  in  the  field  covered  by  snow  and  are  likely  to 
remain  there  until  spring.   It  is  unfortunate  to  see  the 


bumper  crops  lost  before  they  can  be  threshed. 

In  1902  the  Ashton  area  had  a  total  of  42  frost 
free  days  and  a  total  of  8.96  units  of  precipitation. 

(Note:  for  a  list  of  homesteaders  and  maps  see 
chapter  10)  Tressa  M.  Garrett 

HOMESTEAD  and  PATENT  RECORDS 
Township  8  N.,  Range  43  E 


1.  Allen,  James  S.  11-08-1913 

2.  Anderson,  Anders  10-19-1905 

3.  Anderson,  Arvid  9-05-1906 

4.  Anderson,  Charlotte  H.     10-05-1906 

5.  Anderson,  Peter  O.  5-25-1911 

6.  Baird,  William  G.  11-05-1908 

7.  Beltz,  Jennie  4-01-1910 

8.  Bergman,  Walter  2-16-1912 

9.  Blanchard,  Alma  M. 


168.88  acres 
160.00    " 
160.00    " 
40.00    " 
80.00    " 
80.00    " 
160.00    " 
Book  E.  Pg.  22 
80.00  acres 


10. 


9-15-1910 

Assignee  of  John  F.  Lawson,  Administrator  of  Estate 
of  Smith  Matthews 

Blanchard,  Alma  M.  12-19-1910     80.00  acres 

Assignee  of  Widow  and  Heirs  of  Jacob  Cozad 


11. 

Bowerman,  Guy  E. 

5-25-1908 

160.00  acres 

12. 

Bowerman,  Susie  E. 

10-06-1910 

320.00    " 

13. 

Boylan,  Henry 

9-09-1909 

80.00    " 

14. 

Brinton,  Frank  T. 

2-06-1911 

158.64    " 

15. 

Brown,  Thomas  W. 

8-04-1910 

160.00    " 

16. 

Burton,  Henry  O. 

10-31-1907 

160.00    " 

17. 

Cazier,  Alexander 

5-23-1912 

160.00    " 

18. 

Cazier,  Hubert 

5-13-1912 

120.00    " 

19. 

Cazier,  Joseph  S. 

5-25-1908 

160.00    " 

20. 

Christensen,  Frank  E. 

2-28-1914 

160.00    " 

21. 

Cook,  James  A. 

8-20-1907 

160.00    " 

22. 

Cook,  James  A. 

2-17-1908 

160.00    " 

23. 

Craighead,  Robert  G. 

5-20-1907 

160.00    " 

Assignee  of  Christian  Peterson  of  Frem 

ont  County 

24. 

Davidson,  Ephraim 

12-18-1897 

327.74  acres 

25. 

Ewing,  Hampton  D. 

11-09-1910 

40.00  acres 

26. 

Ferrin,  Anna 

7-12-1909 

160.00  acres 

27. 

Ferrin,  Francis 

3-10-1910 

160.00    " 

28. 

Ferrin,  Francis 

12-30-1905 

80.00    « 

29. 

Ferrin,  Jesse 

10-18-1906 

80.00    " 

30. 

Ferrin,  Philip 

2-18-1905 

160.00    " 

31. 

Freesell,  John 

6-26-1905 

160.00    " 

32. 

Freesell,  John 

12-31-1904 

160.00    " 

33. 

Fuller,  Hiram  G. 

10-26-1907 

80.00    " 

34. 

Fuller,  Hiram  G. 

12-02-1907 

80.00    " 

35. 

Garz,  August 

12-06-1906 

160.00  acres 

36. 

Garz,  Franz 

12-06-1906 

160.00    " 

37. 

Gebhart,  James  P. 

6-08-1906 

160.00    " 

38. 

Gibson,  Daniel  H. 

6-03-1907 

160.00    " 

39. 

Green,  James  W. 

6-30-1905 

160.00    " 

40. 

Green,  James  W. 

5-13-1904 

80.00    " 

40. 

a  Green,  Laura  C. 

5-25-1908 

160.00  acres 

41. 

Green,  Silas  S. 

12-15-1902 

160.00  acres 

42. 

GriflFel,  William  F. 

8-03-1915 

Book  F,  Pg. 

309 

43. 

Habekost,  Rudolph 

7-20-1911 

40.00  acres 

44. 

Hamer,  Thomas  K 

10-29-1906 

160.00    " 

Assignee  of  David  L. 

Blevins  of  Fremont  County,  Idaho 

45. 

Hanson,  Nels  C. 

2-13-1908 

Book  D,  Pg. 

136 

46.  Hardy,  Emily  V.  Cazier    1-13-1916       40.00  acres 

47.  Hargis,  Edward  L.  6-06-1913        80.00    " 
Assignee  of  William  S.  McCullough 

48.  Hargis,  Thomas  S.  10-26-1915      160.00  acres 

49.  Harrigfeld,  Christ  12-06-1906     120.00    " 

50.  Harrigfeld,  Christian        7-20-1911        133.35    " 
Assignee  of  Nicolene  Bakke,  Widow  of  Ole  P.  Bakke 

51.  Hamgfeld,  Christian        3-27-1911       44.43  acres 
Assignee  of  William  W.  Fry,  Administrator  of  the 

Estate  of  Charles  Cochran 


52.  Harris,  Elizabeth  H. 

53.  Harris,  James  G. 

54.  Harshbarger,  Earl 

55.  Hawkes,  Joseph  B. 

56.  Hawkes,  Joshua 

57.  Hawkes,  Lewis  J. 

58.  Hawkes,  Lewis  J. 

59.  Hendrickson,  Iver 

60.  Hickenlooper,  Walter  S.  10-19-1911 

61.  Higginbotham,  Eugene  E.  5-07-1907 

62.  Higginbotham,  Mary  E.,  3-25-1913 

Heirs 

63.  Idaho,  State  of  (Schools)    5-16-1924 


12-28-1908  BookD,  Pg.  217 
2-14-1906  Book  B,Pg.  614 


3-25-1913 

12-30-1902 

3-01-1904 

12-31-1904 

8-19-1907 

8-20-1907 


160.00  acres 
160.00    " 
160.00    " 
159.50    " 
80.00    " 
80.00    " 
160.00    " 
160.00    " 
160.53    " 

4957.24  acres 


64.  Jacobs,  Mary  E. 

65.  Jacobs,  Swen  H. 

66.  Jessen,  John  F. 

dl .  Lamont,  Louis  E. 

68.  Langley,  Alfred  C. 

69.  Lenz,  Conrad 

70.  Ljvmgman,  Alfred 


11-27-1905  160.00  acres 

5-13-1904  280.00    " 

12-27-1909  160.00    " 

11-25-1912  80.00  acres 

10-05-1906  309.58    " 

5-21-1913  120.00    " 

1-30-1905  160.00    " 


71.  McArthur,  Uoyd  M.         1-14-1913  80.00  acres 

72.  McConneU,  Arthur  H.     6-24-1911  120.00    " 
Assignee  of  John  Bower 

73.  Merrick,  George  3-05-1906  160.00  acres 

74.  Meyrick,  Joseph  5-10-1919  80.00    " 

75.  Meyrick,  Joseph  7-29-1923  40.00    " 

76.  Murdoch*,  Brig  10-31-1907  158.69    " 

77.  Murdoch*,  Thomas  T.     10-31-1907  157.90    " 

78.  Murdoch*,  Thomas  T.      5-20-1907  80.00    " 
*Spelled  'Murdock'  on  deeds 

79.  Newby,  Harvey  9-16-1904  160.00  acres 

80.  Newby,  James  8-04-1910  160.00    " 

81.  Newby,  John  10-19-1905  160.00    " 

82.  Northern  Pacific  Railroad         ?   ?  1488.27    " 

83.  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  12-08-1910  1450.27    " 

84.  Northcm  Pacific  Railroad  5-19-1910  6099.03    " 

85.  Oberhansley,  George       10-28-1909  160.00  acres 

86.  Parker,  Woodson  D.        10-18-1906  320.00  acres 


39 


87. 

Rankin,                            5-11-1909 
Joseph  H.,  Heirs  of 

160.00  acres 

88. 

Rankin,  Joseph  H.           5-05-1910 
Assignee  of  Harriman  Y.  Dorman 

40.00    " 

89. 

Rankin,  Joseph  H.           3-13-1911 
Assignee  of  Elizabeth  Long 

40.00    " 

90. 

Saunders,  Simon              8-24-1907 

160.00  acres 

91. 

Sermon,  Carrie  A.            8-20-1907 

160.00    " 

92. 

Shaw,HoytH.                 8-19-1907 

40.00    " 

93. 

Shaw,  HoytH.                 4-17-1907 

124.32    " 

94. 

Sloss,  RoyW.                   10-19-1911 

160.00    " 

95.  Smart,  Sarah  Ann  7-15-1904 

96.  Smith,  Henry  W.  2-18-1909 

97.  Smith,  Warren  6-09-1910 

98.  Southam,  Edwin  5-14-1906 

99.  Stephenson,  William  1.  10-06-1906 

100.  Strong,  Harvey  B.  3-02-1908 

101.  Stubblefield,  Robert  W.  2-16-1911 
Assignee  of  Eliza  Moore 

102.  Sturm,  Ernest  8-07-1914 
Assignee,  involving  the  right  of  Nathan 

103.  Sturm,  Ernest,  3-25-1913 

Heirs  of 

104.  Sturm,  John  3-25-1913 

105.  Sturm,  Mary  11-17-1910 

106.  Thomas,  Lorenzo  K  11-09-1908 

107.  Thorsted,  George  O.  5-25-1911 

108.  Thorsted,  Harold  P.  3-24-1913 

109.  Thorsted,  Richard  L.  4-01-1910 

110.  Thorsted,  Richard  L.  3-30-1911 

111.  Van  Sickle,  Frank 

112.  Wade,  Olive  F.  3-05-1906 

113.  Watson,  Hattie  Orr  12-30-1905 

114.  West,  Arthur  B.  6-06-1910 

115.  Whitmore,  Sarah  M.  12-30-1905 

116.  Wickham,  MonteUe  6-10-1916 

117.  Williams,  John  E.  8-04-1910 

118.  Wood,  Thomas  J.,  Jr.  5-07-1907 

119.  Woodland,  Alfred  G.  4-30-1914 


160.00  « 
160.00  " 
80.00  " 
160.00  " 
160.00  " 
160.00  " 
84.17    " 

80.00  acres 
H.Billings 
167.17  acres 

160.00  " 
160.00  " 
40.00  acres 
160.00  " 
160.00  " 
160.00  " 
40.00    " 


4-10-1907       160.00  acres 


160.00  acres 

158.34  " 

160.00  " 

160.00  " 

159.14  " 

160.00  « 

160.00  " 

120.00  " 


Compiled  by  Margaret  Hawkes  lindsley  and  Gene  Hawkes 
Water  For  The  Home 


During  World  War  I  Dad  built  the  white  frame 
house  in  which  the  Mark  Albertson  family  now  lives, 
as  mentioned  above.  Indoor  plumbing  was  something 
that  was  just  coming  into  existence  and  only  the  new 
modem  houses  had  it.  As  kids,  we  were  spared  the 
experience  of  having  to  make  trips  to  the  outhouse  in 
temperatures  of  40  degree -below- zero  weather.  While 
the  house  was  being  built,  a  500-gallon  galvanized 
tank  was  installed  in  the  atric  which  supplied  the  water 
for  household  use.  When  Mom  and  Dad  were  first 
married,  they  hauled  water  to  a  dstern  with  a  team 
and  wagon.  Water  was  drawn  from  the  dstern  with  a 
rope  and  bucket  so  they  dedded  if  there  was  any  way 
to  by-pass  this  menial  chore,  they  would  do  it  when 
they  built  their  new  house.  The  500-gallon  tank  in 
the  atric  was  filled  by  going  out  to  the  pump  house 
and  starting  a  gas  engine  that  ran  a  pump  jack  which 
was  located  over  the  well.  The  pump  jack  was  hooked 
up  to  the  engine  by  a  belt  and  pumped  a  small  stream 
of  water  that  could  be  turned  into  the  tank  in  the 
house  or  diverted  into  the  water  trough  outside  for 
watering  the  animals.  When  the  tank  in  the  house  was 
full,  the  water  spurted  outdoors  through  an  overflow 
pipe.  The  gas  engine  that  pumped  the  water  was  an 
old-style  engine  that  had  an  open  crankcase  and  had 
to  be  lubricated  by  hand.  The  main  bearings  were 
greased  by  an  open  oil  reservoir  that  had  a  piece  of 
wool  in  it  to  hold  back  the  oil  and  let  it  drip  into  the 


40 


bearing  a  drop  at  a  time.  The  connecting  rod  bearing 
had  a  grease  cup  on  it  that  was  filled  with  a  hard 
grease  and  given  a  few  turns  by  hand  whenever  it  was 
stzirted  up.  On  each  side  of  the  main  bearings  was  a 
flywheel  that  gave  the  engine  the  torque  it  needed  to 
keep  running  smoothly.  The  engine  was  only  a  single 
cylinder  and  for  a  radiator  it  had  a  reservoir  for  water 
which  covered  the  cylinder.  I  suppose  it  was  the  first 
type  of  engine  that  was  invented,  because  they  were 
used  by  many  of  the  farmers  in  the  community,  and  it 
wasn't  until  many  years  later  that  this  old-style  engine 
finally  gave  way  to  electric  motors  that  took  over  their 
jobs. 

In  connection  with  the  cistern,  as  above- 
mentioned,  it  is  a  big  hole  in  the  ground  which  has 
been  plastered  on  the  inside  with  sand  and  cement  to 
make  it  waterproof.  The  original  homesteaders  had 
dstems  as  a  source  of  water  for  domestic  use  and  they 
also  watered  their  animals  from  them.  To  get  water  to 
put  in  the  cisterns  a  person  would  have  to  haul  water 
from  the  nearest  stream  in  barrels  with  a  team  and 
wagon.  The  early  settiers  really  had  to  work  hard  to 
provide  the  bare  necessities  for  living,  and  water  was  a 
necessity. 

By  -  Raymond  H.  Hawkes 

Harvesting 

The  land  area  covered  in  this  book  is  espedally 
adapted  to  growing  grain  crops.  Most  of  it  will 
produce  a  fine  crop  of  wheat,  oats,  or  barley.  Barley 
has  become  king  of  this  whole  area  because  of  its 
ability  to  mature  fast  and  be  somewhat  resistant  to  the 
frosts  that  come  almost  every  month  of  the  year.  If  a 
crop  wasn't  all  it  should  be  on  a  particular  year,  "next 
year"  would  be  bound  to  be  better. 

The  following  picture  presentation  takes  us  from 
the  earliest  methods  of  harvesting  grain  on  through  to 
the  modem  air-conditioned  combines  of  today. 

Dad  would  occasionally  raise  a  crop  of  seed  peas 
and  this  called  for  Hans  Nielson  to  come  with  his 
steam  engine  and  separator  to  thresh  them.  It  was 
always  interesting  because  it  involved  several  teams 
and  wagons  hauling  peas  from  the  field  to  the  thresher 
to  keep  it  working  to  fiiU  capadty.  At  dinnertime  the 
men  would  have  some  good  healthy  appetites  after 
working  hard  all  morning  and  they  could  really  stow 
the  food  away.  If  any  of  you  can  remember  Hans,  he 
was  partially  deaf  and  extremely  hard  of  hearing.  Also, 
he  had  droopy  eyelids  which  made  him  distinctive 
among  men.  In  the  fall  he  would  take  his  outfit  all 
over  the  country  threshing  peas  and  grain  for  people 
in  the  community. 

Dad  liked  to  stay  abreast  of  the  latest  in 
machinery  and  rather  than  resort  to  binding  the  grain 
and  then  threshing  it,  he  had  a  combine.  It  was  my 
job  to  sew  the  sacks,  dump  them  into  a  chute,  and  at 
the  right  time,  dump  the  sacks  into  windrows  so  we 
could  drive  by  and  load  them  on  to  a  truck  or  trailer 
and  haul  them  to  the  elevator.  Dmmmond  was  the 


closest  grain  elevator  so  we  hauled  the  grain  there.  In 
sewing  sacks  of  grain,  my  hands  would  get  so  sore  that 
I  had  to  put  adhesive  tape  over  the  creases  of  my 
fingers  to  keep  them  fi-om  bleeding.  One  combine  we 
had  had  an  exhaust  pipe  close  by  the  bagging  platform 
and  I  got  so  sick  of  smelling  the  exhaust  smoke  that  to 
this  day  it  is  nauseating  to  me. 

Our  first  combines  were  pulled  by  horses  and  it 
generally  took  twelve  head.  It  was  a  big  chore  to 
wrangle  twelve  head  of  horses  morning,  noon,  and 
night,  and  took  a  lot  of  time  and  patience.  It  was 
discouraging  at  times  to  get  all  hitched  up,  run  a  short 
time,  have  a  breakdown  then  unhitch  the  horses,  go  to 
town  for  repair  parts,  then  hitch  up  again  and  start  to 
combine  after  a  delay  of  several  hours. 

As  we  climbed  out  of  the  depression,  at  one  time 
wheat  only  brought  25  cents  a  bushel,  we  were  able  to 
afford  a  John  Deere  Hillside  combine  and  this  was  a 
great  step  forward  because  it  saved  the  grain  on  the 
hillsides.  It  cost  $3600.00,  compared  to  $120,000.00 
that  some  combines  cost  today.  In  addition  to  its 
other  features,  it  had  a  bulk  bin  on  it  and  that  put  an 
end  to  handling  grain  in  sacks. 

By:  Raymond  H.  Hawkes 


■M- 


it-fti-iii  »#-<?e<i. 


Hauling  bundled  grain  to  the  thresher 


■cssa.*.^  i'vKj;-. 


The  header  method:  note  extreme  right  and  left,  the  spans  of  horses  pushing  the  headers.   Heads  are  conveyed  loose  up  into  bulker  beds,  then 

hauled  to  the  separator  for  threshing. 


Four  horses  pushing  a  header. 


^o 


^        A 


41 


Four  horses  pulling  a  binder. 


.  *' 


#  "  * 


Two  binders  in  a  bumper  crop. 


'::::;^ 


L.J.  Nicndorf  homestead  ready  for  threshing 


i*   '\.  --o 


^■^'**»».. 


Unloading  new  steam  engine  and  thresher  at  Drummond  railroad  depot  1913 


Off  the  wagon,  into  the  sackl 


The  new  steam  engine  is  doing  the  work 


The  Mv^ole  Grecnhill  Threshing  Co.  1913 
42 


fei»->ft>»r*>S  ^''. 


A  bounteous  harvest  in  the  bag! 


A  lot  of  horse  power  needed  for  this  ground  driven  combine  (no  motor) 


^  j|H^^i£vlk«ifi^i^fc 


■:^    \  &:    , 


The  Case  Co.  put  a  motor  on  the  combine,  but  were  suU  putting  the 

grain  in  bags. 


An  early  snow,  or  harvesting  late? 


A  Holt  Tractor  and  ground  driven  Holt  Combine 

43 


A  necessary  luxury  for  today's  harvest. 


Working  with  horses 

Most  pioneers  that  settled  this  upland  country 
came  here  by  horse  power.  And  during  the  first  forty 
years,  horses  powered  the  implements  that  broke  the 
sod,  tilled  the  soil,  planted  the  grain,  and  harvested 
the  crops.  Men  were  somewhat  judged  by  the  looks 
of  their  horses,  how  they  were  groomed,  what  kind  of 
harness  they  wore,  and  what  general  shape  the  horse 
was  in.  Men  took  great  pride  in  a  fine  span  or  team  of 
matched  horses. 

Many  of  my  boyhood  days  were  filled  with 
activities  with  horses.  This  was  in  the  days  before 
tractors  appeared  on  the  scene.  All  of  the  field  work 
was  done  with  horses  and  at  the  time  everything 
seemed  to  go  along  fairly  smooth  with  no  big  pushes 
to  get  the  work  done.  We  seemed  to  have  time  to  get 
together  with  friends  and  neighbors  for  picnics, 
dances,  parties,  swimming,  etc.  A  typical  summer  day 
was  to  get  up  early,  feed  the  horses — six  head  when 
we  were  rodweeding — fill  a  barrel  with  water  and  put 
a  wash  tub  on  top  to  keep  the  water  fi-om  sloshing  out 
as  we  travelled  to  the  other  ranch  in  a  wagon  with 
small  iron  wheels.  This  kind  of  wagon  was  much 
handier  than  those  with  big  wooden  wheels  because 
they  were  lower  to  the  ground  and  didn't  require  so 
much  high  lifting  to  get  them  loaded.  Also,  we  put 
some  hay  in  the  wagon  to  feed  the  horses  at  noon. 
After  breakfast  we  would  hitch  a  team  on  the  wagon 
and  lead  the  other  four  horses  behind,  drive  to  the 


44 


other  ranch  about  three  miles,  hitch  up  the  six  horses 
and  rodweed  the  summer  fallow  until  noon.  We 
didn't  have  a  watch  and  always  told  time  by  the  sun. 
At  noon  we  would  unhitch  the  horses,  tie  them  up  to 
the  wagon,  water  them  in  the  wash  tub  and  let  them 
eat  the  hay.  While  the  horses  ate  their  hay  we  would 
eat  our  lunch  and  then  go  back  to  rodweeding  for  the 
afternoon.  About  six  p.m.  we  would  quit  working, 
unhitch  the  horses,  and  head  for  home.  This  was  the 
pleasant  time  of  day  after  the  work  was  done  and  we 
could  relax  for  a  little  while  before  going  to  bed. 
Bedtime  was  always  a  litde  after  sundown  so  we  could 
get  up  at  sun  up.  A  person  can  see  that  considerable 
time  was  spent  taking  care  of  the  horses — harnessing 
and  unharnessing  them,  hitching  them  up  and 
unhitching  them,  feeding  and  watering  them.  In  the 
harvest  it  was  frustrating  to  hitch  up  12  head  of 
horses,  have  a  breakdown,  unhitch  the  horses,  go  to 
town  for  repairs,  come  back  and  repair  the  combine, 
hitch  up  the  horses  again  and  finish  the  day  out.  But 
such  was  the  life  of  a  farmer  and  all  we  could  do  was 
take  it  all  in  stride. 

Many  days  were  spent  doing  fall  plowing  and  the 
memories  I  have  of  it  were  ones  of  being  cold  and 
wet.  I  was  plowing  on  the  Murdoch  Place,  northwest 
of  the  home  place,  with  six  head  of  horses  on  a  two- 
bottom  plow  one  fall  and  it  was  cold  and  rainy.  I  did 
what  I  could  to  stay  warm,  but  to  no  avail.  I  was 
wearing  a  raincoat  but  it  didn't  help  much  to  stay 
warm,  although  I  was  able  to  stay  dry.  I  would  get  off 
and  walk  behind  the  plow  which  helped  a  litde.  It  was 


always  gcx)d  to  come  in  the  warm  house  for  noon  or 
at  the  end  of  the  day  and  get  a  fresh  start. 

I  remember  it  was  quite  an  operation  to  put  up 
hay.  Our  system  consisted  of  a  derrick  horse,  a  big 
long  rope  that  ran  along  the  top  of  the  bam  and  a 
Jackson  fork  that  could  be  let  down  to  a  loaded 
wagon  of  hay  on  the  north  side  of  the  bam.  It  took 
one  man  to  put  the  Jackson  fork  into  the  right  spot  on 
the  load  of  hay.  He  would  then  get  on  the  fork  and 
jump  on  it  in  order  to  force  the  big  tines  down  into 
the  hay.  When  the  fork  was  loaded  and  ready  to  be 
pulled  up,  he  would  holler,  "Ready".  I  rode  the 
derrick  horses  and  it  was  a  lot  of  effort  to  raise  the  fork 
the  first  few  feet  because  of  the  hay  on  the  wagon 
being  matted  together.  The  derrick  horse  had  to 
strain  to  pull  with  all  its  might  to  get  the  fork  started 
upward  to  the  hayloft.  After  it  started  up  it  would  go 
straight  up  until  it  reached  a  lock  on  the  track  in  the 
top  of  the  bam.  This  track  extended  out  of  the  bam 
so  that  it  was  directly  over  the  load  of  hay  below. 
When  the  fork  reached  this  lock,  it  would  then  follow 
along  the  track  and  when  it  reached  the  right  spot  the 
man  in  the  bam  stacking  the  hay  would  yell,  "Trip  it!" 
and  the  man  on  the  hayrack  would  pull  on  the  trip 
rope  and  the  Jackson  fork  would  release  its  entire  load 
of  hay  which  came  down  to  a  place  that  could  be 
stacked  in  a  low  spot  in  the  hayloft.  When  I  heard 
"Trip  it!"  it  was  my  next  move  to  stop  the  derrick 
horse,  turn  him  around,  and  start  the  whole  process 
over  again  for  the  next  forkful  of  hay.  As  the  one 
riding  the  derrick  horse,  I  had  to  be  careful  to  turn 
him  around  the  same  way  each  time  so  that  the  derrick 
rope  would  not  get  an  extra  twist  in  it  and  cause  it  to 
wear  out  sooner  than  normal.  The  Jackson  fork  could 
be  pulled  along  the  track  by  the  trip  rope  which  was 
about  a  half  inch  in  diameter  compared  to  the  derrick 
rope  which  was  about  1  1\4  inches  in  diameter.  It 
took  a  strong  man  to  pull  the  Jackson  fork  and  derrick 
rope  back  to  the  lock  where  it  was  released  to  come 
back  down  to  get  another  forkful  of  hay.  Sometimes 
the  derrick  rope  would  develop  a  weak  spot  in  it  and 
the  operation  would  have  to  be  held  up  while  the  rope 
was  spliced.  Once  the  splice  was  completed,  the 
operation  of  putting  up  hay  could  go  forward  again. 
Putting  up  hay  was  done  in  July,  the  hottest  month  of 
the  year  and  it  was  real  hard  work.  The  men  would 
get  soaking  wet  with  perspiration  and  would 
necessitate  frequent  drinks  from  the  water  jug,  which 
was  a  gallon  glass  jug  with  a  gunny  sack  sewed  around 
it  and  then  wet  down  to  keep  it  cool  by  the  process  of 
evaporation. 

When  the  hay  (alfalfa)  reached  the  right  stage — 
just  as  it  was  starting  to  blossom — it  was  mowed  down 
by  a  mower  pulled  by  a  team  of  horses.  The  knife 
would  soon  get  dull  and  have  to  be  sharpened  on  a 
grindstone  that  was  powered  by  a  person  sitting  on  a 
seat  behind  the  grindstone  and  pedalling  with  his  feet 
to  turn  it.  This  task  could  be  accomplished  today  with 
an  electric  grinder  in  just  a  few  minutes.  But  it  would 
not  be  necessary  because  the  knife  sections  would  be 


replaced  by  long-lasting  serrated  chrome  sections 
which  are  a  big  improvement  over  the  old  style  knife 
sections  of  many  years  ago. 

After  the  hay  was  mowed,  it  would  be  raked  up 
into  windrows  by  a  hay  rake.  The  rake  was  pulled  by 
one  horse  and  when  the  tines  got  a  full  load,  it  was 
dumped.  I  was  big  enough  to  do  this  job  and  I  didn't 
mind  it  too  much  because  I  could  sit  on  a  seat  on  the 
rake  and  watch  the  green  hay  stems  and  leaves  being 
raked  up. 

Once  the  hay  was  raked  up,  it  required  more 
hand  labor  to  go  along  the  windrows  with  a  pitchfork 
and  bunch  it.  This  was  done  before  the  hay  dried  out 
and  as  it  cured  in  the  bunches.  After  the  hay  cured 
long  enough  to  dry  out,  a  three-man  crew  would  drive 
along  the  windrows  and  load  it  on  the  hayrack.  One 
person  would  drive  the  team,  another  would  pitch  it 
up  on  the  hayrack,  and  the  third  man  would  stack  it. 

Another  childhood  memory  that  is  lost  to  the 
past  was  that  of  oiling  the  harnesses  each  spring  before 
we  got  busy  in  the  fields.  Dad  would  buy  a  few 
gallons  of  harness  oil  which  we  would  apply  to  the 
hamess  with  a  regular  paint  bmsh.  This  was  done  on 
a  warm  spring  day  and  would  keep  the  leather  soft  and 
pliable  so  it  would  not  crack  and  break.  Along  with 
oiling  the  hamess  would  be  the  chore  of  mending  the 
broken  harness.  This  was  done  by  using  a  leather 
punch  to  make  the  holes  and  then  using  long  copper 
rivets  with  a  copper  washer  to  rivet  the  two  pieces  of 
leather  together.  The  flat  part  of  the  rivet  went 
against  the  horses'  hide  so  as  not  to  make  any  sores 
where  they  mbbed  on  the  horses  when  being  used.  - 
R.  H.  Hawkes 


45 


Getting  ready  to  hook  them  up 


First  wc  mow  u  doNvn  and  put  it  in  small  piles  to  dry. 


Then  we  fork  it  by  hand  onto  the  wagons 


.  /       ■« 


Huge  nets  or  the  big  Jackson  fork  on  the  ground  were  used  with 
this  pole  rigging  to  stack  the  hay. 


Going  down  in  Spring  Hollow 


46 


,vii^' 

But  Mother,  "I  can  drive  the  team  OKJ" 


"I'll  watch  them  for  your  Dad" 


Going  to  town  March  1914  in  double  bob-sled 


■«*§ 


A  single  bob-sled  with  stove  and  all  the  comforts  of  home 
(used  also  for  school  bus) 


Here  is  a  proud  coach  and  fourl 


Taking  the  ladies  for  a  ride 


47 


Using  the  horses  to  build  the  canals 


Tractors 

Horses  finally  gave  way  to  the  horse  of  iron  and 
made  it  possible  for  one  family  to  run  a  great  tract  of 
land.  Here  are  four  early  models  that  paved  the  way 
for  the  modem  rubber-tired  giants  that  can  perform 
miracles  of  work  in  one  day. 

In  the  progress  of  time  we  were  able  to  move  to  a 
tractor  to  pull  the  combine  and  this  was  a  big  time- 
saver.  The  first  tractor  we  had  that  took  the  place  of 
horses  was  a  John  Deere  Model  D  which  had  two 
cylinders  and  had  a  distinctive  put-put  sound  as  it  ran. 
We  got  this  tractor  in  the  20's  and  it  served  us  well, 
but  required  frequent  overhauls.  Dad  bought  it  on 
time  payments  and  when  the  depression  of  the  30's 
stuck,  he  still  owed  on  it.  He  bought  it  from  C  W  & 
M  Company,  and  one  day  they  came  to  repossess  it.  I 
remember  they  came  one  summer  day  and  Dad  talked 
to  them  for  hours.  Finally,  they  agreed  that  if  Dad 
would  make  a  $75.00  payment,  he  could  keep  the 
tractor.  On  this  one  transaction  hung  the  success  or 
failure  of  our  farming  operation.  If  they  had  taken  the 
tractor,  we  would  have  been  finished.  From  that 
point  on,  we  gradually  climbed  uphill  and  made  a  go 
of  farming. 

This  tractor  would  pull  a  three-bottom  plow. 
From  this  time  on,  the  tractor  did  the  work  of  the 
horses.  It  was  powered  by  a  two-cylinder  engine  that 
ran  on  kerosene  and  it,  too,  had  to  be  overhauled 
frequently  as  the  dirt  would  get  in  the  engine  and 
wear  it  out.  In  those  days  we  farmed  about  500  acres 
and  we  thought  we  were  big  operators.  But  this 
tractor  had  its  drawbacks,  too,  as  it  was  hard  to  start. 
The  two  cylinders  were  in  a  horizontal  position.  The 
engine  would  be  started  by  priming  each  cylinder  with 
gasoline  and  after  it  started,  the  priming  cups  would 
be  closed  and  then  after  it  warmed  up  the  fuel  was 
switched  over  to  kerosene  or  distillate,  which  was 
much  cheaper  than  gasoline.  It  had  all  iron  wheels 
and  big  lugs  on  the  rear  wheels  to  give  it  the  traction 
it  needed.  Even  with  the  iron  lugs  it  would 
sometimes  draw  down  and  dig  big  holes,  especially  on 
the  steep  hills  when  we  were  pulling  a  combine  with 
it. 

After  we  had  owned  the  John  Deere  tractor  a  few 
years,  the  radiator  developed  a  leak  in  it  and  we  had  to 
stop  quite  often  and  fill  the  radiator  with  water.  One 
day  when  I  was  about  fifteen  years  old  and  weeding 
on  the  Cazier  Place,  the  traaor  seemed  awfully  hot  so 
I  stopped  to  check  it  over.  When  I  took  the  cap  off 
the  radiator  spurted  boiling  water  and  steam  right  in 
my  face.  The  pain  was  so  intense  that  I  ran  about  100 
yards  from  the  tractor  before  realizing  what  I  had 
done.  After  I  came  to  my  senses,  I  walked  back  to  the 
tractor,  turned  it  off,  got  some  grease  from  the  grease 
gun  and  smeared  it  all  over  my  face.  I  rode  Dixie  to 
work  that  day  so  I  walked  back  to  where  she  was  tied 
up  and  rode  her  home.  It  seemed  that  we  would 
never  get  there  because  of  the  burning  I  felt.  I  rode 
her  as  fast  as  I  could.    The  wind  in  my  face  increased 


the  pain  so  I  put  my  hat  over  my  face  and  that  helped 
a  lot.  When  I  got  home  the  first  thing  that  Mom  did 
when  she  saw  me  was  scream.  I  told  her  how  it  all 
happened  as  she  began  to  imdress  me.  When  she  took 
my  shirt  off  the  skin  from  my  chest  stuck  to  my  shirt 
and  this  didn't  help  matters  any.  I  don't  know  who 
felt  worse.  Mom  or  I.  After  a  few  days  all  the  top 
layer  of  skin  from  my  face  and  chest  peeled  off  and  I 
was  lucky  that  none  of  the  second  layer  came  off. 
Even  the  skin  from  my  eyelids  peeled  off.  I  have 
always  been  thankful  that  my  eyesight  wasn't  affected. 
For  a  long  time  after  this  accident  I  had  a  red  chest, 
but  it  finally  turned  white  again.  I  was  left  without 
any  scars. 

From  the  John  Deere  traaor  we  graduated  to  a 
Caterpillar  20  horsepower  gas  tractor.  Our  next  step 
up  was  an  RD  4  Diesel  Caterpillar  tractor  which  was 
rated  at  35  horsepower.  We  thought  we  were 
standing  on  top  of  the  world  with  this  tractor  because 
it  burned  inexpensive  diesel  fuel  and  had  such  good 
traction  compared  to  the  wheel  tractors.  We  kept  this 
tractor  for  several  years  and  did  all  our  farming  with  it. 
It  required  several  overhaul  jobs,  but  each  time  it  was 
put  up  in  good  shape  and  served  us  well. 

By:  Raymond  H.  Hawkes 


Old  Reeves  Tractor  plowing  in  1919 


48 


A  lug-whcclcd  John  -  Deere  traaor 


The  McCormack  Dccring  pulling  a  combine 

Automobiles 

As  a  mode  of  transportation,  the  horse  and  buggy 
rode  out  of  sight  as  the  motorcar  came  roaring  in. 
Here  are  three  proud  homestead  jfamihes  showing  off 
their  newly  acquired  runabouts. 

When  I  was  a  boy  there  was  an  old  wooden 
bridge  across  Fall  River.  As  the  years  rolled  by,  this 
bridge  was  abandoned  and  replaced  with  a  bridge 
consisting  of  steel  beams.  This  bridge  was  on  the 
north  side  of  the  present  bridge.  It  was  built  about 
the  same  time  the  old  dirt  road  between  Ashton  and 
Drummond  was  graveled.  Then  when  the  road  was 
oiled,  a  new  bridge  was  built.  It  is  the  one  in  use 
today  and  is  constructed  of  prestressed  concrete 
beams.  My  dad  told  of  having  to  ford  the  river  in  the 
days  before  a  bridge  was  built.  They  only  did  this  in 
the  summertime,  and  forded  the  river  from  June  on  in 
order  to  attend  church  at  Marysville.  This  was  before 
the  church  house  was  built  at  Famum. 

It  was  quite  an  experience  to  make  a  trip  to 
Ashton  when  I  was  a  boy.  The  road  out  of  Fall  River 
was  a  dugway  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  climbing 


Proud  owner  of  a  Catcrpiller  -  Diesel 


The  Conrad  Lenz  Family  pride  and  mail  car 

from  south  to  north  and  it  still  can  be  seen  from  the 
present  bridge.  It  was  a  common  sight  to  see  people 
having  to  push  their  Model  T  Fords  up  this  hill.  In 
the  days  before  the  road  was  graveled,  there  would  be 
ruts  in  the  dirt  road  which  were  made  by  people 
traveling  in  their  cars  during  a  rainstorm.  But  the  cars 
travelled  these  dirt  roads  just  fine  despite  the  fact  that 
they  were  full  of  ruts.  -  R.  H.  Hawkes 


Front  seat,  Sarah  &  Claude  Henry  Back  seat,  Louanne  and  Sarah 
Murdoch  Running  board,  Don  and  Kenneth  Henry 


^ii^<^.' 


49 


Effic  Garvcr  Nicndorf  and  their  1925  Sur 


Welldrimng 

The  first  water  was  hauled  in  barrels  fi-om  the 
creeks  or  rivers.  Then  came  the  hand  dug  wells,  with 
some  holes  producing  water  in  a  day.  Some  produced 
heartbreak  after  many  days  of  digging.  Soon  one 
could  hire  a  commercial  rig  to  come  in  and  drill  down 
to  success.  This  is  a  1912  picture  of  a  drilling  at  the 
Jacob  Allen  Garver  place.  Note  the  steam  engine  that 
is  powering  the  drilling  rig. 


I 
I- 


/  / 


/ 


The  best  way  to  dig  a  wcIlI 


Recreation 


While  going  to  the  Farnum  grade  school,  the 
boys  always  played  marbles  at  recess  and  during  the 
noon  hour  whenever  the  springtime  weather 
permitted.  We  each  had  our  favorite  taws  (the 
marbles  that  were  expensive  and  made  from  flint)  that 
we  used  to  shoot  at  the  other  marbles.  They  were 
tough  and  very  seldom  broke.  Other  marbles  we 
played  with  were  steelies,  which  were  the  round  steel 
balls  that  came  from  ball  bearings,  and  then  there 
were  colored  glass  marbles  that  were  in-between  and 
only  medium  in  cost.  The  cheap  marbles  were  called 
"commies"  and  were  made  from  baked  clay. 
Sometimes  they  were  dipped  in  glaze  and  baked  hard 
with  a  bubble  on  the  surface  where  the  glaze  had 


formed  an  air  bubble  in  the  heating  process  and  left  a 
litde  pocket  on  the  surface  of  the  marble.  We  never 
used  these  for  taws  because  they  were  not  exactly 
round  and  rolled  lopsided.  We  would  make  a  big  ring 
and  shoot  at  the  commies  which  were  placed  in  the 
center  of  the  ring.  We  took  turns  shooting  which  was 
determined  by  lagging  at  a  line.  We  would  shoot 
from  the  outside  of  the  ring  and  whatever  marbles  we 
knocked  out  of  the  ring,  we  kept,  as  we  always  played 
for  keeps.  There  was  no  "fudging",  which  meant  to 
assist  the  thumb  by  pushing  the  arm  forward  at  the 
same  time  the  shot  was  made.  We  had  to  learn  how  to 
shoot  entirely  with  our  thumbs  and  it  became  a  real 
art  to  shoot  this  way  and  to  do  it  hard  and  accurately. 
Sometimes  I  would  win  and  sometimes  I  would  lose. 
It  always  felt  good  to  win  and  awfiil  to  lose.  Our 
hands  always  seemed  to  be  dirty,  rough,  and  chappy 
from  playing  on  the  dirt.  As  a  pastime,  we  would 
trade  marbles  and  had  a  pocketful  unless  we  had  been 
unlucky  that  day.  Money  was  hard  to  come  by  in 
those  days  and  it  was  seldom  our  folks  ever  bought 
any  new  ones  for  us. 

At  Farnum,  the  church  was  the  center  of  many 
community  socials  and  dances.  For  a  dance,  all  the 
wooden  benches  would  be  pushed  back  against  the 
outside  walls  and  the  babies  and  little  children  would 
be  put  to  sleep  on  the  benches  while  the  adults  and 
older  people  participated  in  the  dances.  For 
refreshments  everyone  brought  sandwiches  which  they 
ate  during  the  intermission  as  they  sat  around  on  the 
wooden  benches.  For  music  we  most  generally  had  a 
two-piece  orchestra  consisting  of  Frank  Bratt  on  the 
violin  and  Glen  Baird  playing  the  piano.  We  surely 
had  some  good  dances  and  everyone  looked  forward 
to  them,  as  that  was  the  main  form  of  recreation  we 
had  in  the  days  before  television  and  radios. 

I  remember  one  cold  night  in  the  wintertime  we 
came  home  from  a  dance  and  it  was  about  20  below 
zero.  We  had  to  go  by  team  and  sleigh.  Dad  put 
some  hay  in  the  bottom  of  the  wagon  box  and  we  all 
sat  on  the  hay  and  covered  up  with  some  warm  quilts 
while  Dad  drove  the  team.  He  kept  warm  by  wearing 
a  cap  with  earflaps  and  a  heavy  sheepskin  coat  and 
mittens  on  his  hands.  We  all  wore  our  overshoes  and 
warmest  coats,  caps,  and  mittens.  It  is  a  fond  memory 
and  one  that  I  think  back  on  quite  often.  We  didn't 
suffer  from  the  cold  and  had  a  jolly  time  riding  home 
under  the  quilts. 

In  the  summertime  the  big  activity  that  the  men 
participated  in  was  baseball.  It  was  played  on  a 
diamond  to  the  southeast  of  the  church  house.  Most 
of  the  games  consisted  of  the  married  men  against  the 
single  men.  We  had  a  lot  of  ftm  and  both  teams  won 
their  fair  share  of  the  games.  Once  in  a  while  we 
would  line  up  a  game  with  one  of  the  nearby 
communities  and  it  made  a  lot  of  entertainment  for 
both  the  players  and  the  spectators.  -  B^  H.  Hawkes 


50 


Chapter  Five 
The  Ten  Communities  in  Our  Area 


The  area  we  are  including  in  this  book 
contains  at  least  ten  communities  starting  with  about 
the  26th  parallel  on  the  west  and  going  east  to  the 
timberline  or  the  Wyoming  border.  It  lies  between 
Fall  River  on  the  north  and  Teton -Bitch  Creek  on  the 
south.  It  is  located  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
Fremont  County,  most  of  the  area  has  a  beautiful  view 
of  the  Tetons.  Early  settlers  liked  the  area  because  of 
the  rich  farm  land,  the  shoulder  high  grass,  and 
sloping  terrain  to  the  north  and  west.  The  land  was 
easy  to  clear  for  planting  crops. 

When  the  pioneers  first  came  into  the  area  to 
file  on  a  homestead,  they  often  encountered  herds  of 
wilds  game  that  came  to  what  was  called  the  "salt 
licks,"  an  acre  of  salty  ground.  It  would  be  eaten  out 
for  several  feet  and  would  cover  an  area  of  about  an 
acre  or  two.  They  found  evidence  of  bufialo  herds  as 
skulls  and  bones  were  found,  but  they  had  left  the  area 
by  this  time. 

Pioneers  settling  in  the  area  around  1896- 
1905  didn't  find  many  roads  and  made  their  way 
through  sage  brush  and  rocks.  They  usually  followed 
the  path  of  least  resistance. 

We  will  list  a  few  brief  things  about  each  of 
these  ten  communities:  Famum,  Lillian,  Drummond, 
Greenhill,  France,  Lamont,  Ferrin,  Sheets,  Squirrel 
(Highland),  &  Grainville.  Most  of  them  boasted  at 
least  a  post  office,  a  crossroads  store,  a  school,  and  in 
some,  a  church  building.  Many  interesting  facts  come 
to  light  as  we  read  the  chapters  and  family  histories  in 
this  book. 

Famum    Famum  was  named  for  Rosamond  Famum 
Sprague  Green,  mother  of  its  first  postmaster,  Silas 


Early  Famum  Granary  near  Fall  River 


Typical  country  ball  team 


Famum  Store  owned  by  Silas  Green  (Jay  Hill's  home  is  on  this  site) 

51 


The  country  store  at  Famum 


Famum  mothers  meeting 

r.l.  Hazel  Whittle,  Vera  Hcndrickson,  ?,  Winfred  Bean,  r.2.  Mac  Hawkes,  Anna  Benson,  ?,  r.3.  ?,  ?  Hendrickson,  Sarah  Murdoch,  Jane  Bratt, 

Louannie  Murdoch,  Viola  Whitmorc,  r.4.  Louisa  Rogers,  Anna  Christina  Hendrickson,  Mathilda  Baird,  Isabella  Bratt,  ?  Hendrickson,  Vera  Bratt, 

front  row:  William  Rogers,  ?,  Harold  Bratt,  Willard  Rogers 


Green.  In  1897  the  Green  family  settled  on  Conant 
Creek  and  Fall  River  where  the  Famum  store  and  post 
office  would  be  built.  This  is  located  where  Jay  and 
Zelda  Hill  now  live. 

Other  families  that  came  here  very  early  were 
Brigham  and  Thomas  Murdoch,  Ed  Southam,  G.  Y. 
Brown,  Lewis  J.  Hawkes,  Simon  Saunders,  Mrs.  Olive 
Wade,  Dan  Gibson,  John  Watson,  The  Newby  Family, 
Hans  Neilson,  and  the  Hendrickson  family,  and  the 
Oberhansleys,  and  others. 

A  rock  school  was  built  one  and  one-half 
miles  south  and  an  L.D.S.  Church  one  and  one-half 
miles  east  of  the  school  on  the  road  to  Drummond. 


Lillian  In  the  spring  of  1896,  the  eight  who  first  filed 
on  homesteads  in  a  place  (earlier  called  Leigh  Valley, 
then  Horse  Shoe  Flat,  later  called  Mountain  Dell  and 
later  called  Lillian,  named  for  Lillian  Newby  when  the 
post  office  was  established)  were  O.  L.  Packer,  Bryant 
Hawkes,  Joshua  B.  Hawkes  and  wife,  Nathan  Packer, 
Oscar  Pope,  Lorin  Mendenhall,  and  J.  Ervin 
Morrison.  The  last  four  young  men  were  not  married. 
O.  L.  Packer  was  the  first  to  file.  He  was  from 
Franklin,  Idaho.  He  built  a  one  room  cabin  about 
18'X18'  probably  about  1896  in  approximately  the 
middle  of  Horse  Shoe  Flat.    These  men  had  become 


52 


interested  in  the  region  through  the  encouragements 
of  WilHam  Pratt  who  took  a  great  pride  in  getting 
people  to  come  into  this  new  country  and  make  new 
homes. 

Lillian  had  a  store  and  post  office,  also  a 
school  and  several  homes  nearby.  It  was  located  at  the 
intersection  where  Bill  Bowersox  now  lives  and  the  W. 
G.  Baird  place. 

Dnimmond  Charles  and  Josephine  Burrall  who  had 
come  into  this  area  with  Mai  Anderson,  had  bought  a 
general  merchandise  store  at  Squirrel  earlier.  Now  in 
1914  they  built  another  store  in  Dnimmond. 

Josephine's  brother,  John  Carlson  and  his 
wife  and  two  little  sons  and  a  newly  bom  baby  boy, 
came  to  Dnimmond  to  live  and  run  the  new  store. 
There  was  a  drugstore  next  to  the  new  store  operated 
for  several  years  by  Kirk  Sjarring. 

In  the  1918  flu  epidemic,  John,  his  wife,  his 
two  older  children,  and  his  sister  Josephine,  all  passed 
away  of  the  flu.  The  new  baby  boy  was  adopted  by  a 
nurse  (a  Beckstead  girl)  from  Ashton. 

After  John  Carlson  and  family  died,  C.  Van 
Clark  and  his  wdfe  Ruby  Garver  Clark  took  over  the 
store  operation  for  several  years. 

When  Dnimmond  incorporated  as  a  village  in 
1917,  voted  bonds  for  a  town  waterworks  in  1919, 
the  total  tax  valuation  was  set  at  $66,690  and  the 
population  at  1,000.  There  were  two  general  stores,  a 
drugstore,  barber  shop,  pool  hall  two  elevators,  a 
lumber  yard,  hotel,  a  bank,  and  a  school  with 
enrollment  from  first  grade  through  the  second  year  of 
high  school. 

There  was  a  Presbyterian  church  on  the 
comer  just  north  of  the  school.  It  was  served  by  a 
traveling  minister  who  would  come  and  hold  service 
for  all  the  families  in  the  area. 

The  original  name  of  Dnimmond  was  to  have 
been  Lament  for  Elmo  Lamont  who  homesteaded  the 
site,  except  for  the  land  given  to  the  village  in  the 
Conrad  Lenz  grant.  When  Bill  Ashton,  the  chief 
engineer  for  the  Harriman  railroad  system,  was  injured 
in  an  accident  with  a  runaway  team  of  horses  he  was 
succeeded  by  a  lanky  six  footer  named  Drummond 
who  decided  that  Lamont  could  be  the  name  of  the 
next  place  on  up  the  railroad.  Drummond  was  a  bald 
man  of  middle  age  with  a  loud,  carrying  voice. 

C.  C.  Moore  was  instrumental  in  bringing  a 
car  load  of  people  from  Missouri  to  settle  in  the 
Drummond,  Lamont,  &  France  area. 

Drummond  was  almost  as  large  as  Ashton, 
originally,  with  families  moving  in  as  fast  as  houses 
could  be  erected.  Among  other  early  residents  were: 
C.  W.  Thompson,  the  first  postmaster;  the  Gayleys, 
Rays,  Pembles,  Lenz  family,  Baileys,  Garvcrs, 
Dedmans,  Niendorfs,  Ormes,  Lambs,  Gardners, 
Browns,  Laments,  Thorstcd,  Lewis',  Mont  Painter 
family,  later  John  McFarlin  and  others. 


1923  Drummond  Ladies  Club 
Members  include  Mmes.  Frcida  Frankie,  Pemble,  John  McFarlin, 

Smith,  Fred  Bailey,  M.  Painter,  Swan  Peterson,  Lee  Homing, 

Conrad  Lenz,  Max  Franz,  among  the  children  were  Fritz  Franki, 

Max  Bailey,  and  Patricia  Pemble. 


1948  Drummond  Ladies  Club 

b.r.  Mrs.  Painter,  Ruth,  Verda  Holbrook,  Vera  Bratt,  Ruth  Bratt, 

Miriam  Dedman,  Helen  Hawkes,  m.r.  Daisy  McFarlin,  Audrey 

McFarlin,  IsabelN  Bratt,  Monna  Bratt,  Margaret  Lindsley,  f.r.  Carol 

McFarlin,  Roger  Bratt,  Helen  Lindsley. 


-  *V 


Early  Day  Drummond  -  Summer 


■W'jiilliiiiniM  rii:%B,      **  ■  ,C^pR  .<^ 


53 


and  Winter 


George  and  Dorothy  Baum  Drummond  General  Store 


Grainvillc  Grainville  is  a  shipping  point  on  the 
Oregon  Short  Line  between  Ashton  and  Drummond. 
It  got  its  name  from  the  acres  of  wheat  and  other 
grains  grown  in  abundance  around  it.  It  is  located 
three  and  one-half  miles  directly  west  of  the  Squirrel 
store. 

Squirrel  (Highland)  In  May,  1899,  a  quartet  of 
young  men  realizing  the  apparent  advantage  of  the 
locality  determined  on  this  for  a  location  and  formed 
the  nucleus  of  what  has  since  developed  into  one  of 
the  largest  and  best  improved  stock  and  grain  ranches. 
One  vast  expanse  of  snow,  as  spring  came,  was 
transformed  into  great  stretches  of  vivid  green.  For 
neighbors  they  had  the  coyote  and  kindred  animals. 

During  the  second  year  three  of  the  original 
holders  of  Highland  Ranch  sold  their  interests  to 
other  parties.    W.  L.  Campbell  was  the  one  who 


Squirrel  Store  and  School  -  horses  and  buggies 


54 


remained  of  the  four  and  although  their  names  are  not 
given  in  the  article,  there  is  a  letterhead  dated  1907 
that  presents  the  information  —  J.  A.  Dunlap, 
President  and  W.  L.  Campbell,  General  Manager.  Of 
Campbell  it  is  said,"He  was  blessed  with  a  good  share 
of  sticktoitiveness  and  unbounded  faith  in  the  fijture 
of  the  country." 

By  1905  the  farm  was  a  4000  acre  operation. 
Experimental  work  to  determine  what  grains  and 
grasses  were  adapted  to  the  climate  was  conducted. 
Yields  reported  were  as  follows:  wheat  from  35  to  45 
bushels  per  acre;  oats  65  to  110;  barley,  65  to  100; 
rye,  20  to  25;  flax  11. 

A  silver  medal  was  awarded  by  the  St.  Louis 
Exposition  to  W.  L.  Campbell  of  the  Highland  Ranch 
for  wheat  grown  during  the  season  of  1903.  In 
addition  to  the  crops  in  1905  were  four  hundred  head 
of  highly  bred  Hereford  cattle,  and  hundreds  of  Red 
Duroc  hogs. 

The  ranch  boasted  a  granary  with  13,000 
bushel  capacity  plus  other  general  buildings  such  as 
sheds  for  800  cattle,  and  modern  hog  houses, 
blacksmith  and  carpenter  shops  complete  with  tools  to 
do  "air  repairs. 

Why  was  the  place  called  Highland.' 
According  to  A.  C.  Nichols,  his  father  Ray  told  him  of 
a  conversation  with  Mr.  Dunlap  in  which  the  latter 
declared  the  terrain  of  the  county  reminded  him  so 
the  highlands  of  Scodand  that  impression  determined 
the  name  of  the  ranch.  It  is  of  interest  that  the 
present  owner,  Larry  Don  Orme,  now  still  calls  it  by 
that  name. 

Adjacent  to  this  Highland  Ranch  were  others 


A  typical  Squirrel  2-story  homestead  log  house 

of  "character"  notably  the  Yellowstone  Ranch  owned 
by  Mr.  A.  C.  Langley  and  son,  2000  acres;  also  that  of 
the  Harrigfeld  brothers  2000  acres.  In  five  years  there 
was  an  increase  in  population  of  fi-om  three  families  to 
one  hundred  fifty,  a  conservative  estimate. 

According  to  Jessie  Howe,  "The  land  south 
and  east  of  Ashton  was  overrun  by  the  gray  ground 
squirrels  and  that  is  how  Squirrel  got  its  name."  (This 
was  taken  fi-om  EARLY  SQUIRREL  COUNTY  AND 
THE  HIGHLAND  RANCH'S  FIRST  OWNERS  by 
Marva  Rich) 

Note:  for  further  information  about  the  families, 
schools,  sports,  businesses,  social  life,  farming, 
ranching,  etc.,  of  the  Squirrel  (Highland)  community 
we  refer  you  to  the  Snake  River  Echoes:  A  quarterly  of 
Idaho  History,  Vol.  12,  No.3  (Rexburg,  1983),  63f 

Baseball  Team 

Squirrel  had  a  baseball  team  and  a  ball 
diamond  across  the  street  fi-om  the  store.  Saturday 
afternoons  or  Sundays  they  would  play.  Art  Garside, 
the  foreman  of  the  Highland  Ranch,  was  the  man  who 
started  the  team.  Drummond  had  a  team,  Ashton  had 
a  team  as  did  Driggs  and  St.  Anthony,  so  the  larger 
teams  formed  a  league. 

Art  Garside  wanted  suits  for  the  Squirrel 
team,  and  they  did  look  impressive!  Bill  Garz  was 
captain  and  Art  Garside  umpire.  Team  members  were 
Ed  Stronks,  Claude  Owen,  Bill  Harrigfeld,  Bill 
Bolland,  Henry  BoUand,  Glen  Divins,  Ernest  Jessen, 
Art  Garside,  Paul  Garz,  Maynard  Bowersox.  George 
Amen  and  John  Amen.  John  Amen  was  quite  a  player 
and  almost  always  sure  to  knock  a  home  run.  Later  he 
and  George  joined  the  Ashton  team  as  did  Henry 
Bolland.  One  time  the  Squirrel  team  played  the 
Drummond  team  and  won! 

Shcctz  (Kelly)  was  located  on  the  reclamation  road 
about  three  miles  east  of  the  Squirrel  cemetery.  It  was 
a  school  house  with  several  families  living  nearby. 
(See  the  chapter  on  schools  for  a  more  detailed 
description). 


William  Wankc's  early  store  on  freight  route  to  Jackson  on 
Reclamation  Road,  one  mile  west  of  Kclly/Sheetz  school. 


Ferrin  community  was  located  at  the  extreme 
southeastern  comer  of  Fremont  County,  four  miles 
east  of  Lamont  store  and  just  north  of  Bitch  Creek.  It 
had  a  ftmctioning  school,  school  board,  teachers,  and 
was  surrounded  by  over  a  dozen  families  whose 
children  attended  the  school.  (See  Fred  and  Olga  Hill 
history  in  this  book  for  more  detailed  information  on 
Ferrin). 

Lamont  which  has  a  wonderful  view  of  the  Tetons, 
was  named  for  settlers  there.  Besides  the  Lamont 
family  other  settlers  there  when  the  railroad  went 
through  were  the  Littons,  Jessens,  and  Wilsons. 
Lamont  is  approximately  six  miles  southeast  of 
Drummond.  Early  it  had  a  grain  elevator,  school, 
store,  post  office  and  several  nearby  dwellings. 

France  siding  is  another  shipping  point  for  grain 
which  was  named  Franz  for  Bob  and  Max  Franz,  the 
first  homesteaders  in  the  region,  but  was  changed  to 
France  during  World  War  I  days  when  feeling  ran  high 
against  Germany  and  any  of  its  by  products,  it  is 
located  about  halfway  between  Drummond  and 
Lamont  on  the  railroad. 

Grccnhill  was  located  about  two  miles  south  of 
Drummond  and  on  the  north  side  of  the  Teton  River 
just  north  and  west  of  the  Spring  Hollow  area.  It  had 
a  school  for  several  years  for  the  farm  families  who 
lived  nearby,  (see  school  chapter  for  more  information 
and  a  picture). 

Note:  The  very  brief  sketches  given  of  these  10 
communities  are  of  their  very  early  existence  and  do 
not  include  many  of  family  names  that  came  just  a  few 
years  later.  We  hope  to  meet  them  in  the  family 
history  section  and  other  chapters  of  this  book. 


55 


56 


Chapter  Six 
SERVICEMEN  &  WOMEN 


A  Victory  Celebration 


By  1919  The  Spanish  or  1918  flu  that  turned 
the  Drummond  schoolhouse  into  a  community 
infirmary  was  safely  in  the  past  as  was  World  War  I. 
Drummond  welcomed  home  not  only  her  war 
veterans  but  those  of  Famum,  Lamont  and  Squirrel 
with  a  victory  celebration,  Sept.  1,  1919. 

Special  invitations  went  to  all  soldiers 
requesting  them  to  appear  in  uniform  and  parade  -with 
the  St.  Anthony  band  at  2  P.  M.  The  program 
included  musical  numbers,  songs  by  Bell  George 
Woods  with  her  Northern  Warblers,  talk  by  W.  W. 
Spires,  a  Soldiers  versus  Civilians  ball  game, 
continuous  band  concerts,  foot  races,  polo  races, 
various  other  sports,  luncheon  and  Grand  Soldiers 
Ball. 

"Free  for  all  soldiers  in  uniform  and  their 
partners,"  read  the  invitation  which  someone  who 
knew  his  soldiers  cautiously  qualified,  "Every  soldier 
may  bring  one  partner." 

By:  Margaret  Hawkes  Lindsley 

We  are  all  proud  of  those  who  served  in  the 
military.  Some  gave  their  lives,  some  were  wounded, 
all  were  willing  and  gave  fi-eely  of  their  time  and  talent 
to  preserve  our  freedom  in  this  choice  land.  We 
would  like  to  present  a  roster  of  all  the  names  we  were 
able  to  find  showing  the  era  of  time  and  where  they 
were  from. 


Albertson 

Eugene 

T^mont 

WWII 

Albertson 

Mar 

T^mont 

WWII 

Albertson 

Spencer 

Lamont 

WWII 

Amen 

George 

Grain  ville 

WWII 

Amen 

Jack 

Grain  ville 

WWII 

Anderson 

CalP. 

WWII 

Anderson 

Glen 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Anderson 

Lei  and 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Argell 

James  Lee 

Drummond 

Canadian  Army 

Baird 

Glen 

Drummomd 

WI 

Bean 

Ralph 

Drummond 

Air  Force 

Benson 

Clare 

Famum 

WWII 

Benson 

Lorel 

Famum 

WWII 

Benson 

Melvin 

Famum 

WWII 

Bergman 

Charlie 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Bergman 

Eileen  Kent 

Squirrel 

Marines 

Bergman 

James  C. 

Squirrel 

Marines 

Bergman 

Nancy 

Squirrel 

Marines 

BishoflP 

Billy 

Famum 

Vietnam 

Bowersox 

Maynard 

Drummond 

WWI 

Bowersox 

William 

Drummond 

WWII 

Bratt 

Francis 
(Frank) 

Famum 

WWI 

Bratt 

Harold  F. 

Farnum 

WWII 

Bratt 

Lloyd 

Famum 

WWII 

Bratt 

Stanley 

Famum 

WWII 

Butler 

DonM. 

Drummond 

WWII 

Carlson 

Ernest 

Drummond 

WWII 

57 


Carlson 

Leland 

Drummond 

WWII 

Carlson 

Raymond 

Drummond 

WWII 

Carlson 

Reed 

Drummond 

WWII 

Carter 

LoyW. 

Case 

Collum 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Clark 

Dale 

Squirrel 

Korean 

Clark 

Howard 

Lamont 

wwn 

Clark 

Vem 

Squirrel 

Army  Air  Force 

Cook 

Floyd 

I«>mont 

WWII    D.  S. 

Cook 

Joseph  W. 

Lamont 

WWII 

Dedman 

Bobby 

Drummond 

WWII 

Dedman 

Keith 

Drummond 

WWII 

Dedman 

Neal  F. 

Drummond 

WWI 

Dedman 

NealS. 

Drummond 

Navy 

Dedman 

William  Jr. 

Drummond 

Merchant 

Marines 

Dickason 

Gene 

Drummond 

Korean 

Dickason 

Walter 

Squirrel 

WWI 

Gallagher 

John 

lamont 

Vietnam 

Gallagher 

Martin 

Lamont 

Navy 

Garver 

Charlie 

Drummond 

WWI 

Garver 

Clarence 

Drummond 

WWI 

Garver 

Dean 

Drummond 

WWII 

Garver 

F;irl 

Drummond 

WWI 

Garver 

Keith 

Drummond 

WWII 

Garver 

Robert 

Drummond 

WWI 

Garz 

WmP. 

Squirrel 

WWI 

Griffel 

BillJr. 

Squirrel 

WWII 

GrifFel 

Don 

Squirrel 

Korean 

Griffel 

Farl 

Squirrel 

Korean 

Griffel 

Hoyd  W. 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Griffel 

Fred 

Squirrel 

Korean 

Griffel 

Henry  C. 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Griffel 

Melvin 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Griffel 

Rick 

Squirrel 

Army 

Fredricksen 

Donald 

lamont 

WWII 

Fredricksen 

Harvey 

I-amont 

Korean 

Fredricksen 

T^rry 

I  amont 

Army 

Fredricksen 

Randall 

I-amont 

Army 

Fredricksen 

Richard 

Lamont 

WWII 

Fredricksen 

Stan 

Lamont 

WWII  &  Korean 

Hammon 

Marion 

WWI 

Harshbarger 

Don 

Drummond 

Army 

Hawkes 

Emory 

Drummond 

WWII      D.  S. 

Hawkes 

Gene 

Drummond 

WWII 

Hawkes 

Hazcn 

Drummond 

WWI 

Hawkes 

Lawrence 

Drummond 

Navy 

Hawkes 

Lloyd 

Drummond 

Army 

Hawkes 

Percy 

Drummond 

WWI 

Hawkes 

Raymond 

Famum 

WWII 

Harrigfeld 

Bill 

Squirrel 

WWI 

Harrigfeld 

Hal 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Harrigfeld 

Wm.  E. 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Hcndrickson 

Dexter 

Drummond 

WWII 

Hendrickson 

Harold  R. 

Drummond 

wmi 

Hcndrickson 

Keith 

Drummond 

WWII 

Hendrickson 

LcoK. 

Hendrickson 

Stella 

Famum 

WWII 

Henry 

Donald  A. 

Famum 

WWII      D.  S. 

HiU 

Blaine  W. 

Famum 

WWII 

Hill 

Eugene 

Famum 

WWII 

HiU 

George  Neal 

Famum 

WWII 

HiU 

JayN. 

Famum 

wwn 

Ncindorf 

Harry  Jr. 

T  amont 

wwn 

HiU 

Leonard  M. 

Famum 

wwn 

Nelson 

George 

wwn 

Hjort 

Harly 

Drummond 

WWI 

Nyborg 

Percy 

Drummond 

WWI 

Kandler 

Kurt 

Squirrel 

wwn 

Nyborg 

EJdon 

Drummond 

wwn 

Kandler 

Ixjuis  C. 

Squirrel 

wwn  D.s. 

Nyborg 

Gerald 

Drummond 

Korean 

Kandler 

W.O. 

Squirrel 

wwn 

Nyborg 

Lowell 

Drummond 

WWII 

Kidd 

Qark 

Famum 

wwn 

Nyborg 

Milton 

Drummond 

WWII 

Kidd 

Farl 

Famum 

wwn 

Nyborg 

Velva 

Drummond 

wwn 

Kidd 

Foryl 

Famum 

wwn 

Oberhansley 

Wayne 

Famum 

wwn 

Kidd 

Jack 

Famum 

wwn 

Oberhansli 

F^mest 

Drummond 

WWI 

Kidd 

Henry 

Famum 

WWI 

(Dooley) 

Kidd 

Mahlon 

Famum 

wwn 

Obcrhansli 

E.  Dooley 

Driimmond 

wwn 

Lament 

Dean 

J^mont 

wwn 

Oberhansli 

Glen  Wayne 

.  Drummond 

wwn 

Lenz 

August,  Jr. 

Squirrel 

Army 

Orr 

Stewart 

Famum 

WWI 

Lenz 

Brian 

Squirrel 

Airfbrce 

Peterlin 

Harry 

Drummond 

WWII 

J>enz 

C^tI  C. 

Squirrel 

WWI 

Peterson 

Blaine 

Drummond 

WWI 

Lenz 

Qydc 

Squirrel 

Navy 

Peterson 

Gene 

Drummond 

WWII 

Lenz 

Donald 

Squirrel 

wwn 

Peterson 

Nyal 

Lenz 

Herman 

Squirrel 

WWI 

Rogers 

Catherine 

Famum 

wwn 

I^nz 

Lyle 

Squirrel 

wwn 

Rogers 

Willard 

Famum 

WWII 

Lenz 

Norbert 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Scafe 

Albert 

Squirrel 

WWII 

I>enz 

Robert 

Squirrel 

Korean 

Tanner 

Gilbert 

Squirrel 

WWII 

Lerwill 

Harold 

T<amont 

WWII 

Van  Sickle 

Douglas 

Famum  ? 

WWII 

Luetjen 

(Brothers) 

Squirrel 

WWI 

Van  Sickle 

Glen  J. 

WWII 

Marsden 

John 

Squirrel 

wwn 

Van  Sickle 

Jack 

Famum  ? 

WWII 

McFarlin 

Uoyd 

Drummond 

WWII 

Wade 

Murlon  F. 

Famum 

WWII 

McFarlin 

J-arry  G. 

Drummond 

Navy 

Whitmore 

Carl 

Famum 

WWII 

Miller 

Joe 

France 

Germany 

Whitmore 

CecU 

Famum 

WWII 

Miller 

Ray 

France 

Korean 

Whitmore 

Edward 

Famum 

WWII 

Miller 

Wm.  Jr. 

France 

Korean 

Whitmore 

Jack  A. 

Famum 

WWII 

Moore 

Lester 

Squirrel 

WWI 

Whitmore 

James  C. 

Famum 

\^etnam 

Murakami 

Ki 

Drummond 

WWII      D.  S. 

Whitmore 

James 

Famum 

WWI 

Murdoch 

DarreU 

Famum 

National  Guard 

Sheridan 

Murdoch 

Gilbert 

Famum 

WWII 

Whittle 

Arnold 

Famum 

WWII 

Murdoch 

Howard 

Famum 

WWII 

Whittle 

Pat 

WWII 

Murdoch 

Lynn 

Famum 

WWII 

Young 

Willard  N. 

Lamont 

WWII 

Murdoch 

Wallace 

Famum 

WWII 

Zundel 

Dan 

Drummond 

WWII 

58 


Chapter  Seven 
Our  Cemeteries 


The  Farnum  cemetery  is  two  fenced 
cemeteries  lying  in  dose  proximity  to  each  other.  One 
lying  a  few  score  feet  to  the  southwest  of  the  first. 
They  are  located  approximately  two  miles  southwest 
of  Drummond  and  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
southeast  of  the  Blaine  Baird  home  on  a  high  rise  hill 
or  knoll  that  sits  in  about  the  center  of  Horseshoe 
Flat.  From  there  is  a  beautiful  view  of  the  Teton 
mountains  and  the  whole  surrounding  countryside. 
It  is  very  picturesque  with  native  grass  and  wild 
flowers  for  the  ground  cover.  During  the  summer  the 
wild  flowers  make  a  splash  of  color  to  add  to  the 
beauty.  The  gentle  winds  blow  across  the  graves 
almost  constantly  but  it  has  a  calm  quiet  serenity  as 
you  visit  there. 

Some  markers  are  not  able  to  be  read  but 
most  are.  Some  graves  have  been  removed  through 
the  years  to  other  locarions.  This  spot  serviced  the 
Lillian,  Farnum,  Drummond  areas,  but  many  who 
lived  here  are  buried  in  other  cemeteries  in  and  out  of 
the  county.  The  first  person  to  be  buried  at  this 
location  was  a  Houston  boy  the  son  of  Tom  Houston. 

A  few  were  not  buried  in  the  cemetery  as  we 
see  fi-om  this  report  by  Beulah  Sermon  Nyborg.  "One 
of  Henry  and  Carrie  Sermon's  little  boys  died  in  Jan. 
of  1903.  He  was  bom  August  1902.  They  buried 
him  on  the  Sermon  homestead  and  planned  on 
moving  the  body  to  the  cemetery  the  next  spring  but 
decided  to  leave  him  there.  He  wzs  buried  on  a  hill 
just  south  of  where  the  house  stood." 

Starring  with  the  northeast  cemetery  in  the 
northeast  corner  of  it  we  find  the  following  markers 
and  information: 


Name 
Zclla  Ferrin 
Vera  Ferrin 
Alma  M.  Blanchard 


Bom  Died 

1893  1901 

1898  1901 

5  Apr.  1842  21  Apr.  1913 


Remember  me  as  you  pass  by, 
As  you  are  now  so  once  was  I, 
As  I  am  now  so  you  may  be, 
Prepare  for  death  &  follow  me. 


Sarah  E.  B.  Ferrin  3  Sep.  1870 

Francis  Ferrin  13  May  1871 

Mildred  L.  Newby  age  9  years 

Silas  S.  Green  1849 


24  Dec.  1947 

23  Sept  1937 

26  Mar.  1916 

1914 


Laura  Green  1854  1941 

(Laura  Gibbons  Green) 

Lane  R.  Green    (7455  Mem.  Rec.  Fremont  County, 
Conant  Branch 


shows:  Bom  3  July  1907,  Blessed  1  Sept  1907  by  E.E. 

Higgenbotham,  died  16  Oct.  1908) 

Leon  Green  1907  1908 

(a  possible  five  other  unmarked  graves  in  the  Green  lots) 

Rosamond  F.  Green     11  May  1823    31  Dec.  1904 

(Rosamond  Famum  Sprague  Green) 

Bennie  Trammell  1902  1918 

Mary  S.  Brown  4  Mar.  1844      25  Dec.  1907 

Thomas  W.  Brown    11  July  1842 

James  Willard  Green         1859 

Ellen  E.  Brown  1884 

John  Brown  1882 

James  S.  Brown  3  Mar.  1875 

Sarah  Margaret  Mason  Whitmorc  Brown  1854  27  Jan. 

1934 

We  direct  our  attention  now  the  second 
fenced  cemetery  just  to  the  southwest  of  first  one: 


22  Aug.  1915 

1928 

1954 

1964 
25  Oct.  1958 


Elizabeth  Ross  1892 

Mary  Ross  1898 

Franklin  Ross  1908 

John  Orrin  Saunders  1905 
Simon  Austin  Saunders  1899 
Lila  Fidelia  Saunders  1909 
Thelma  May  Saunders  1902 
Medora  Wade  Saunders  1882 
Simon  Saunders  1874 

George  W.  White  1869 

Lorin  J.  Smith  22  Mar.  1901 

(Sons  of  H.  W.  &  A.  J.  Smith) 
Archie  H.  Smith         14  Apr.  1907 
Edward  J.  Hansen  1915 

John  Alonzo  Guthrie  1904 
J.  Alonzo  Guthrie       28  Jan.  1903 

Mary  Hanson  7  Nov.  1872 

Maria  Hanson  1871 

Nels  Christian  Hanson  1864 
Alice  W.  Hanson  1880 

Anders  Anderson  1840 

John  Watson  20  Mar.  1909 


1908 
1917 
1921 
1911 
1911 
1911 
1918 
1913 
1959 
1914 
16  May  1908 

20  Sept  1907 

1940 

1915 
27  Aug.  1917 

27  Sept  1902 
1902 
1924 
1951 
1911 


Squirrel  Cemetery 

The  Squirrel  cemetery  is  located  two  miles 
north  of  the  Squirrel  store.  In  1906-07  Carl  F.  Lcnz 
donated  the  land  for  a  cemetery  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  his  property,  at  the  comer  of  the  Squirrel 
and  the  Reclamation  roads.  The  first  two  graves  were 
those  of  Elizabeth  Kandlcr  and  baby  Ernest 
Harrigfeld.  These  were  moved  from  the  Harrigfeld 
property  to  the  new  cemetery. 

In  the  Carl  F.  I>cnz  obituary  (May  31,  1933) 
the  cemetery  is  referred  to  as  "Zion  Lutheran 
Cemetery  of  Squirrel."    The  Rev.  R.  C.  Muhly,  local 


59 


pastor  at  the  time,  states,  "We  are  proud  of  the  fact 
—  and  justly  so  —  that  the  deceased  was  among  the 
first  settlers  in  this  immediate  community  of  Ashton, 
before  the  railroad  had  laid  its  track,  before  the 
highway  system  which  we  enjoy  today,  before  the 
agricultural  facilities  were  introduced,  and  long  before 
the  Idaho  Gateway  to  Old  Faithful  voiced  its  call  to  all 
comers  of  the  world.  Now  he  is  peacefully  asleep  in 
his  last  resting  place,  in  the  cemetery  which  he 
presented  to  his  congregation  many  years  ago." 

In  recent  years  the  cemetery  has  been  fenced, 
a  well  drilled  to  supply  water  for  grass  and  flowers,  and 
a  sprinkling  system  installed.  It  is  a  lovely,  well-kept, 
choice  hallowed  spot  with  the  Teton  Range  of 
mountains  on  the  east  and  the  Warm  River  and 
Targhee  Forest  on  the  north. 

Following  is  a  list  of  names  submitted  by  Harvey 
Freitag,  of  those  interred  in  the  Squirrel  Cemetery: 


Herman  Hensiek 
Albert  Kuhnrath 
Christina  Lenz 
Sophia  Schafer 
Clara  Kuhnrath 
Chas  Lenz 
Julious  Luetjen 
Chriten  Kuhnradi 
Goldy  Spitz 
Henry  Holland 
Nelson  Niendorf 
Julius  Warsany 
William  Bolland 
Anna  Moore 
Maria  Lenz 
Martin  Luetjen 


August  Lenz 
Frank  Kuehl 
Arnold  Kuhnrath 
Arthur  Lenz 
Emil  Schulter 
Sophia  Kuhnrath 
Elmer  Lenz 
Thelma  Brown 
Walter  Kuhnrath 
Hilda  Endicott 
Katherine  Bolland 
Frederick  Niendorf 
Mrs.  Warsany 
Dora  Luetjen 
George  Ross 
Ida  Sturm 


Joseph  Ross 
Franz  Garz 
Arthur  Griffcl 
Oscar  Franz 
August  Garz 
Gottfried  Reimann 
Wm  Kremin 
Ernest  Sturm 
Lois  Kocplin 
Edwin  Kremin 
Carl  F.  Lenz 
Mrs.  Kuehl 
Mrs.  Dickason 
Dell  Jesscn 
Selma  Lenz 
Maria  Plume 
Christian  Jessen 
Freda  Kappleman 
Miss  House 
Hans  Jessen 
Margaret  Griffcl 
Arnold  Moore 
Sohpia  Lenz 
Melvin  Griffcl 
F.  Plume 
Ida  I^nz 
Fred  C.  Griffel 
Clarence  Jessen 
Wm.  E.  Hiatt,  Jr. 
Fritz  Eidinger 
Luetjen  Baby 
Mrs.  Henry  Ossman 
Minnie  Lenz 
Ronfeld  Baby 
Ernest  Harrigfcld 
Karl  Kuehl 


Minnie  Griffel 
Emma  Ross 
Franny  Garz 
Catherine  Reimann 
Bertha  Franz 
Johanna  Sturm 
Baby  Gunter 
Anniek  Murri 
Elizabeth  Kandler 
Emest  Kuehl 
Walter  Dickason 
Anna  Lenz 
Fred  J.  Lenz 
Tabitshad  Dickason 
Jim  Jessen 
Louis  Kappleman 
Mr.  Plume 
Mrs.  C.  Jessen 
Henry  Griffel 
Carl  Hohman 
Emest  Jessen 
Elmer  Griffel 
David  Moore 
Conrad  Lenz 
Martha  Griffel 
Baby  Gorton 
Carl  C.  Lenz  (Kels 
Gladys  Freitag 
IvCnz  Baby 
John  Jesscn 
Rick  Griflfcl 
Kremin  Baby 
Sofia  Moore 
Habckost  Baby 
Williams  Baby 
Lueqen  Baby 


60 


Chapter  Eight 
Family  Histories 


LIFE'  STORY 

Wc  are  writing  today  our  life's  story, 
Each  secret  and  thought  we  will  pen, 
Nothing  we'll  miss  from  our  story. 
From  birth  right  down  to  the  end. 

Each  morning  well  find  a  page  opened. 
We'll  store  all  we  do  through  the  day. 
Each  night  we'll  write  in  our  chapter, 
And  then  we  shall  put  it  away. 

Each  year  will  find  a  part  finished, 
Even  the  thoughts  of  our  heart, 
The  things  we  left:  'till  tomorrow. 
It's  to  late  now  to  e'r  start. 

We  write  life's  book  as  we  live  it, 
Each  year  we  start  a  new  scrip. 
And  write  each  act  as  we  live  it. 
As  each  word  parts  from  our  lip. 

How  the  story  will  look  to  another. 
What's  in  the  book  when  it's  through. 
If  part  you  would  like  to  keep  hidden, 
The  Author  of  the  writing  is  you. 

When  at  last  your  story  is  ended, 
As  you  rest  'neath  the  valley's  green  sod. 
Your  book  will  be  opened  for  viewing. 
When  you  hand  your  book  back  to  God. 

By  -  George  Mclvin  Brinkerhoff 


MALACHI  4:  5-6  Behold,  I  will  send  you 
Elijah  the  prophet  before  the  coming  of  the 
great  and  dreadfril  day  of  the  Lord: 
And  he  shall  turn  the  heart  of  the  fathers  to 
the  children,  and  the  heart  of  the  children  to 
their  fathers,  lest  I  come  and  smite  the  earth 
with  a  curse. 


61 


JIM  ALLEN 
and 
KASSIEHAUK 

Jim  Allen  and  his  wife,  Kassie  Hauk,  came 
from  Tennessee  in  1901.  They  moved  to  Canada  in 
the  fall  of  1920,  then  moved  back  in  1922.  They 
lived  in  East  Squirrel  next  to  the  timber  line. 

Their  children  are  Ernest,  Arthur,  and  Doneta 
(Bonnie)  who  married  Walter  House. 

Bill  Allen,  Jim's  brother,  came  in  1910,  but 
he  did  not  stay. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  105 

JOSEPH  BONEPART  ALVORD 

and 

LENORA  HYATT  BERRETT. 

Joseph  Bonepart  Alvord  was  bom  December 
4,  1830  at  Water-ford,  Oakland,  Michigan.  His 
parents  and  femily  had  accepted  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  Joseph  was  about  19  years  old  when  they 
crossed  the  plains  in  the  George  H.  Smith  Company 
in  1849.  They  traveled  by  covered  wagon  and  suffered 
the  hardships  most  of  the  Saints  did  as  they  were 
driven  from  Nauvoo  and  later  Missouri. 

His  family  settled  in  Springvillc,  Utah 
County,  Utah  and  later  moved  to  North  Ogden, 
Weber,  County,  Utah.  About  this  time  another  family 
by  the  name  of  Berrett  had  moved  into  North  Ogden, 
Joseph  Bonepart  Alvord  and  Lenora  Hyatt  Berrett  met 
and  were  married  and  started  out  marriage  in  a  little 
log  house  with  a  dirt  roof,  which  was  very  common  in 
that  area  at  this  time. 

A  lovely  baby  gjrl  was  bom  to  them  March  25, 
1865  in  North  Ogden.  They  named  her  Delia  Jane. 
No  more  children  were  born  to  this  family  but  they 
adopted  a  boy  Melvin  Ray.  He  was  14  Years  older 
than  Delia  Jane.  He  died  when  he  was  19  years  old. 

Joseph  and  Lenora  came  to  Famum  the  10  of 
April  1906.  This  was  at  the  time  so  many  were 
coming  into  this  area  to  homestead  land.  I'm  not  sure 
if  Joseph  came  with  this  purpose  in  mind  but  their 
membership  records  show  up  at  this  time  in  the 
Famum  Ward  records. 

Joseph  and  Lenora  were  divorced.  I  do  not 
know  when.  Joseph  later  married  Sarah  Elizabeth 
Mower. 

Joseph  died  January  9,  1908,  Lenora  died 
January  27,  1948  at  St.Anthony,  Idaho  and  was 
buried  in  North  Ogden,  Utah. 

Their  daughter  Delia  Jane  married  William 
Robert  Cazier  and  continued  to  live  in  Famum. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Melvin  Ray  b-  1851        d-  1870 
Was  an  adopted  child 

(2)  Delia  Jane  b-  1865        d-  1948 
md-  William  Robert  Cazier 

By:  Ivan  Cazier  (grandson) 


GEORGE  AMEN,  SR. 

and 
HATTIE  NEWCOMB 

Henry  Amen  came  from  Russia  and  settled, 
first  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  then  the  Blackfoot  area  in 
1917,  then  to  the  Grainville  farm.  His  first  wife  was 
Margaret  Bauer.  Their  children  who  stayed  in 
Nebraska  are  Henry,  Anna,  Mary,  and  Katherine.  His 
children  that  came  here  with  him  were  Jacob  George, 
John,  and  Lena  (Bush).  These  three  children  were  all 
born  in  Nebraska.  Their  mother  passed  away  in 
Nebraska  and  they  were  raised  by  their  step-mother, 
Barbara.  Barbara's  children  were  Nettie  and  Henry 
Meng. 

After  Henry  and  Barbara  retired  from 
farming,  they  lived  in  Pordand,  Oregon,  for  several 
years. 

John  married  Blanche  Johnson.  They  lived  in 
Ashton  and  commuted  to  do  their  farming. 

George  Amen,  Sr.  was  born  in  1891  and 
passed  away  in  1973.  He  married  Hattie  Newcomb, 
from  Pilot  Rock,  Oregon,  in  1919,  at  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho.  Hattie  was  born  in  1900  and  is  living  in 
Ashton  at  the  present  time.  They  farmed  240  acres  of 
state  land,  which  they  later  purchased,  near  Grainville. 

George  and  Hattie  had  two  children;  George 
Amen,  Jr.,  bom  May  1926,  and  John  (Jack)  bom  Jan. 
1928. 

George,  Jr.  married  Terrel  Vance  (deceased). 
George,  Jr.  lives  in  Ashton  and  operates  a  wrecker 
service. 

Jack  married  Mona  Rae  Martindale.  Their 
son,  Brad,  lives  at  the  Grainville  ranch  home  and 
operates  the  farm. 

ARVID  ANDERSON 

and 

LAURA  GREEN 


Arvid  and  Laura  Green  Anderson 


62 


Arvid  Anderson  was  born  July  17,  1876,  at 
Holstad,  Sweden,  the  second  child  of  Neils  Ander  and 
Anna  Charlotte  Anderson.  His  older  sister,  Maria,  was 
bom  Dec.  7,  1871.  When  Arvid  was  about  nine  years 
old  their  family  immigrated  to  America. 

Anna  Charlotte  passed  away  in  November  19, 
1930.  Anders  died  September  1,  1911,  at  Famum, 
Idaho.  He  is  buried  in  the  Famum  cemetery.  His 
headstone  reads:  "God's  Finger  touched  him  and  He 
Slept." 

Arvid  married  Laura  Green,  bom  October  3, 
1883,  the  daughter  of  Silas  Sprague  and  Laura 
Caroline  Gibbons  Green,  about  1903.  Arvid  passed 
away  April  7,  1931,  in  Marysville  and  was  buried  at 
Ashton,  Idaho.  Laura  Green  Anderson  passed  away 
April  1936,  at  Ashton. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  LeRoy  b-  1904        d-  1904 

(2)  Mary  Laura  b-  1905        d-  1928 

(3)  Myrtle  LaVaughn  b-  1907       d-  1939 
md-  Carl  Paul  Lcnz 

(4)  Uoyd  W.  b-  1910        d-  1946 
md-  Lena  Hazel  Gould 

(5)  Naomi  Lucille      b-  1913        died 
md-George  E.  Gould 

(6)  Glenn  b-  1915 
md-  Thelma  Edgington 
md-  Zulene  Welker 
md-  Elva  Birch 

md-  Helen  Young 
md-  Ruth  Reed  Guipre 


MALCOME  (MAL)  ANDERSON 

and 

JOHANNAH  PERNELLA 

In  1912  Malcome  (Mai)  sold  his  farm  in 
Opal,  Wyoming  and  came  to  Squirrel  with  his  wife 
JoHannah  Pernella  and  their  son  Arthur  M.,  and 
purchased  a  farm  at  Squirrel. 

Mai's  wife  JoHannah  was  reluctant  to  move 
to  this  new  country,  but  he  promised  that  he  would 
build  her  a  better  home  than  the  one  she  had  in 
Wyoming.  This  he  did. 

They  worked  hard,  they  farmed  their  ground 
and  obtained  cattle  and  sheep,  and  became  a 
prosperous  farmer. 

JoHannah  was  pleased  with  what  she  found  at 
Squirrel.  It  wasn't  long  until  they  had  a  lovely  place,  a 
nice  yard  and  lovely  flower  garden.  She  enjoyed  her 
lovely  home  and  her  life  in  Squirrel. 

She  was  a  delightful  hostess  and  had  a  lovely 
party  each  year  for  their  friends  in  the  Squirrel  and 
Ashton  area. 

Mai  and  Johannah  had  only  one  child  Arthur 
Mai.  He  married  Vclma  King. 


63 


ARTHUR  M.( ART)  ANDERSON 

and 

VELMAKING 

Arthur  M  (Art)  Anderson  son  of 
Malcome(Mal)  and  JoHannah  Pernella,  came  to 
Squirrel  from  Opal  Wyoming  in  1912,  when  he  was  a 
young  boy.  As  he  grew  to  manhood  he  worked  and 
farmed  with  his  father.  (1) 

He  married  Vclma  King  the  only  daughter  of 
John  Tully  King  and  Alice  Engleman.  She  also  had  six 
brothers.  Her  parents  had  moved  to  Squirrel  from 
Athena,  Oregon  and  rented  the  Chris  Harrigfeld 
place.(3) 

With  the  help  of  Josephine  Burrall,  the  Earl 
Harshbarger's,  and  Velma's  parent's,  they  started  a 
Sunday  School  and  met  in  the  Squirrel  School 
House, soon  folks  were  coming  from  all  around, 
programs  and  picnics  followed. (3) 

They  are  the  parents  of  two  children  Leland 
and  Pernella  "Penny". 

Their  daughter  "Penny"  a  Registered  Physical 
Therapist,  had  medical  offices  in  Los  Angeles, 
California,  Westwood  area  for  many  years.  Her 
patients  were  all  familiar  with  and  intrigued  by  her 
home  address  (Squirrel,  Idaho). (2) 

Art  and  Velma  developed,  from  the  pasture 
land,  a  beautiful  golf  course  and  called  it  "Aspen 
Acres."  (1) 

Penny  operates  the  golf  course.  In  1984  they 
enlarged  to  an  18  hole  golf  course  and  a  42  space  RV 
Park  complete  with  hook  up  and  heated  rest  rooms. 
This  has  become  very  popular,  with  local  people  and 
summer  visitors. 

Velma  and  daughter  "Penny"  live  in  Squirrel 
during  the  summer  months  and  Laguna  Hills  during 
the  winter,  but  they  really  live  in  Squirrel,  in  memory 
or  otherwise,  which  Velma  says,  is  "a  place  nearest  to 
heaven"(l),(3) 

Their  son  Arthur  Leland  grew  up  on  the  farm 
and  married  Nancy.  Leland  passed  away  and  his  wife 
resides  in  Phoenix,  Arizona,  but  still  maintains  their 
home  and  ranch.(l),  (3) 

Sources: 

(1)  Letter  to  Tressa  Garrett  from  Velma  Anderson 
March  21  1990. 

(2)  Snake  River  Echo  pg  105 

(3)  Albert  (Allie)  A.  Burkhaltcr  (1868-1958),  "His 
Family,  Friends  and  Work".  By  Jack  L.  Reveal,  July 
1985. 

MART  ANDERSON 

Mart  Anderson  was  a  building  contraaor  and 
came  here  from  Nebraska.  He  was  no  relation  to  the 
Mai  Andersons.  He  had  a  small  farm  near  the  Amcns 
in  Grainville.  He  was  well  educated  and  well  known 
in  Ashton.  He  built  the  old  Mai  Anderson  home  in 
Squirrel. 


Mart  was  affiliated  with  and  held  high  oflEices 
in  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  in  Ashton.  When  he 
retired,  he  retired  to  the  Odd  Fellows  home  in 
Caldwell,  Idaho.  He  never  married. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  105 

JAMES  LEE  ANGELL 

and 

GWYNNETH  WILLIAMS 


Gwynncth  Williams  &  James  Lcc  Angcll 

James  Lee  was  born  in  Fairview,  Sanpete 
County,  Utah,  March  23,  1895.  His  father  was 
Solomon  Angell  and  his  mother  was  Mary  Eliza 
Raymond.  At  the  age  of  one  and  one-half  years,  his 
parents  took  him  and  two  brothers  and  one  sister  and 
moved  and  settled  on  a  40  acre  homestead  near 
Edmonds,  Idaho.  He  had  four  brothers  and  three 
sisters.  James  went  to  school  in  Edmunds.  His 
parents  moved  to  Stavely,  Alberta,  Canada,  in  1902 
where  they  homesteaded  a  160  acre  farm.  James 
never  went  to  school  beyond  the  eighth  grade. 

His  father  bought  a  well  drilling  outfit  and 
dug  many  wells  in  Southwestern  Alberta.  He  took 
James  Lee  with  him  to  help  him.  Lee,  as  he  was  called, 
would  drive  the  horses  on  the  old  horse -power  that 
operated  the  well  drill.  It  was  his  job  to  keep  the 
horses  going. 

Lee  left  home  and  started  on  his  own  at  the 
age  of  14  years.  His  first  job  was  on  a  grading  job 
building  a  canal  East  of  Stavely,  Alberta.  He  drove  a 
four  horse  team  on  a  fresno  scraper  10  hours  a  day.  In 
the  Fall  he  used  the  same  four  horses  on  a  binder  and 
cut  grain. 

He  entered  the  Canadian  Army  in  the  Spring 
of  1918.  This  was  the  war  between  Great  Britain  and 
Germany.    He  was  stationed  at  Calgary,  Alberta  and 


was  released  the  same  year  in  November  when  the  war 
ended. 

In  1918  he  returned  to  the  United  States  and 
started  work  near  Chester  where  he  met  and  married 
Gwynneth  Williams,  daughter  of  Noah  and  Eliza 
Munk  Williams.  She  was  bom  November  9,  1901  at 
Chester,  Fremont  County,  Idaho.  She  attended 
schools  in  Chester,  Idaho.  They  were  married  in  the 
Courthouse  in  St.  Anthony,  December  11,  1921. 
Their  marriage  was  later  solemnized  in  the  Logan 
Temple.  They  made  their  home  in  Chester  where  two 
daughters  were  bom,  both  in  Chester. 

On  July  6,  1923,  Lee  started  work  as  a 
section  man  on  the  U.P.  railroad.  He  was  transferred 
to  Drummond  in  the  spring  of  1934  where  they  made 
their  home  until  he  was  transferred  to  Parker,  Idaho. 
He  retired  from  the  railroad  in  March  1961  at  the  age 
of  66  years.  Lee's  hobby  was  his  fine  buggy  and  team 
of  horses.  He  Uked  to  write  poems,  mosdy  about  the 
railroad. 

While  living  in  Drummond,  he  served  as  a 
home  teacher  for  many  years.  He  served  as  President 
of  the  Y.M.M.Ij\.  He  also  served  as  Ward  Clerk  at 
Farnum.  He  was  a  High  Priest  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  He  died  February  11,  1969. 

GWYNNETH  WILLIAMS 

Gwynneth  Williams  was  bom  November  9, 
1901  at  Chester,  Idaho,  the  daughter  of  Noah 
Williams  and  Eliza  Munk.  She  lived  in  Chester  where 
her  father  homesteaded.  Her  family  consisted  of  five 
sisters  and  six  brothers. 

In  the  years  Gwynneth  went  to  school  she 
went  to  different  homes  and  did  house  work.  In  the 
spring  she  would  help  her  two  half  sisters  cook  for 
hired  men  and  in  the  fall  she  would  cook  for  harvest 
men. 

Gwynneth  loved  to  crochet  and  embroidery. 
She  made  a  lot  of  pretty  things  for  her  family  and 
friends.  She  was  a  lovely  cook.  She  loved  flowers  and 
Uked  to  collect  pretty  dishes.  Everyone  used  to  love 
her  homemade  ice  cream  and  she  was  always  asked  to 
bring  ice  cream  to  parties  at  the  church. 

After  she  and  her  family  moved  to 
Dmmmond  in  1934,  she  was  caretaker  of  the  U.P. 
railroad  depot.  She  had  to  see  that  the  cream  was  put 
on  the  train  along  with  other  duties  and  keep  the 
depot  dean. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Thelma  Lavon  b-  1922 
md-  Kcrmit  Hathaway 

(2)  OUve  Naomi  b-  1927 
md-  (1)  Jay  Pin  cock 

(2)  Gordon  Coxson 
Source: 

(1)  Chester  Ward  History  Pg  38. 

(2)  Thelma  Angel  Hathaway 


64 


CORNELIUS  EVERETT  ARNOLD 

and 

OLENA  DELENA  JOHNSON 


WILLIAM  G.  BAIRD 

and 
MATHILDA  SMITH 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Cornelius  Everett 

(2)  Charlott  Estellc 

(3)  Jennie  May 


b-  10  Aug  1892 
b-  20  June  1894 
b-  13  Jan  1896 


Source:  Record  of  (membership  of  Children) 
Famum  Ward  Records. 

JAMES  D.  ATCHLEY 

James  D.  Atchley  (Dan),  his  wife  and  femily, 
lived  south  of  the  William  C.  Blair  place.  His  wife  was 
a  younger  sister  of  Jolia  Sharp.  They  came  to  Idaho  in 
1912.  Four  girls  were  born  in  Idaho  and  attended 
school  at  Highland,  four  miles  east  of  Squirrel.  They 
lived  at  the  edge  of  Targhee  National  Forest.  Their 
160  acre  farm  was  obtained  by  a  special  use  permit 
instead  of  homestead  right. 

They  returned  to  Tennessee  about  1925  then 
moved  to  Farmville,  Virginia  for  a  permanent  home. 

Snake  River  Echoes 


DAVID  S.  BAILY 

and 

Jane  E. 

Children: 

(1)  Perry 

age  22                  b-  } 

(2)  Emma 

age  20                 b- 

(3)  David  D. 

age  17                 fa- 

(4)  Alton 

age  15                 fa- 

(5)  Ernest  R. 

age  12                 fa- 

(6)  Kelsy  B. 

age  10                 fa- 

(7)  Ova  M. 

age  7                  fa- 

(8)  Ovid  S. 

age  5                   fa- 

Missouri 


Iowa 

14  children,  11  living  1910  census,  Upland  precinct 

Fremont,  Idaho. 

KELSEY  BRYAN  BAILEY 

and 

LAVERDA  LEWIS 

Kelsey  Bailey  was  faom  September  4,  1900,  at 
Whitesville,  Missouri,  the  son  of  David  S.  and  Jennie 
Bailey.  The  family  moved  to  St.  Anthony  in  1907  and 
three  years  later  moved  to  Drummond. 

Kelsey  married  Laverda  Lewis  in  1930  at 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho. 
They  had  two  sons,  Kay  Bryan,  and  David. 

Kelsey's  sisters  were:  Mrs.  W.  W.  Rodecker, 
Mrs.  Otto  Garlund,  Mrs.  J.  E.  Mason,  and  Mrs.  Clyde 
Lamont.  He  had  three  brothers;  Dale,  Ovid,  &  Alton 
D.  Bailey.  Kelsey  and  his  wife  farmed  in  the 
Drummond  area.  He  died  at  the  age  of  41  of  a 
lingering  heart  ailment. 


65 


Mathilda  Smith  &  William  G.  Baird 

The  following  is  from  William  G.  Baird's 
biography: 

My  father,  Robert  Baird,  was  bom  in  Ireland, 
and  his  wife,  Jane  Gumming,  was  bom  in  Scotland. 
The  femily  immigrated  from  Scodand  in  1863,  in  a 
sailing  faoat  and  were  11  weeks  on  the  ocean,  landing 
in  New  York  the  later  part  of  July. 

They  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  then 
went  north  through  Canada,  into  Chicago  and  on  to 
Council  Bluflf,  Iowa.  From  there  they  went  fay  ox  team 
caravan  to  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  arriving  there  in  early 
Octofacr.  In  March  of  1864,  he  left  his  family  in  Salt 
Lake  and  went  to  Alder,  Montana  to  mine  for  gold. 
Later  in  1864,  they  moved  to  Hefacr  City,  Utah. 
William  G.  Baird  was  faom  there  on  June  17, 1865. 

There  was  little  schooling  available,  district 
schools  had  not  been  organized  then.  In  1890,  he 
went  to  the  University  of  Deseret  (now  the  University 
of  Utah)  and  worked  in  the  mines  to  save  money  to 
go  to  school.  In  1894,  he  taught  school  near  Salt 
Lake  and  the  next  year  at  Heber  City. 

He  married  Mathilda  Smith,  December  29, 
1895.  She  was  bom  in  Hefaer,  April  11,  1872.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  Thomas  A.  Smith  and  Sarah 
Frampton  or  Frampsen. 

He  continued  to  teach  in  Hefacr  the  next  six 
years.  In  1900,  he  decided  to  move  to  Idaho.  The 
railroad  was  giving  rates  for  people  wanting  to  move 
into  the  Snake  River  Valley.  He  and  Lewis  J.  Hawkes, 
a  fHcnd  from  Hefacr,  drove  their  cattle  and  horses  and 
moved  their  household  furnishings  to  Provo  and 
loaded  them  onto  a  railroad  car  and  moved  to  Teton 
City,  Idaho.  His  wife  and  children.  Glen  and  Rcva, 
came.  They  purchased  80  acres  of  land  there.  In 
1901,  he  sold  this  and  tumed  to  merchandising.  His 
store  was  later  destroyed  fay  fire.  He  decided  not  to 
refauild  the  store  there  and  took  the  insurance  money 
and  entered  an  80  acre  homestead  claim  at 
Dmmmond,  where  he  worked  and  developed  the  farm 
land  during  the  summer  months  and  continued  living 
at  Teton  during  the  winter. 

In  afaout  1907,  he  fauilt  his  home  in  Lillian, 
now  known  as  Dmmmond.  Here  he  specialized  in 
raising  dryland  wheat  and  Duroc  hogs  as  a  sideline.  In 


1910,  he  built  a  new  brick  house.  Water  was  piped 
into  the  house  and  a  bathroom  was  also  installed  (one 
of  the  first  in  the  county).  He  planted  pine  trees  that 
he  carried  home  in  his  pockets.  He  also  planted  an 
apple  orchard.  He  farmed  his  property  with  horses. 

When  he  first  moved  to  Lillian,  he  did  not 
belong  to  the  L.D.S.  Church,  but  was  always  willing 
to  take  Mrs.  Baird  and  the  children  to  Sunday  School. 
In  1908,  he  became  interested  in  the  church,  and  was 
baptized.  He  served  as  the  Sunday  School 
Superintendent  of  the  Famum  Ward  for  14  years.  He 
had  his  wife  and  children  sealed  to  him  in  the  Temple. 
He  was  ordained  a  Seventy  on  December  14,  1912 
and  ordained  a  High  Priest  on  May  14,  1933. 

In  1928,  he  served  a  mission  for  his  church, 
where  he  was  a  very  devoted  missionary  and  spent  his 
time  in  Council  Bluff,  Iowa. 

His  political  support  was  to  the  Republican 
Party  and  in  1918,  he  was  elected  to  the  State 
Legislature  where  he  served  one  year,  but  declined  a 
second  nomination,  to  be  able  to  devote  his  time  to 
his  farm  and  family. 

He  purchased  his  first  car,  a  Ford,  in  1915 
and  drove  it  home  on  the  Fourth  of  July.  He  came  to 
the  crowd  at  the  church  and  almost  drove  into  the 
grandstand.  This  almost  broke  up  the  celebrarion. 

In  1927,  he  turned  most  of  the  farming 
dunes  to  his  son,  Blaine.  He  spent  his  rime  in  the 
garden  and  taking  care  of  his  wife,  who's  health  was 
not  good.  On  January  27,  1941,  he  and  the  family 
were  saddened  by  the  death  of  Mathilda.  Her  funeral 
was  in  the  Farnum  Church  and  was  conducted  by 
Bishop  Lester  Hendrickson.  After  her  death,  Blaine 
and  Ella  came  and  lived  with  him  and  cared  for  him. 

He  later  married  an  old  friend,  Lucy  Jacobs, 
with  whom  he  had  attended  school  in  Utah. 

An  excellent  farm  of  four  hundred  and  seven 
acres  situated  one  mile  from  Drummond  pays  tribute 
to  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon  it  by  the  Hon. 
William  G.  Baird,  who  is  numbered  among  the 
representative  agriculturists  of  Fremont  county.  He  is 
most  widely  and  favorable  known  in  the  section  in 
which  he  resides.  His  birth  occurred  at  Hebcr,  Utah, 
June  17,  1865,  his  parents  being  Robert  and  Jane 
(Cumming)  Baird,  both  of  whom  have  now  passed 
away.  The  father  was  born  in  Ireland,  while  the 
mother  was  a  native  of  Scotiand,  and  it  was  in  the  land 
of  hills  and  heather  that  they  were  married.  In  1863 
they  crossed  the  Atiantic  to  the  new  world  and  went 
over  the  plains  with  ox  team  to  Utah,  settling  near 
Heber.  There  the  father  died  June  14,  1886,  while 
the  mother  survived  for  a  decade,  passing  away  on  the 
24th  of  November,  1896.  They  had  a  family  of  ten 
children,  seven  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  with  the 
exception  of  one  daughter  all  are  yet  living  (1920). 
The  parents  came  to  the  United  States  as  converts  to 
the  faith  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-Day 
Saints. 

William  G.  Baird  was  reared  and  educated  in 
Utah,  spending  his  youthful  days  upon  his  father's 


farm  and  early  becoming  familiar  with  the  best 
methods  of  tilling  the  soil  and  caring  for  the  crops. 
After  leaving  the  public  schools  he  was  graduated  from 
the  University  of  Utah  in  1893  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Didactic's.  He  afterward  took  up  the 
profession  of  teaching,  which  he  followed  for  seven 
years,  and  while  thus  engaged  he  invested  his  savings 
in  a  small  farm  in  the  Provo  Valley  of  Utah.  This  he 
developed  and  improved  but  in  1900  disposed  of  that 
property  and  removed  to  Idaho,  at  which  time  be 
bought  an  eighty-acre  ranch  in  Fremont  county.  He 
was  owner  of  the  property  until  1901,  when  he 
disposed  of  his  land  and  turned  his  attention  to 
merchandising  at  Teton,  Fremont  county.  A  few 
months  later,  however,  his  store  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Although  he  had  some  insurance  upon  it,  when  all 
claims  were  met  he  had  but  nine  hundred  dollars 
remaining.  Thus  he  practically  had  to  begin  business 
Ufc  anew.  He  entered  an  eighty-acre  homestead  claim 
near  Drummond,  Idaho,  took  up  his  abode  thereon 
and  began  its  development  while  engaged  in  the  work 
of  dry  farming.  That  he  has  prospered  as  the  years 
have  passed  is  indicated  in  the  faa  that  his  holdings 
now  include  four  hundred  and  seven  acres,  all  in  the 
same  neighborhood,  so  that  he  can  farm  his  entire 
acreage  conveniently.  He  has  four  hundred  acres  of 
land  under  cultivation  and  his  main  gain  crop  is  wheat. 
He  raised  eighty-five  hundred  bushels  of  small  grain  in 
1918,  a  fact  indicative  of  the  success  of  the  raising  of 
registered  Duroc  Jersey  hogs.  He  has  led  a  most 
diligent  life.  There  is  no  useless  expenditure  of  time 
or  labor  on  his  part  and  his  indefatigable  energy  and 
dose  application  are  bringing  to  him  most  gratifying 
success. 

On  the  2nd  of  January,  1896,  Mr.  Baird  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Matilda  Smith,  who  was 
also  born  and  reared  in  Utah.  They  have  become  the 
parents  of  five  children,  three  sons  and  two 
daughters,  namely:  Reva,  Glen,  Blain,  Dean  and 
Preal,  whose  ages  range  from  twelve  to  twenty-one 
years.  Glen,  nineteen  years  of  age,  was  in  the  United 
Stated  military  training  camp  when  the  armistice  was 
signed. 

In  religious  faith,  Mr.  Baird  is  connected  with 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-Day  Saints.  He 
did  not  unite  therewith  because  it  was  the  faith  of  the 
family,  for  he  did  not  join  the  church  until  a  few  years 
ago.  It  was  a  result  of  his  study  and  interpretation  of 
the  scriptures  that  led  him  to  become  identified  with 
that  denomination.  His  political  support  is  given  to 
the  republican  party  and  he  has  been  much  interested 
in  political  affairs,  recognizing  the  duties  and 
obligations  as  well  as  the  privileges  of  citizenship  in 
this  connection.  In  1918  he  was  made  the  candidate 
of  his  party  for  the  state  legislature  and  was  elected  to 
the  office  by  a  handsome  majority,  so  that  he  is  now 
serving  as  a  member  of  Idaho's  general  assembly .pp 
734-735,  "History  of  Idaho"  pub.  1920 


66 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Rcva  b-  1897 
md-  Clarence  EGllman 

(2)  Glen  Wm.  b-  1900 
md-  Ludle  Hudson 

(3)  T.  Blain  b-  1902 
md-  Ella  Robinettc 

(4)  Robert  Dean  b-  1904 
md-  Lcota  Davis 

(5)  Ann  Preal  b-  1906 
md-  James  L.  Whitemore 


d-  1987 
d-  1988 
d-  1972 
d-  1989 
d-  1989 


Sources: 

(1)  (007,455)  Famum  Ward  membership  records. 

(2)  1910  census  records,  Upland  precinct,  Fremont, 
Idaho 

(3)  Idaho  History  pg.  734.  vol  3  in  possession  of 
Clyde  Garrett. 

(4)  Letters  from  Lucile  H.  Baird,  Filer,  Idaho. 

(5)  Rose  marie  Whitmore,  1835  Avocut  Drive. 
Ammon,  Idaho  83401 

REVA  BAIRD 

and 

CLARENCE  HILLMAN 

My  name  is  Reva  Baird  Hillman.  I  was  bom 
in  Heber  City,  Utah  on  May  30,  1897. 

The  first  thing  I  remember  was  when  I  was 
little  over  two  years  old.  People  lived  diflferentiy  then 
than  now.  Instead  of  having  a  crib  for  a  new  baby,  the 
baby  slept  with  its  mother  and  father  unril  another 
new  baby  came  along.  Then  the  older  child  had  to 
learn  to  sleep  alone.  I  remember  the  shock  of  waking 
in  the  dark  alone.  I  can  see  my  father  yet  striking  a 
match,  lighting  the  lamp,  and  coming  toward  my  bed 
carrying  a  lighted  lantern. 

In  1900,  my  parents  decided  to  move  to 
Idaho.  I  don't  remember  anything  of  this.  They 
settled  in  Teton,  in  Fremont  County,  Idaho.  My 
father  bought  80  acres  of  land.  Later  he  sold  that  land 
and  went  into  merchandising.  Just  a  few  months 
after,  his  store  caught  on  fire.  He  lost  almost 
everything. 

Then  he  went  to  a  place  near  Drummond  and 
filed  on  an  80  acre  homestead.  He  made  our  home 
there.  However,  for  a  while  we  still  lived  in  our  home 
in  Teton.  The  family  stayed  there  during  the  winter 
and  went  to  the  farm  in  the  summer.  I  remember 
those  long  treks  in  the  spring.  It  was  only  20  miles, 
but  it  took  all  day  long  in  the  heat.  I  really  disliked  it 
very  much — although  it  was  interesring.  We'd  start 
out  very  early  in  the  morning  and  get  to  the  crossing 
of  the  Teton  River  maybe  a  little  before  noon.  This 
was  the  last  water  the  horses  had.  So  we  would 
unhitch  the  horses  and  let  them  rest  a  bit.  We  ate  our 
lunch  and  maybe  wade  in  the  water  and  then  go  on. 
It  would  take  all  afternoon  to  go  up  Hog  Hollow  and 
finally  get  to  the  ranch.  There  were  piles  of  rocks — 
small  pyramids  around — and  I  asked  my  father  what 


67 


they  were.  He  told  me  they  were  markers  the  sheep 
herders  made.  I  suppose  they  are  all  gone  now 
because  that  valley  is  all  under  cultivation  now. 

Twenty  miles  from  Teton  to  Horseshoe  Flat, 
the  name  of  the  valley  where  our  little  farm  was 
located — earlier,  had  been  called  Antelope  Flat.  But 
these  lovely  littic  animals  had  long  been  killed  or  run 
off.  And  the  flat  got  a  new  name,  Horseshoe  Flat 
because  of  the  shape. 

There  are  higher  knolls  on  the  west  of  the 
valley,  connected  with  lower  hills  in  a  semi-drde  to 
the  south.  The  hills  on  three  sides,  deep  soil,  no 
rocks,  an  old  lake  bed.  A  pretty  place  covered  with 
sage  brush. 

What  a  pretty  place  it  was  to  us  after  that 
long,  hot  trek  through  Hog  Hollow.  We  stopped  at 
the  Joshua  Hawkes  place  at  the  south  end  of  the  valley 
to  water  the  horses  and  fill  the  barrel  with  water  for 
our  own  use,  then  about  a  mile  and  a  half  to  our  80 
(acres). 

The  house  was  a  shack  with  one  room  and  an 
attic,  on  the  southern  end  of  the  east  80.  It  was  a 
shelter  of  such.  Boards  had  been  nailed  to  the 
studding,  perpendicular.  And  there  were  big  cracks 
between  the  boards.  My  brother.  Glen,  said  that  he 
didn't  like  the  house  because  it  leaked  wind.  It  also 
leaked  dust  and  flies.  It  was  built  on  an  ant  bed.  We 
had  ants  everywhere.  Mother  tried  to  keep  them  out 
of  our  food  but  they  were  in  the  food,  and  the  beds 
and  dothing.  You  name  it!  What  a  summer! 

My  father  had  bought  a  homestead 
relinquishment  and  improvements  from  a  man  who 
first  homesteaded  the  place  and  found  the 
homesteading  not  to  his  liking.  The  improvements 
consisted  of  the  shack  and  fifteen  acres  of  land  ready 
for  planting. 

The  government  required  a  homesteader  to 
make  his  home  on  the  land  for  five  years.  Since  there 
were  no  schools,  a  leave  of  absence  could  be  obtained 
for  three  months  each  year  for  school  only.  We  lived 
on  the  land  during  the  summer  about  five  months, 
from  May  to  September.  In  September  father  would 
move  us  to  Teton  where  we  owned  a  house.  He 
would  return  to  the  Horseshoe  Flat  and  stay  there 
alone  as  long  as  was  possible,  leaving  only  when  the 
snow  became  so  deep  there  was  danger  of  him  being 
snowed  in.  He  would  then  be  with  us  in  Teton  for 
two  and  a  half  or  three  months,  never  longer,  for  there 
was  real  danger  that  someone  would  jump  his  daim  if 
he  was  away  longer  than  three  months.  He  would  be 
back  as  soon  as  the  horses  could  travel.  The  Murdochs 
and  the  Hawkes  would  travel  with  him  and  help  each 
other  to  get  back  to  their  land. 

We  lived  in  the  leaky  shack  with  the  ants  only 
one  summer.  When  we  went  back  in  the  spring,  it  had 
been  moved  to  the  north  end  of  the  80.  Narrow 
strips  of  wood  had  been  nailed  on  the  ouLside  over  the 
cracks.  The  inside  had  been  lined  with  building  paper. 
Cloth  had  been  pasted  and  tacked  over  the  paper  and 
some  pretty  bright  wallpaper  pasted  last.    It  was  a 


bright  pretty  room,  much  easier  to  live  in.  And  no 
ants!! 

That  summer,  the  Conant  Creek  Canal  had 
been  completed  as  far  as  our  place.  This  was  a  great 
help,  for  we  now  could  have  a  garden.  It  also 
furnished  water  for  the  animals.  For  house  use,  it  was 
dipped  up  early  in  the  morning  while  it  was  dean.  We 
still  got  drinking  and  cooking  water  from  the  Hawkes' 
well. 

When  we  came  from  Teton  that  spring,  my 
parents  brought  cuttings  from  bomegaHard  trees, 
gooseberries,  red  and  black  currants,  which  were  set 
out  and  carefully  cared  for.  Father  went  to  the  hills 
and  came  back  with  small  evergreen  trees — lodge  pole 
pines  and  cedar.  Mother  brought  a  small  lilac  and 
some  yellow  rose  plants,  also,  seed — flocks, 
hollyhocks,  daisies,  poppies,  and  so  forth.  We  had  a 
cow  and  a  couple  of  pigs. 

At  that  rime  it  was  thought  that  any  crops 
grown  would  have  to  be  irrigated,  which  was  the  big 
reason  for  building  the  canal.  Even  when  it  was 
discovered  that  dry-farm  wheat  could  be  grown 
successfully,  the  canal  water  was  a  boon  to  the 
country.  Father  always  irrigated  the  alfalfa,  the  yard 
and  the  garden.  It  also  provided  water  for  the  stock. 

That  summer,  apple  trees  were  ordered  and 
delivered  by  mail.  All  our  neighbors  thought  the  idea 
ridiculous  and  there  were  many  jokes  at  father's 
expense,  but  he  kept  right  on  planting. 

One  neighbor,  whose  wife  had  remained 
childless  for  several  years  and  had  given  up  the  idea  of 
a  family  said,  "When  you  raise  apples  on  those  trees, 
I'll  have  boys  to  steal  them."  Later  we  had  the  apple 
trees;  he  had  five  daughters. 

An  all-purpose  building  was  put  up  about  two 
miles  from  us  for  church  and  school  and  parries  and 
what-have-you.  The  country  was  settled  rapidly  and  a 
school  was  necessary.  Many  homesteaders  were  living 
there  the  year  around.  The  building  was  made  of  logs 
with  a  dirt  floor  and  sod  roof.  It  was  probably  30  feet 
long  and  20  feet  wide  with  two  windows — one  on 
each  side  with  a  door  at  each  end.  The  benches  were 
made  by  a  local  carpenter.  They  were  long,  perhaps  8 
or  10  feet,  with  an  equally  long  board  on  legs  to  make 
the  table.  Books  and  writing  materials  were  kept  on 
the  table  or  the  bench  or  the  floor. 

Glen  and  I  went  to  school  in  Teton  but  we 
needed  companionship  on  those  long,  hot  summer 
days  so  we  went  to  school  in  Farnum.  Everyone 
walked  to  school,  some  children  at  least  4  miles, 
maybe  longer.  Parents  didn't  have  time  in  that  new 
country,  nor  did  they  have  the  horse-power,  to  take 
children  to  school.  If  they  couldn't  walk,  they  stayed 
home.  No  school  was  held  during  the  winter. 
Weather  conditions  and  lack  of  roads  was  the  reason. 
Summer  school  was  the  rule,  usually  about  four 
months.  When  a  child  was  old  enough  to  work  on  the 
farm,  his  school  days  were  over.  I  don't  remember 
much  about  the  school  itself.  My  favorite  rime  was 
the  noon  hour  and  recess.  All  the  children  went  bare- 


68 


footed,  all  but  me.  Mother  couldn't  stand  the 
thought  of  me  walking  through  the  sagebnish,  cross 
country  without  shoes.  I  had  black  shoes,  laced  about 
three  inches  above  my  ankles,  worn  with  long  heavy 
black-ribbed,  cotton  stockings.  They  were  hot.  I 
started  out  that  way  every  morning.  Once  out  of  sight 
of  the  house,  I  took  them  off  and  hid  them  behind  a 
sagebrush  beside  the  path  to  be  picked  up  when  I 
retvuTied.  My  feet  soon  toughened  so  I  could  walk 
comfortably  through  the  sagebrush.  But  imagine 
putting  them  on  at  4:00  to  walk  home  every  night. 
Once  home,  I  took  them  off  and  played  in  the  ditch. 

We  ate  our  lunches  in  the  shade  of  the  school 
house.  I  had  a  good  ham  sandwich  and  usually  a 
cookie,  carried  in  a  half-gallon  tin  honey  bucket, 
which  was  standard  equipment.  I  was  tired  of  hv)me 
cooking.  The  Southam  kids  always  had  such  good 
looking  food.  I  suggested  a  trade.  I  would  gjve  them 
my  ham  sandwich  for  their  chicken.  They  had  no 
bread  and  were  eager  to  trade.  I  ate  with  relish  and 
then  said  I  wished  my  mother  would  give  me  chicken. 
"Chicken!"  said  the  four  little  Southams  in  chorus. 
"That's  squirrel!"  I  was  surprised,  but  undaunted  and 
pleased.  We  had  lots  of  squirrels.  Our  father 
poisoned  them  all  the  time.  How  pleased  my  mother 
would  be  to  find  a  new  source  of  food.  Her  reaction 
when  I  told  her  was  anything  but  pleased.  She  was 
horrified!  "Ground  squirrel!"  she  screamed.  "Don't 
ever  dare  to  trade  the  lunch  I  send  with  anyone  again! 
I  give  you  good  food  and  I  expect  you  to  eat  it!"  I 
don't  remember  ever  trading  lunches  again. 

When  we  were  children,  we  called  our  parents 
Papa  and  Mama.  In  the  spring  of  1907  or  1908,  papa 
asked  me  to  help  him  follow  a  cow.  He  said  she  had  a 
calf  and  had  hidden  it.  I  was  to  put  on  my  long 
stockings  and  shoes,  because  it  would  be  a  rough  trip. 
As  we  went  along  he  told  me  that  cows,  deer,  elk  and 
many  other  animals  hid  their  newborn  calves  while 
they  went  for  food  and  water.  The  calves  would  stay 
quietly  hidden  while  their  mother  was  gone.  And 
because  the  young  animals  did  not  give  off  scent, 
coyotes,  bobcats,  and  other  predators  did  not  find 
them. 

We  had  to  walk  fast  at  first  to  keep  up  with 
the  cow.  When  she  found  out  that  we  were  following 
her,  she  meandered  about,  stopped  to  eat,  and 
sometimes  just  stood  still  before  going  on,  always  in 
the  same  direction.  We  were  going  to  the  east,  passed 
the  Hawkes'  place,  up  through  the  cast  80,  toward  a 
low  butte  with  a  quaking  asp  grove  on  the  north 
slope.  There  was  a  small  spring  there  and  there  were 
animals  bones  scattered  ab>out.  Papa  told  me  that  it 
was  a  bufllalo  lick  and  the  bones  were  buflalo  bones.  I 
particularly  remember  a  huge  skull,  also  leg  bones. 
Papa  said  there  was  salt  in  the  spring  and  in  the  dirt. 
That  is  why  the  buffalo  came.  He  pointed  out  a  trail 
that  led  to  the  spring.  This  trail  was  wide  at  the  top 
and  narrow  at  the  bottom.  The  animals  traveled  single 
file  so  the  trail  became  u-shaped.  He  talked  about 
flowers  and  trees.    He  knew  their  names  and  where 


they  grew.  Of  course,  wc  didn't  lose  sight  of  the  cow 
and  finally  wc  saw  her  stop  and  saw  the  calf  get  up 
onto  its  feet.  We  gave  it  time  to  eat,  but  it  was  too 
weak  to  walk  fast.  It  went  very  slowly.  So  papa 
walked  up  to  the  cow,  talking  to  her  all  the  while, 
picked  the  calf  up  and  carried  it  home.  The  cow 
followed.  When  we  got  home  the  cow  and  calf  were 
put  into  a  pasture  where  they  stayed  a  few  days.  Then 
the  calf  was  put  into  a  pen  by  itself  and  it  was  with  its 
mother  only  morning  and  night  after  she  was  milked. 
Then  it  was  put  back  into  the  pen  again.  The  cow 
furnished  us  good  milk  all  summer  and  the  calf  grew 
large  and  strong. 

Lack  of  water  was  a  big  problem.  Conant 
Creek  was  two  miles  to  the  north — no  road,  just  a 
trail  and  down  in  a  deep  canyon.  The  Hawkes'  well 
was  two  miles  to  the  south.  They  were  both 
questionable  as  to  the  quality  of  the  water.  The  well 
was  only  ten  or  fifteen  feet  deep,  hand  dug  and  open 
top.  It  was  a  great  chore  to  bring  our  water  to  the 
farm,  (the  domestic  water)  and  to  drive  the  cattle  to 
the  creek  or  to  the  well  to  get  water. 

My  father  knew  that  he  had  to  have  a  well. 
He  asked  the  neighbors  to  join  in  with  him  and  they 
would  drill  a  well  and  they  would  draw  cuts  to  see 
whose  land  it  would  be  put  on.  There  were  four 
families  there  at  the  crossroads  at  that  time:  the 
Hendricksons,  who  lived  on  the  place;  Jack  Newly, 
who  lived  with  his  mother  on  the  schoolhouse  forty; 
Harry  Newby,  who  lived  with  his  wife  and  son  across 
the  street;  Lx)u  Hawkes;  and  us.  But  they  weren't 
interested  in  a  well.  They  would  rather  go  to  the 
trouble  of  getting  their  water  in  a  barrel  and  being 
very  careful  of  it. 

We  had  a  ditch  from  Conant  Creek  Canal 
and  it  was  a  big  help.  It  did  all  right  in  the  summer 
except  it  was  not  good  water  for  household  use.  We 
got  along  all  right,  but  the  water  was  turned  off  the 
canal  early  in  the  fall  and  winter  was  impossible 
without  a  well. 

Since  the  neighbors  would  not  join  in  with 
father  to  help,  he  decided  to  dig  one  by  himself.  So 
in  the  spring  when  we  came  back — it  must  have  been 
the  spring  of  1905,  maybe  1904 — drillers  had  been 
hired  and  were  ready  to  start  drilling  the  well. 

The  first  hole  was  dug  about  twelve  feet  in 
front  of  where  the  kitchen  door  is  now.  They  went 
down  very  easily  and  the  men  remarked  about  how 
easy  it  was  to  dig  in  the  soil.  There  were  no  rocks 
and  beautiful  soil  all  the  way  down.  But  at  about 
fifty  feet,  they  struck  a  big  rock.  It  was  slanted  and 
the  bit  would  glance  off  it.  So  they  were  sharpening 
the  bit  a  great  deal  of  the  time.  Finally  they  decided 
that  they  couldn't  go  on  there.  So  they  abandoned 
that  hole  and  went  about  fifteen  feet  to  the  north 
and  started  another  hole.  The  same  thing  happened 
there.  Then  they  went  almost  out  to  the  property 
line — about  ten  or  twelve  feet  from  the  boundary. 
This  time  they  went  down  very  easily.  They  struck 
some  water  at  about  sixty  feet  but  not  very  much  so 


69 


they  went  on.  At  192  feet  they  struck  a  good  stream 
of  water. 

The  neighbors  who  had  been  reluctant  to 
help  finance  the  well  were  very,  very  eager  to  share 
the  water,  and  they  were  allowed  to  do  so.  They 
could  come  and  get  water  any  time  they  wished.  If 
there  was  water  in  the  big  trough  my  father  had  built, 
they  could  use  it,  but  they  had  to  put  the  same 
amount  of  water  back  in  so  the  next  people  would 
have  water.  They  complained  about  how  hard  it  was 
to  pimip  the  water.  And  it  was.  They  suggested  often 
that  a  windmill  would  help.  Again  papa  asked  them 
help  him  put  up  the  windmill.  But  they  still  were  not 
interested. 

The  next  spring  when  we  went  back,  a 
windmill  had  been  ordered.  Everyone  from  miles 
around  was  interested  and  some  wondered  if  it  would 
be  strong  enough  to  lift  the  water  192  feet.  It  did, 
but  it  didn't  solve  all  of  our  problems. 

Rules  had  to  be  made.  Our  father  built  a  big 
water  trough.  A  light  breeze  usually  filled  it  every 
morning.  That  took  care  of  the  watering  of  all  the 
stock  and,  as  a  rule,  filled  the  trough  before  it  died 
down  about  ten  o'clock  a.m.  If  anyone  used  the 
water  and  if  there  was  no  wind  to  refill  the  trough, 
they  were  to  pump  by  hand  and  replace  the  water 
they  had  used.  If  the  pump  was  connected  to  the 
windmill,  and  the  hand  pump  had  to  be  used,  the 
hand  pump  had  to  be  connected  to  the  windmill 
before  the  rod  of  the  windmill  was  disconnected,  and 
vice- versa.  If  the  windmill  was  disconnected  first,  the 
rod  fell  into  the  well  and  it  took  a  team  (of  horses) 
and  two  men  to  pull  it  out  and  to  get  it  in  working 
order  again. 

This  was  explained  to  our  eager  neighbors 
again  and  again,  and  all  promised  to  be  careful.  They 
were.  Careful  to  get  in  early  at  noon  so  as  to  get  the 
first  chance  at  getting  the  water  in  the  trough. 
Sometimes  because  the  wasn't  hooked  up  right  it 
would  drop  the  rod  down  the  well.  Lou  Hawkes  was 
the  only  one  who  helped  pull  the  rod  out  and  get 
things  going  again. 

Of  course,  it  wasn't  always  the  neighbors. 
People  stopped  there  who  were  just  passing  through. 
We  were  on  the  road  between  Ashton  and  the  Teton 
Basin.  Many  stopped  at  our  place  because  it  was  a 
long  haul  to  the  next  water.  They  would  come  in  and 
help  themselves  to  the  water  in  the  trough.  If  there 
was  none,  they  would  decide  to  pump  by  hand. 
Some  knew  enough  to  connect  the  hand  pump  before 
disconnecting  the  windmill,  but  many  did  it  the 
wrong  way.  And  Lou  and  papa  had  their  work  cut 
out  for  them. 

Papa  posted  instructions  but  too,  many  either 
couldn't  read  or  wouldn't  or  didn't  care.  My  brother 
Glen  and  I  had  to  take  turns  watching  the  pump.  If 
anyone  began  opening  the  gate,  wc  had  to  alert 
mother.  She  would  come  out  and  sec  that  no 
mistakes  were  made.  Someone  had  to  stay  home  all 
the  time. 


Another  chore  Glen  and  I  had  was  to  close 
the  gate  after  visitors.  If  the  gate  was  left  open,  our 
animals  would  get  out  and  cause  trouble  getting  them 
back  in. 

Another  irritation  was  the  neighbors  who 
would  just  leave  their  animals  there  to  drink  or  eat  or 
just  stand  around  in  the  yard.  Can  you  imagine  what 
the  yard  looked  like?  Especially  in  the  spring?  Papa 
knew  something  must  be  done.  He  made  more  rules. 
Animals  could  not  be  sent  to  the  well  with  children. 
They  must  be  taken  home  after  they  had  their  drink. 
And  the  gate  must  be  closed.  They  paid  no  attention 
and  went  along  their  merry  way. 

So  in  desperation,  papa  made  new  rules  and 
became  known  as  the  meanest  man  in  the  world.  He 
would  charge  for  the  water — fifty  cents  a  month  for 
household  water  and  a  dollar  for  livestock.  But  they 
must  be  accompanied  by  an  adult. 

The  kids  at  school  let  us  know  what  a  mean 
father  we  had.  We  went  home  and  told  mother  about 
the  water.  That  it  didn't  cost  us  anything.  It  was  in 
the  ground  and  we  got  it  free.  She  explained  it  had 
been  very  expensive  and  the  neighbors  had  forced 
papa  to  make  the  rules. 

About  that  time,  people  began  to  make 
dstems,  so  they  built  their  own  and  filled  them  with 
ditch  water.  We  got  a  cistern,  too.  It  was  most 
necessary.  We  needed  to  store  water  ft)r  our  use  when 
the  wind  did  not  blow.  We  all  appreciated  it.  No 
more  watching  the  well  to  keep  people  from  dropping 
the  rod.  And  all  the  water  we  wanted  without  waiting 
for  the  wind  to  blow.  Now  the  animals  could  drink 
whenever  they  wished  and  as  much  as  they  wished. 
And  mama  could  wash  every  Monday  morning 
whether  the  wind  blew  or  not.  life  on  the  farm  was 
getting  easier  and  better. 

Tape  ended  July  17,  1985 

The  above  history  was  recorded  on  tape  by 
Reva  Baird  Hillman,  daughter  of  Matilda  Smith  and 
William  G.  Baird  and  transcribed  by  Rcva's  daughter, 
Carol  Reva  Hillman  Coleman. 

CHILDREN: 

( 1 )  Clarence  William        b-  1922 

md-  Apple  Applenoio 

(2)  Ira  John  b-  1926 

md-  June  Capps 

(3)  Glen  Baird  b-  1928 

md-  Norma  Grossman 

(4)  Carol  Reva  b-  1942 

md-  James  C.  Coleman 

GLEN  BAIRD 

and 

LUCILE  HUDSON 

Glen  William  Baird  was  the  second  child  of 
William  G.  and  Matilda  Smith  Baird.  He  was  bom 
October  5,  1899  at  Heber  City,  Utah.     The 


70 


government  had  opened  up  land  for  homesteading  in 
the  Southeastern  part  of  Idaho,  and  with  some  friends 
he  went  into  that  area  and  liked  what  they  saw.  It  was 
a  beautiful  area  with  the  Majestic  Teton  mountain 
range  to  the  east  as  a  backdrop,  and  low  rolling  hills 
flowing  into  a  beautiful  valley  to  the  south,  land  that 
would  soon  be  one  of  the  most  beautiful  valleys  in 
Southern  Idaho.  His  father  sold  their  farm  in  Provo 
Valley  about  1900  he  bought  about  80  acres  and 
moved  into  the  littie  growing  community  of  Teton 
City  near  Rcxburg.  Here  he  became  a  merchant. 
His  fathers  store  burned  down  a  few  months  later. 
They  continued  living  in  Teton  City  until  he  built  a 
home  in  the  Lillian  area  on  his  homestead.  He 
received  the  deed  to  his  homestead  November  5, 
1908.  A  few  families  had  already  settied  there.  The 
area  grew  rapidly,  they  soon  had  a  store  Post  Office 
and  a  school.  The  school  was  across  the  road  from 
the  Baird  home. 

Glen  grew  up  in  these  pleasing  surroundings, 
attending  school  in  the  littie  school  house.  Later  a 
nice  two  storied  brick  school  was  built.  The  children 
could  go  to  school  up  and  including  the  first  two  years 
of  high  school.  After  Glen  completed  high  school ,  he 
went  on  to  college  and  earned  a  teaching  degree  and 
also  became  a  piano  teacher. 

LUCILE  HUDSON  BAIRD 

My  father  served  in  the  U.S.  Army  during  the 
Spanish  American  War,  I  don't  know  what  years  he 
served  but  he  arrived  in  St.Anthony  in  March  22, 
1902.  He  and  my  mother  were  bom  near  Bloomfield, 
Indiana.  He  and  my  mother  were  childhood 
sweethearts.  They  were  married  March  22,  1902. 

My  parents  worked  for  the  State  of  Idaho  at 
The  State  Youth  Training  Center  for  ten  years.  My 
dad  was  Captain  of  the  Idaho  National  guard  in  1906. 
They  moved  to  Twin  Falls  in  1942. 

I  was  the  first  child  in  the  family.  I  was  born 
March  14,  1903  and  lived  in  St.  Anthony  imtil  1921 
when  I  started  teaching.  I  taught  my  first  year  at 
Forney,  Idaho,  over  the  Leesburgh  Hill  (in  the 
Salmon  area),  at  age  18,  just  fresh  out  of  summer 
school.  I  taught  all  eight  grades,  with  28  students, 
and  in  Highland  school,  (in  the  Squirrel  area),  when  I 
was  19  years  old.  I  had  the  Marsden  children  at  this 
time. 

Glen  was  teaching  in  Marysville  the  year  we 
were  married. 

Glen  and  I  taught  at  Drummond  8  Years  and  I  taught 
at  Drummond  2  years  before  Glen  and  I  were 
married.  I  had  Blaine  and  Lawrence  Hawkes  in  my 
room  one  year,  I  think  Blaine  was  in  the  fourth  grade. 
Glen  and  I  lived  very  normal  lives  -  each  taught  35 
years  in  the  Idaho  public  schools.  Glen  gave  music 
lessons  many  of  them  25  cents  each,  during  the 
depression,  he  also  taught  music  in  the  schools.  There 
were  many  of  his  music  students  that  became  excellent 
musicians 


After  school  was  out,  wc  spent  our  summer 
vacations  working  in  the  Targhec  National  Forest  and 
Yellowstone  Park.  Wc  had  a  very  happy  life.  The 
reason  we  spent  our  summers  in  the  Targhec  and 
Yellowstone  Park  area  ,  teachers  weren't  paid  a  salary 
during  the  summer  months.  A  teachers  salary  was 
from  $90.to  $125.00  per  month,  and  wc  weren't  paid 
for  summer  months,  we  had  to  eat.  Jobs  were  a 
necessity.  Glen  could  always  get  work  with  the  Forest 
or  Park  service  or  with  Jack  Youngs  Wyodaho  Ranch 
and  it  was  too  hot  to  go  to  the  Magic  Valley  area  to 
work.  We  had  such  neat  log  cabins  for  summer 
homes. 

Glen  wrote  more  than  100  songs  -  has  60 
copywrites.  He  had  an  organ  and  played  beautiful 
music.  He  wrote  the  song  for  the  50th  anniversary  of 
the  city  of  Twin  Falls. 

"I  have  the  LilHan  Post  Oflficc",  Grandpa 
Baird  (William  G.)  bought  it  when  they  cleared  out 
the  old  Lillian  Store.  He  paid  25  cents  for  it.  It  is  a 
small  cupboard,  built  of  rough  lumber  with  shelves 
etc.  to  hold  the  mail.  When  Glen  and  I  were  teaching 
in  Drummond,  Grandpa  asked  me  if  I  wanted  it,  I 
did!.  It  was  just  right  to  hold  small  books  and  the 
children  could  reach  everything.  It  was  painted  gray 
but  I  painted  it  red  later.  I  still  have  it  with  my  pretty 
rocks.  I'm  a  rock  hound,  too.  It  could  have  been 
destroyed  when  the  Lillian  store  closed. 

Lucile  speaks  of  many  of  their  friends  from 
that  area,"  The  Old  Timers"  Lloyd  Neindorf,  Ben 
and  Bunnic  Brown,  John  McFarland,  Roy  Sloss, 
Hazen  and  Helen  Hawkes,  Frank  and  Isabell  Bratt, 
Max  Franz,  Dixie  and  Maynard  Bowersox,  Ralph 
Taylor.  Conrad  Lenz  Mr  and  Mrs  Dedman,  Mr  and 
Mrs  Monte  Painter,and  many  others. 

Glen  died  January  12,  1988.  After  63  years,  I 
am  lost  without  him.  I  am  87  years  old  have  bad 
knees,  so  I  need  a  walker  and  a  wheel  chair  to  get 
around.  I  can  still  take  care  of  myself  and  live  in  our 
home. 

All  the  Baird  family  is  gone  now.  Blaine  died 
in  1972,  Reva  died  March  18,  1987,  Glen  died 
January  12,  1989,  Preal  died  August  14,  1989.  There 
are  three  Baird  widows  still  living  and  we  arc  all  past 
80!! 

Sincerely, 
Ludle  H.  Baird 

They  had  no  children  of  there  own  but  sent  many  out 
into  the  world  to  face  the  challenges  of  life. 

THOMAS  BLAIN  BAIRD 

AND 

ELLA  ROBINETTE 

Thomas  Blain  Baird  the  third  child  of  William 
G.  and  Mathilda  (Matilda,  Tildy)  Smith  Baird  was 
born  April  27,  1906,  at  Teton  City,  (at  that  time  it 
would  have  been  Fremont,  County),  Idaho.  Teton 
City  was  a  new  community  just  building  up.  His 
parents  had  just  moved  from  Heber  City,  Utah,  to 


Teton  City  in  1900,  vdiere  they  farmed  and  owned  a 
country  store  until  it  burned  down.    His  family  then 
moved  to  Drummond  and  homesteaded  80  acres 
of  land. 

Blain  attended  all  eight  grades  and  two  years 
of  high  school  at  drummond,  and  then  graduated 
from  Ashton  Kgh  School  in  1920.  Blain  married  Ella 
Robinette,  November  24,  1925  and  lived  and  farmed 
on  the  original  Baird  homestead.  Ella  still  lives  in  the 
Baird  home  during  the  summer  months. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Bemis       b-  1927 

(2)  Jack  b-  1943 


md-  Darrell  Douglas 
md-  Susan  Hartly 


71 


Memories  of  Bemis: 

Many  vivid  and  pleasant  memories  of  home 
and  childhood.  I  left  the  area  not  long  after  I 
graduated  from  high  school  (1944).  I  remember 
"Uncle  Brig  and  Aunt  Louannie  Murdoch",  memories 
come  flooding  back  and  the  good  times  at  the  Famum 
Church  and  the  visits  to  their  home  after  church,  with 
Grandpa  and  Grandma  Baird.  Also  visits  to  their 
home  after  they  moved  to  Ashton,  and  lived  down  the 
street  from  Uncle  Jim  and  Aimt  Preal  and  cousin  Rose 
Marie  Whitemorc.  Katie  and  I  graduated  from  high 
school  together. 

The  Baird  and  Murdoch  families  friendship 
go  along  way  back  —  to  Scodand,  before  they  came  to 
America.  I'll  quote  from  Grandpa's  biographical 
sketch: 

"  Jane  Cumming,  (William  G.  Baird's  mother 
was  working  in  a  paper  mill  when  her  marriage  was 
announced.  It  was  the  custom  for  the  cries  to  be 
announced  about  three  weeks  before  the  marriage 
took  place".  The  girls  in  the  mill  gave  her  a  chivaree 
and  her  chum,  Ann  Steelc,took  hold  of  her  hand  while 
the  other  girls  carried  her  down  the  street,  and  said 
"Jane  I  will  never  leave  you".  Jane  was  married  to 
Robert  Baird  (William  G.  Baird's  father)  in  1863,  they 
crossed  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  never  saw  her  dear 
friend  in  the  old  country  again.  Later  they  met  in 
Heber  City  and  her  friend  was  Mrs.  John  Murray 
Murdoch,  (John  M.  Murdoch  was  the  father  of 
Thomas  T.  and  Brigham  Murdoch.)  Their  families 
grew  up  together  and  have  been  friendly  all  through 
the  years.  Their  great  great  grandchildren  arc  chums, 
the  same  way  they  were  in  the  old  country.  Mrs. 
Murdoch  was  living  in  Salt  Lake  City  and  came  to 
Heber  City  to  visit  mutual  friends,  Mrs  Farman  and 
Mrs.  Allrcd,  and  found  Mrs.  Robert  Baird,  so  the  four 
chums  were  together  again  for  the  first  time  since 
leaving  Scodand.  Their  sons  Thomas  T.  and  Brigham 
Murdoch  and  William  G.  Baird  were  always  best  of 
friends." 

While  I  was  growing  up,  we  lived  close  to 
Grandpa  and  Grandma  Baird.  Hazen  and  Helen 
Hawkes  and  children  Margaret,  Alta,  Emery  and  Gene 
lived  across  the  road,  the  Lewis  Hawkes  family  up  the 
road(  later  the  Oberhansley  place),(Lewis  Hawkes 


wife,  Margaret  Murdoch  was  Brig  and  Tom's  sister). 
The  Ncifcrt  place  (currently  Bill  Bowersox)  was  also 
across  the  street,  though  they  had  moved  to  Ashton 
by  the  time  I  remember.  The  Lillian  School  house 
was  across  the  road  also,  and  think  that  most  of  the 
Bairds  attended  school  there  at  one  time.  This  was 
torn  down  sometime  in  the  early  1940's.  I  went 
through  the  eight  grades  at  the  Drummond  school, 
where  Dorothy  (Rogstad)  Baum  was  my  first  teacher. 
My  brother  Jack  started  school  there  but  later 
attended  school  at  Ashton  and  graduated  fi-om  there 
in  1961. 

After  graduating  from  high  school  at  Ashton 
in  1944.  I  attended  University  of  Idaho  in  Pocatello, 
Idaho  for  two  years.  In  1947.  I  moved  to  Winlock, 
Washington,  a  small  town  south  of  Olympia, 
Washington,  about  40  miles.  I'm  semi-retired  and 
work  a  few  days  a  week  for  Postal  service  where  I'm  a 
rural  mail  carrier.  My  brother  Jack  graduated  from 
Ashton  High  School  in  1961  and  later  joined  the 
US.Air  Force  and  was  there  for  four  years.  He  has 
four  children  and  lives  in  Omaha  Nebraska,  where  he 
worked  for  the  Union  Pacific  railroad. 

By:  Bemis  Baird  Douglas 

ROBERT  DEAN  BAIRD 

and 

LEOTA  DAVIS 

Robert  Dean  Baird  was  born  February  20, 
1904  at  Teton  City,  (at  that  time  Fremont  County), 
Idaho.  He  was  the  fourth  child  of  five  children.  His 
parents  were,  William  Gee  and  Dcmpsey  Matilda 
Smith  Baird. 

When  Dean  was  1  year  old  he  had  Spinal 
Meningitis  an  the  family  always  felt  it  was  through  the 
prayers  and  faith  of  his  mother  Matilda,  that  he  was 
saved. 

Dean  attended  school  in  Drummond,  high 
school  in  Ashton  and  graduated  from  there  in  1922. 
He  and  his  brothers  would  board  and  room  with 
families  during  the  week  and  go  home  on  week  ends 
in  order  to  get  their  education. 

After  graduation  from  high  school  he 
attended  Ricks  College  1922-24  and  graduated  with 
an  associate  BS  Degree.  He  majored  in  Music  and 
Business.  He  played  on  the  basket  ball  team  and  was 
one  of  the  fastest  and  shortest  player.  He  used  to  say 
that  he  could  dribble  between  the  knees  of  all  the 
other  players,  the  coach  of  the  football  team  recruited 
Dean  for  the  football  team  because  he  was  50  fast. 

After  graduation  from  Ricks  he  went  to,  Utah 
State  University  with  a  major  in  Music  and  a  Minor  in 
Business,  1926-28.  Dean  taught  6th  grade  in  Parker 
1924-25;  6th  grade  and  music  in  Teton  City  1925j 
He  resigned  to  go  to  USAC  in  Logan,  Utah  in  1926. 
He  came  back  to  teach  music  and  bookkeeping  at  the 
Teton  High  School,  1928-29. 

After  the  school  season  he  was  called  to  serve 
a  mission  as  a  teacher  for  the  church  schools  in  New 


Zealand.  The  State  President  asked  him  if  he  was 
dating  anyone  seriously  and  he  said  yes  that  he  was,  so 
the  President  asked  who  she  was  and  since  he  already 
knew  her  and  must  have  approved  and  as  he  was  her 
Stake  President,  he  asked  Dean  if  he  would  like  Lcota 
to  also  be  called  on  a  mission  to  New  Zealand.  Of 
course  the  answer  was  yes. 

Dean  and  Leota  both  attended  the  Mission 
Training  Home  at  Salt  lake  City  and  the  day  after 
they  finished,  they  were  married  in  the  Salt  Lake 
temple.  They  left  for  their  honeymoon  and  mission 
going  to  Vancouver,  Canada,  there  they  caught  the 
ship  for  Nea  Zealand  and  were  six  weeks  on  the  ship 
before  arriving  there. 

Dean  taught  bookkeeping  and  music  and  the 
Churches  Maori  Agricultural  College  and  Leota 
taught  English  until  the  Earthqua  kes  destroyed  the 
college.  They  were  saved  many  times  and  very 
miraculously.  After  the  earthquakes,  they  lived  with 
the  Maori  people,  teaching  them  and  organizing 
them  so  they  could  govern  themselves  in  the  church 
responsibilities.  They  arrived  back  into  the  United 
States  with  50  cents  between  them  and  were  met  by 
their  parents. 

When  they  were  released  from  their  mission, 
the  General  Authority  advised  them  to  accept  the  first 
job  offered  them,  as  it  was  during  the  depression. 
They  followed  this  advice  and  got  a  job  teaching 
school  at  Sugar  Salem  in  Sugar  City  1932-35. 

Others  did  not  follow  the  advice  and  they 
struggled  during  those  times. 

Dean  taught  music  and  bookkeeping  at  the 
St.  Anthony  High  School  1934-43.  While  there  he 
took  top  honors  in  State  and  Nation  with  his  band. 
He  was  also  called  as  the  first  Bishop  of  the  St. 
Anthony  3rd  Ward. 

The  Family  moved  to  Lewiston,  Idaho 
during  the  second  World  War,  in  1943,  where  he 
worked  for  the  State  of  Idaho  for  a  year.  He  later 
became  bookkeeper  for  Smith  Frozen  Foods;  Office 
manager  of  Snow  Crop;  he  was  also  in  various 
business  and  owned  his  own  accounting  firm.  He 
became  the  first  Bishop  of  the  Lewiston  Ward  in 
1947-1953. 

Dean  and  Leota  moved  to  Phoenix,  Arizona 
and  taught  at  the  Excelcious  School  for  5  years.  It 
was  here  they  were  called  to  serve  a  mission  to  South 
Carolina  1976- 197Q.  They  returned  to  live  in 
Lewiston  ,  Idaho.  In  1989  they  moved  to  Idaho  Falls 
to  be  dose  to  their  daughter,  Leota  Baird  Garrett. 

Leota  Davis  Baird  the  daughter  of  Frank 
LcRoy  and  Alvaretta  Harmon  Davis,  was  bom  June 
30,  1905.  She  had  five  brothers,  Frank,  Harmon, 
Walter,  Guy,  Kay,  and  six  sisters,  Alvaretta  Rytting, 
Caddie  Jenkins,  OUie  Wilcox,  Naomi  Parks,  Rowena 
Lee,  Phyllis  Maulsby. 

Leota  attended  all  twelve  grades  in  Sugar 
City  while  growing  up.  She  then  attended  and 
graduated  from  Ricks  College.  She  taught  elementary 
72     schools  at  Sugar  City. 


Lcota  and  Dean  met  each  other  at  Ricks 
College,  but  it  wasn't  until  both  were  teaching  that 
they  began  to  date.  Later  in  life  after  all  her  children 
were  in  school,  she  attended  the  University  of  Idaho 
at  Moscow  and  graduated.  She  taught  the  first  grade 
for  years  in  the  Tammany  and  Lewiston  School 
Districts.  They  lived  in  Lewiston  46  years  and  moved 
to  Idaho  Falls  to  be  near  their  daughter  Leota  Garrett. 
They  had  been  there  six  months  when  her  life-time 
companion.  Dean  Baird  passed  away  December  31, 
1989. 

Lcota  now  lives  in  Phoenix,  Arizona  with  her 
daughter  Leota. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)-  Leota  Davis 
(2)-  Lea  Dean 
(3)-  AdeU 
(4)-  Alverta 
(5)-  Robert  Dean 


md-  Keith  Garrett 

md-Adams 

md-Bently 

md-Thomas 

md- 


ANNIE  PREAL  BAIRD 

and 
JAMES  L.  WHITMORE 


Jim  &  Prcal  Whitcmorc 

Sounds  like  this  is  a  very  worth  while  project. 
I'll  jot  down  a  few  thing  that  come  to  mind. 

Mother  told  the  story  about  when  her  parents 
had  the  indoor  toilet  installed,  they  were  the  first,  or 
one  of  the  first  family  in  the  entire  area  to  have  such  a 
luxury.  People  came  from  far  and  near  to  see  it. 
Many  of  the  women  were  skeptical,  they  didn't  know 
if  they  wanted  that  "dirty"  device  in  their  homes. 

Mother  has  told  me  many  times  about 
Grandpa  Baird  carried  water  by  hand  to  water  the  row 
of  trees  bordering  the  place  on  the  west.  (These  trees 
are  still  growing  diere,  TMG  1990) 

One  of  her  favorite  stories  was  her  first  trip 
through  Yellowstone  Park  in  1915.  I  think  that  was 
the  first  year  cars  were  allowed.  No  two-way  traffic,  so 
a  group  would  leave  a  designated  place  at  a  certain 
time  and  go  to  another  designated  place;  then  those 


going  the  other  direction  would  follow  the  same 
procedure.  You  were  supposed  to  follow  the  schedule 
or  get  a  ticket.  Most  cars  did  not  have  enough  power 
going  forward,  so  many  times  they  backed  up  the  hills. 
Sounded  like  a  real  adventure. 

I  was  a  very  small  child  when  the  depression 
hit  but  my  dad  was  never  out  of  work.  At  one  point 
he  washed  dishes  for  $1.00  a  day  and  all  he  could  eat. 
He  hated  doing  it  but  he  was  a  hard  worker  and  a 
good  family  man.  He  worked  and  played  very  fast  and 
hard;  a  good  thing,  too  as  he  was  not  with  us  for  very 
long.  He  passed  on  at  the  age  of  56.  Hunter, 
fisherman,  skier.  Worked  for  the  Forrest  Service, 
owned  a  service  station,  and  worked  for  the  Utah 
Power  and  Light,  a  jack  of  all  trades,  and  very  tolerant 
of  others. 


73 


William  G,  Prcal,  &  Mathilda  Baird 

Mother  was  a  typical  home-maker  who  never 
worked  outside  the  home.  Making  a  good  home  was 
her  main  goal,  which  included  keep-ing  me  out  of  any 
trouble.  She  worked  very  hard  at  this.  I  was  rarely 
out  of  her  sight  as  a  adolescent. 

After  my  dad  passed  away.  Mother  went  to  a 
beauty  school  in  Idaho  Falls.  When  she  finished  she 
came  back  home  and  worked  for  Mary  Stronks. 
Mother  re-married  to  Ted  Lillie,  a  former  Ashton 
resident  who  had  been  mother  and  daddy's  good 
fnend  when  I  was  a  baby.  He  provided  her  with  a 
very  lovely  life-style.  (Wmters  in  Sun  City,  summers  in 
Ashton,  the  rest  of  the  time  at  their  home  in  St.  Paul). 
She  subsequently  sold  her  place  in  Ashton  and  they 
were  unable  to  be  in  Sun  City  the  past  two  winters 
because  of  failing  health.  Ted  passed  away  2  months 
to  the  day  before  mother  did. 

Getting  back  to  my  early  memories,  I  can 
remember  some  things  very  well,  like  riding  in  the 
horse-drawn  sleigh  to  town  in  the  middle  of  the 
winter,  snuggled  down  under  a  heavy  horse-hair  robe 
and  hot  objects  at  our  feet  (rocks,  bricks  .'  I'm  not 
sure).  The  snow  was  so  deep  we  could  reach  the 
telephone  wires  easily.  In  the  summer  I  could  ride  old 
Kate  the  horse  and  Blaine,  Ella  and  Bemis  lived  across 


the  street  from  the  home  place,  so  I  got  to  play  with 
Bemis  a  lot. 

About  du5k  here  came  Grandpa  with  the  milk 
for  the  separator.  I'd  get  a  glass  and  hold  under  the 
skim  milk  stream.  I  loved  that  warm  foamy  milk. 

When  no  one  was  looking,  I  would  slip  into 
the  parlor  (used  only  when  company  came)  but 
grandma  kept  her  sugar  over  in  one  comer  of  the 
parlor  and  I  loved  to  go  in  there  and  eat  sugar!  No 
wonder  I'm  so  sweet. 

I  can  vaguely  recall  visiting  the  Brigham 
Murdoch  home  at  the  farm  down  near  Fall  river. 

My  earliest  religious  education  was  at  the 
Farnum  Church.  Only  the  foundation  is  standing 
today. 

My  earliest  social  skills  were  learned  in  the 
upstairs  hall  of  the  Drummond  School -house.  Uncle 
Glen  and  Frank  Bratt  played  for  the  dances  held  there. 
My  parents  went  and  most  people  brought  their  small 
children.  Children  danced  with  each  other,  but  also 
with  adults.  I  can  remember  of  dancing  with  Maynard 
Bowersox,  for  example.  If  a  child  got  tired,  he/she 
would  cxirl  up  with  a  coat  and  go  to  sleep.  I  was  never 
allowed  to  leave  the 
hall. 

By:  Rose  Marie  Whitemore  Petty 

CHILDREN: 

(1)-  Whitemore  Rose  Marie  b 
md  Harold  Petty 

BILL  BARKER 

and 
JESSIE 

Bill  Barker  and  his  large  family  lived  on  the 
Osmond  Place  once  a  part  of  the  Highland  Ranch, 
located  a  half-mile  east  of  the  Squirrel  Store  and  across 
Squirrel  Creek  from  the  Silas  Orme  Ranch.  The 
Barkers  had  come  West  by  wagon  from  somewhere  in 
the  mid-west,  perhaps  Oklahoma,  and  had  stopped  at 
Opal,  Wyoming,  wintering  nearby.  They  may  have 
come  to  Squirrel  knowing  that  Allie  and  Mai  Anderson 
were  moving  there.  They  had  six  children:  Acey,  Bill, 
Charlie,  Oakleaf,  Dick  and  Idaho  Belle.  Of  the  six, 
Oakleaf  and  Idaho  Belle  were  my  contemporaries. 
Both  were  said  to  have  been  born  in  the  Barker's 
covered  wagon  on  the  long  journey  West,  and  each 
named  for  the  locality:  Oakleaf  in  the  mid-west  and 
Idaho  Belle  in  Idaho. 

The  Barkers  brought  with  them  some  hillbilly 
ways.  The  mother,  Jessie,  was  known  for  her  yellow- 
spotted  soda  biscuits  and  the  large  meals  she  prepared 
for  family  and  guests.  As  a  child,  I  was  entranced  by 
the  Barkers  and  envious  of  the  children  who  I  thought 
were  allowed  to  say  and  do  anything  they  chose.  But 
Cliff  Harshbarger  recalls  that  Mrs.  Baricer  kept  a  razor 
strap  handy ,and  although  she  was  always  threatening  to 
whip  the  children,  he  had  never  known  her  to  do  so. 


Mr.  Barker  was  part  American  Indian.  I 
remember  him  as  a  jolly  man  with  a  big  mustache  who 
always  wore  bib  overalls.  He  used  to  help  Allie 
Burkhalter  from  time  to  time  and  must  have  been  a 
man  of  several  skills. 

About  1929,  when  John  and  Ada  Carlson 
bought  the  Osmond  farm,  the  Barkers  moved  several 
miles  up-country  to  what  was  called  the  Boland  place. 
Not  long  after,  Bill  was  found  to  have  cancer. 
Knowing  that  death  was  near  and  not  wanting  to 
suffer,  he  killed  himself  with  his  old  single-action  Colt 
revolver.  He  was  indeed  a  courageous  man  and  the 
only  one  I  ever  knew  who  had  to  choose  death  over 
life. 

After  Bills'  passing,  Jessie  and  Idaho  Belle 
moved  to  American  Falls  where.  Cliff  says,  Jessie 
married  her  brother-in-law.  Jack  Barker. 

By:  Jack  L.  Reveal 

GEORGE  BAUM 

and 

DOROTHY  ROGSTAD 


74 


Dorothy,  Ann  Marie,  George,  Bonnie  Baum 

Dorothy  Rogstad  of  Ashton,  Idaho  graduated 
from  the  University  of  Idaho-Southern  Branch  (now 
Idaho  State  University)  Pocatello,  Idaho  in  1932.  She 
completed  teaching  requirements  in  Pocatello  and 
Ashton,  then  began  her  teaching  at  Drummond, 
Idaho,  September,  1933.  She  lived  in  the  home  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  R-T.  (Bob)  Simerly. 

George  Baum  was  farming  in  the  Marysville, 
Squirrel,  and  Highland  area.  He  recognized  an 
opportunity  of  the  times.  The  farmers  of  the 
surrounding  areas  were  changing  farming  practices 
from  the  use  of  horses  to  tractor  power.  This  was  near 
the  end  of  the  depression  years.  The  education  he 
received  from  the  University  of  Colorado,  Boulder, 
Colorado  and  his  farming  experience,  gave  him 
confidence  to  establish  an  independent  petroleum  and 
general  merchandise  business,  which  he  opened  at 
Drummond,  Idaho  1934,  known  as  George  Baum's 
Store. 

The  business  proved  to  be  a  success  and  a 
definite  help  to  the  community,  as  the  road  to  Ashton 


was  extremely  poor,  especially  during  the  late  fell  and 
early  spring,  from  weather  conditions. 

The  railroad  line  was  extended  from  Ashton 
to  Victor  in  1911  and  established  sidings  at  Grainville, 
Drummond,  France,  Lamont,  Felt,  Tetonia,  and 
Driggs.  This  was  a  great  service  for  passenger  travel 
and  trade  shipments  of  grain  and  other  merchandise. 
George  took  advantage  of  rail  service  by  receiving 
carload  lots  of  petroleum  products  from  Port  Arthur, 
Texas.  Gasoline  and  diesel  fuel  were  provided  by  way 
of  tanker  truck  from  Montana.  At  a  later  date,  fuel 
was  hauled  from  the  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  and 
Pocatello  terminals. 


George  Baum  and  his  fuel  delivery  truck 


In  the  spring  of  1935  Dorothy  Rogstad  and 
George  Baum  were  married.  They  established  a  home 
in  conjunction  with  their  business.  Dorothy  taught 
two  more  years.  As  the  business  grew,  she  joined 
George,  full-time  in  the  business.  The  old  hand-crank 
phone  was  the  means  of  receiving  petroleum  orders 
which  George  delivered  to  his  customers;  local  farmers 
and  retail  outlets  in  Ashton,  Squirrel  and  Lamont. 
Over  the  years,  the  store  became  a  mercantile  store, 
stocking  groceries,  appliances,  hardware,  and 
miscellaneous  rural  life  needs.  His  tireless  effort  in 
offering  prompt  helpful  service,  reinforced  by  his 
pleasant  manner  and  integrity  soon  brought  many 
customers,  who  remained  life-long  friends.  George 
was  never  to  busy  to  help  a  neighbor.  The  store 
became  the  "town  meeting  place"  where  various 
interests  and  problems  were  discussed. 

Life  for  us  was  wonderfiil.  We  enjoyed  the 
summer  farm  business.  It  was  a  joy  to  work  and  play 
in  the  beautiful  coimtry  of  Drummond  with  the  vast 
rolling  fields  of  wheat  and  the  majestic  Tctons  to  the 
east.  It  is  a  memory  to  treasure  -  one,  never  to  forget. 

Winter  months  were  also  beautiful  but 
sometimes  presented  difficult  problems.  The  snow, 
wind,  and  blizzards  dosed  roads  and  made  delivery  or 
products  hazardous.    We  accepted  problems  and 


weather  as  it  came  and  adjusted  to  the  demands.  Still 
wc  found  time  and  pleasure  for  social  life.  We  had 
community  card  parties,  dances  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  memorable  old  school  house,  men  played  pinochle 
beside  the  old  "pot- belly"  stove  in  the  store,  as  they 
passed  the  hours  waiting  for  the  children  to  be 
dismissed  from  school,  to  ride  home  in  the  covered 
sleighs.  They  were  not  necessarily  always  carefree  times 
but  certainly  happy  times.  George  is  still  remembered 
for  his  amusing  mischievous  tricks  with  old  and  young 
alike.  One  time  he  administered  an  electric  "tingle.^" 
to  the  door  handle  as  customers  arrived  on  April 
Fool's  Day. 

The  ladies  enjoyed  cards  and  sewing  with  the 
Drummond  Ladies  Club  in  the  homes  of  members. 
The  delicious  dinners  and  the  tasty  luncheons  could 
not  be  forgotten.  The  evening  events  were  all  taken  in 
stride  with  only  gas  lamps  for  light.  I  had  no  love  for 
this  form  of  lighting.  One  evening  I  attempted  to 
light  the  lamp  for  the  night,  the  mantle  caught  fire 
and  with  the  flame  blazing  high,  I  literally  threw  the 
entire  lamp  out  the  back  door  into  a  snow  drift.  I  am 
sure  George  thought  I  was  not  ready  for  country 
living.  This  memory  has  been  a  big  joke  in  our  house 
ever  since. 

Hooray  -  Hooray!!  Fall  River  Electric 
Cooperative,  a  government  sponsored  project, 
extended  electric  lines  from  Ashton  to  Drummond 
and  surrounding  area.  We  obtained  electric  lights  and 
power.  It  was  this  opportunity  that  allowed  us  to  put 
in  a  supply  of  appliances,  fresh  produce,  meat  and  cold 
drinks  for  our  customers. 

The  news  came  that  the  road  was  to  be  oiled. 
Cars  were  improved  and  travel  was  more  enjoyable 
without  dust,  "rumble  from  corrugation,"  large  sized 
gravel,  and  mud. 

In  1939  and  1941  George  and  Dorothy  were 
blessed  with  baby  girls,  Bonnie  Mae,  and  in  1941  Ann 
Marie.  Our  life  changed  considerably  with  two  little 
curly  haired  girls  to  love  and  care  for.  We  endured  the 
usual  childhood  illnesses;  some  very  hard  and  other 
quite  normal.  All  in  all  we  were  a  happy  family.  The 
girls  had  chickens,  kittens,  rabbits,  and  later  two 
ponies.  I  believe  their  best  times  of  all,  were  spent 
with  the  neighbor  children,  sledding,  skiing,  riding 
ponies,  playing  baseball,  and  croquet.  Many  times  on 
blizzardy  days  with  roads  closed,  the  "Drummond 
Kids"  gathered  at  Baums  to  play  ping-pong  at  the 
store.  Wild!  Then  there  were  the  events  at  the 
Drummond  school.  Christmas  programs  with  Santa 
arriving  through  the  ceiling  to  distribute  bags  of  candy 
and  gifts.  The  years  flew  and  the  little  Drummond 
school  was  no  more.  Consolidation  of  the  districts 
made  it  necessary  for  Drummond  children  to  ride  a 
school  bus  to  Ashton,  where  they  finished  grade 
school  and  high  school. 

The   Baum   family  enjoyed   fishing  and 

camping.    Many  evenings  wc  prepared  our  evening 

meal  on  the  campfire  as  the  girls  fished  and  swam  in 

yr      Conant  Creek.  On  weekends  wc  had  many  over-night 


camping  trips  with  our  travel  trailer,  especially  in  the 
Island  Park  area. 

The  girls  spent  many  simimers  active  in  4-H 
with  Margaret  Lindsley,  Gladys  Kraemer,  and  Alyce 
Harshbarger  as  their  leaders.  Camps  and  trips  to  the 
University  of  Idaho  4-H  programs  and  finally  state 
awards  and  trips  to  National  4-H  Club  Congress  in 
Chicago,  kept  them  busy  and  the  wheels  of  the  car 
rolling. 

We  were  faithful  members  of  the  Ashton 
Methodist  Church.  Bonnie  used  her  talent  playing 
piano  and  organ  and  Ann  shared  vocal  solos  and 
taught  Sunday  School.  Dorothy  served  as  Sunday 
School  Superintendent.  George  was  lay  leader,  official 
board  chairman  and  other  capacities. 

Bonnie  graduated  from  the  University  of 
Idaho  with  a  degree  in  bacteriology  and  later  became 
a  registered  medical  technologist.  She  married  Dean 
Pearson  of  Troy,  Idaho.  They  live  in  Pullman, 
Washington  where  Bonnie  is  director  of  the  regional 
laboratory  and  Dean  is  associate  registrar  at 
Washington  State  University.  They  have  two  children, 
Renae  Pearson  Bafus  an  accountant  in  Pullman,  and 
John,  a  stock  broker  in  San  Francisco. 

Ann  Marie  also  graduated  fi-om  the  University 
of  Idaho.  She  married  Darwin  Rytting,  an  electrical 
engineer,  from  Rupert,  Idaho.  They  live  in  San 
Diego,  California,  where  Darwin  is  a  chief  engineer 
with  General  Dynamics.  Ann  works  at  San  Diego 
State  University.  They  have  three  children.  Jay,  a 
graduate  of  Northern  Arizona  University,  works  for 
Amana  Metals  in  the  Los  Angeles  area.  Teresa  is  a 
Senior  at  San  Diego  State  University,  and  Janice  is  a 
freshman  at  the  University  of  California  at  Santa 
Barbara. 

George  and  Dorothy  sold  their  business  after 
32  years  and  retired  in  1966.  They  purchased  a  home 
in  Ashton  where  they  still  reside  in  the  summer 
months.  In  retirement,  they  traveled  to  Alaska, 
Europe,  Hawaii,  and  exploring  in  detail  the  western 
United  States.  In  1982,  they  purchased  a  home  in 
San  Diego.  Here  they  are  near  the  Rytting  family  and 
enjoy  the  warm  winters.  We  feel  we  have  been  richly 
blessed.  God  has  been  good  to  us.  Our  health  allows 
us  to  do  most  of  the  things  we  want  to  do.  We  truly 
have  had  the  good  fortune  to  share  many  happy  times 
and  memories  with  the  Baum  and  Rogstad  side  of  our 
families  over  the  years.  Our  memories  take  us  back  to 
the  Drummond  area  often.  We  lovingly  remember 
the  happy  times  together  and  the  support  we  received 
with  our  business  and  femily  in  younger  years.  June  9, 
1991  we  will  celebrate  our  56th  wedding  anniversary. 

LLOYD  JAMES  BEAN 

and 

MILLIE  BIRCH 

Lloyd  James  Bean  was  born  Sept.  27,  1900, 
at  Provo,  Utah.  He  was  the  5th  child  of  9  children 
bom  to  Marcellus  and  Johanna  Caroline  Edman  Bean. 


76 


Millie  Birch  was  born  April  16,  1904,  at 
Wilford,  Idaho.  She  was  the  daughter  of  David  and 
Nancy  Garn  Birch.  She  attended  school  in  St. 
Anthony  and  graduated  fi^om  high  school  there.  She 
worked  for  George  Lowe  and  Judge  Jackson  as  a  legal 
secretary. 

After  a  four  year  courtship  they  were  married 
Sept.  12,  1923,  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple,  by  Joseph 
Fielding  Smith. 

In  1925  they  moved  to  the  dry  farm  east  of 
Drummond  and  north  of  France  Siding.  They  started 
with  160  acres.  The  first  year  he  plowed  and  planted 
80  acres,  but  only  realized  10  bu.  per  acre  at  harvest 
time.  They  later  were  able  to  increase  their  farm 
acreage  with  land  leased  from  the  state. 

These  first  years  on  the  dry  farm,  we  lived  on 
the  milk  from  three  cows  and  eggs  from  our  few 
chickens.  The  bare  necessities  which  we  did  not  grow 
or  produce  we  got  from  Johnson's  Store  at  Squirrel. 
We  had  our  own  meat  which  was  a  big  help.  In  the 
winter  I'd  slaughter  a  beef  and  it  was  so  cold  it  stayed 
frozen  all  winter.  For  the  summer,  I  cured  our  pork 
by  making  a  barrel  of  brine  and  putting  the  hams  and 
bacon  into  it.  When  it  was  ready  I'd  take  it  out  and 
soak  it  in  clear  water  overnight.  This  would  remove 
some  of  the  outside  salt.  I  also  had  a  smoke  house  to 
smoke  the  pork.  The  cured  meat  was  then  wrapped 
and  put  into  wheat  in  the  granary.  When  we  needed 
it,  it  was  brought  out.  It  would  be  covered  with  heavy 
mold,  but  when  this  was  trimmed  off  the  meat 
underneath  was  tender  and  delicious.  My  sausage  was 
some  of  the  best  around. 

We  had  a  small  garden  because  we  had  to 
carry  water  to  it.  We  did  raise  some  peas,  carrots,  and 
radishes.  Millie  did  much  canning  of  fruits  and 
vegetables  which  would  last  us  through  the  year.  Wc 
made  our  own  sauerkraut  which  was  very  good. 

We  had  no  electricity,  running  water,  inside 
plumbing,  telephones,  not  even  radios,  at  first. 
Electricity  came  to  our  area  before  we  left  but  we  did 
not  connect  up  to  it.  We  had  a  gasoline  lamp  which 
burned  two  manties  for  light.  We  hauled  wood  from 
the  timber  for  cooking  and  heating  our  home. 

Bathing  was  done  in  a  round  tub  once  a 
week.  The  water  was  heated  on  top  of  the  stove  in  a 
large  oblong  pan  and  in  a  reservoir  which  was  attached 
to  the  kitchen  range.  The  children  all  bathed  in  the 
same  tub  of  water.  Washing  was  done  in  a  hand 
turned  washing  machine  for  about  4  or  5  years.  Later, 
we  got  a  Maytag  with  a  gas  motor  and  a  wringer. 
Millie  made  her  own  soap  with  grease  drippings,  lye, 
and  water. 

One  day  the  kids  saw  a  cougar  on  the  way  to 
school  in  the  quakies.  We  never  really  thought  too 
much  of  it.  Then  one  night  Miss  Strong,  the  school 
teacher  at  that  time,  and  the  girl  staying  with  her, 
went  to  the  outhouse.  It  was  located  about  100  feet 
from  the  school  house  on  the  edge  of  a  grove  of 
quakenasp  trees.  It  was  quite  rickety.  There  was  a  2 
inch  gap  at  the  top  of  the  door  which  hung  crookedly 


b.r.  Ruth,  Karma,  Ralph,  Arlcnc,  Wanda,  f.r.  Karen,  Lloyd,  Paul,  Millie,  Linda  Bean 


on  its  hinges.  They  had  just  barely  gotten  inside  it 
when  they  heard  something  jump  on  the  roof  of  the 
outhouse.  The  whole  building  swayed  with  its  weight. 
They  could  hear  it  breathing  heavily  and  could  also 
hear  its  tail  thumping  the  roof.  The  were  frightened 
and  didn't  at  first  know  what  to  do.  They  stayed  there 
until  they  got  so  cold  they  knew  they  had  to  do 
something.  Miss  Strong  had  her  hand  gun  and 
flashlight  with  her.  She  was  a  good  shot  but  was  afraid 
to  shoot  up  through  the  roof  for  fear  she  might  just 
wound  the  cougar  and  it  would  become  angry  and 
somehow  get  to  them.  So,  she  finally  shot  out  the 
opening  above  the  door.  The  noise  frightened  the 
cougar  and  they  heard  it  jump  off  the  building.  They 
waited  awhile  and  then  with  flashlight  lit,  they  ran  for 
the  school  house.  At  that  time  they  lived  in  an 
apartment  in  the  back  of  the  school.  The  next 
morning,  the  tracks  of  the  cougar  were  evident  around 
the  outhouse  and  on  the  hillside  among  the  trees. 

We  got  our  first  car  in  1928.  It  was  a  4 
cylinder  Chevrolet  that  cost  less  than  $1,000.00.  It 
served  us  well  for  nine  years. 

I  farmed  with  horses  for  about  5  years.  I  had 
nine  horses  that  worked  well  together.  I  sold  them  for 
less  than  $300.00  for  all  of  them.  I  bought  an  Allis 
Chalmer  tractor  for  about  $3000.00.  This  made  it 
possible  to  take  on  additional  land  and  run  the  farm 
more  efficiently  and  faster. 

Being  on  the  dry  farm  was  like  being  on  top  of 
the  world  -  that  is  how  it  made  me  feel.  I  still  get  this 
feeling  even  today  when  I  go  back.  Springtime  on  the 
dry  farm  was  such  a  beautiful  time  of  the  year.    The 


quakies  coming  into  leaf  with  the  tender  green  color 
and  the  many  wild  flowers  in  bloom  -  some  of  which 
were  the  buttercups  and  wild  violets,  blue  bells,  and 
Indian  paintbrush.  Each  season  seemed  to  have  it's 
special  charm.  The  rich  yellow  of  the  quaky  leaves  in 
the  fall  were  also  something  to  behold. 

We  lived  on  the  dry  farm  until  1940  -  about 
15  years.  Then  we  moved  the  femily  to  St.  Anthony 
on  the  Teton  highway  just  south  of  town,  with  about 
30  acres  adjoining  the  home  on  the  corner.  We 
continued  operating  the  dry  farm  until  1944  when  we 
sold  it  to  Orrin  Martindale. 

We  then  purchased  a  150  acre  farm  in  Milo, 
about  12  miles  northeast  of  Idaho  Falls.  In  1947  we 
sold  out  in  Milo  and  bought  a  110  acre  farm  in 
Jamestown,  10  miles  northeast  of  Shelley. 

On  Feb.  18,  1951, 1  was  installed  as  bishop  of 
the  Jamestown  Ward,  serving  until  July  29,  1956, 
when  I  was  released. 

Millie  passed  away  in  1978  with  cancer.  Lloyd 
passed  away  in  1988  of  old  age.  They  had  8  children, 
most  of  them  born  at  the  time  they  were  living  on  the 
dry  farm  in  the  Drummond  area. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Wanda  b- 1924 

md-  Clyde  Conrad  Miller 

(2)  Arlene  b-  1925 

md-  Keith  Hansen  Mcscrvy 

(3)  Karma  b-  1928 

md-  William  J.  Cox 


77 


(4)  Ruth  Nancy  b-  1931 

md-  George  Lars  Hansen 

(5)  Ralph  b-  1931 

md-  Lois  Ann  Curtis 

(6)  Karen  b-  1935 

md-  Kay  Paul  Searle 

(7)  linda  Ann  b-  1939 

md-  Frank  Albert  Buder 

(8)  Paul  Lloyd  b-  1943 

md-  Vickie  Lynn  Adcox 

DWIGHT  BELTZ 

and 

SARAH  GRACE  THOMPSON 

In  the  Farnum  Ward  membership  records 
Dwight  Beltz  married  Sarah  Grace  Thompson  bom 
November  11,  1886,  at  Henrysville.  They  had  a  child 
Bernice  born  October  3,  1914,  at  Victor,  Madison 
County  ,Idaho. 

(007-455)  Farnum  Ward  Membership  records 

HARRY  LORENZO  BENSON 

I  was  born  August  16,  1889  at  Randolph, 
Utah.  My  parents  were  Swen  Johan  Benson 
(Bengtsson  in  Sweden),  and  Nancy  Christina  Larsen. 

The  first  thing  I  can  remember  is  riding  in  a 
lumber  wagon  when  we  moved  to  Laketown,  Utah, 
where  my  father  acquired  a  farm  and  some  sheep  as 
well  as  some  other  stock. 

When  I  was  8  years  old,  my  father  died 
leaving  a  family  of  8  children.  I  remember  well  the 
hard  struggle  Mother  had  making  a  livelihood  for  us. 

My  mother  died  when  I  was  fourteen  years  of 
age.  I  had  two  miserable  years  trying  to  live  without 
Mother  and  Father. 

My  older  brother  took  care  of  the  family  until 
he  went  to  Logan  to  school.  I  tried  to  keep  them 


together  until  1913  when  my  last  sister  married. 

I  then  moved  to  Drummond,  Idaho,  where  I 
ran  the  mail  to  Squirrel  for  the  next  5  years;  4  of  those 
I  also  ran  a  transfer.  I  then  traded  for  a  farm  outfit  and 
went  to  dry  ferming. 

Some  incidents,  in  my  life:  such  as  being 
personally  acquainted  with  Hal  and  Charley  Whitney 
who  became  oudaws  when  I  was  in  Wyoming. 

I  once  tried  to  shoot  a  Mexican,  but  I  thank 
God  I  missed  all  but  his  ear.  These  were  rough  and 
tough  times. 

By:  Harry  Lorenzo  Benson 

Those  pbces  of  his  memories  with  the  sheep 
were  near  Cokeville,  Wyoming.  He  told  of  his 
acquaintance  with  the  Whitney  brothers  and  how 
mean  they  became.  He  watched  them  ride  into  town, 
hold  up  the  bank  in  broad  daylight,  and  the 
townspeople  were  afi^d  to  stop  them. 

We  loved  the  stories  he  told  of  those  days. 
He  always  regretted  his  experience  with  the  Mexican. 
He  used  it  as  a  teaching  tool  with  his  children,  our 
tempers  must  be  controlled.  It  seems  that  this 
Mexican  herded  sheep  on  the  range  joining  his. 
Despite  warnings,  he  continually  drove  his  herd  over 
the  border  at  night,  herding  them  back  before  Dad 
was  up  and  about.  One  morning  Dad  saw  him 
getting  them.  He  approached  him  and  told  him  not 
to  do  it  again.  As  usual  his  answer  was,  "No  savvy." 
Dad  became  angry  and  shouted,  "You  will  savvy!" 
With   this   he   shot   the   ear  off  the   Mexican. 

Mom  was  working  at  Galeys.  Dad  had  the 
transfer  business  from  Galey's  store  in  Drummond. 
One  night  John  and  Jim  and  Pete  Brown  brought 
Dad  to  the  house  and  introduced  them  to  Anna. 
(Dad  came  to  Drummond  with  these  men.) 

Their  first  date  was  in  a  buggy  with  a  prized 
team  of  horses  Dad  owned.   It  was  a  short  courtship. 


b.r.  Qarc,  Lorel,  Edward,  Anna,  Harry,  Herbert,  Melvin,  Keith,  f.r.  Eva,  May,  Vcrla,  Myrth,  Myma  Benson 

7^ 


They  were  married  June  2,  1915,  in  St.  Anthony. 
They  first  lived  in  a  house  they  built  on  a  lot  in 
Drummond.  From  Drummond  they  moved  to  a  farm 
south  of  there.  They  referred  to  it  as  "The  Thorsted 
Place.  They  moved  to  Famum  the  previous  fall,  1923. 

Famum  is  4  miles  west  of  Drummond.  Wc 
lived  across  from  the  church  and  1  mile  east  of  the 
elementary  school. 

The  winters  were  bad.  Roads  had  to  be 
bucked  and  Dad's  team  was  the  best  in  the 
neighborhood.  The  men  would  take  their  horses  with 
a  double  tree  to  stand  on  and  work  their  horses 
through  to  a  footing  then  hook  on  to  a  one-bob 
sleigh  to  make  passage  to  get  to  school.  There  was  a 
time  that  Dad  drove  the  school  route.  Once  a  week 
trips  to  Ashton  was  the  usual.  We  tied  our  ropes 
behind  an  open  sleigh  to  ski.  Mom  and  babies  were 
covered  sitting  on  straw  inside  and  Dad  behind  his 
beautiful  team.  It  was  a  full  day's  trip. 

It  was  about  1937  when  we  got  the  power 
lines  and  a  paved  road  so  cars  could  travel  in  winter. 
We  also  got  a  school  bus  to  Drummond  about  a  year 
later. 

Dad  and  Mom  both  worked  very  hard  to 
support  us.  Dad  drove  16  head  of  horses  on  the 
header.  Anna  drove  horses  in  the  field  and  later  a 
tractor.  We  all  learned  to  work.  When  we  were  older 
(14  or  so)  we  worked  away  to  help. 

Dad  had  one  of  the  first  combines  in  Famum 
replacing  the  binder  and  thresher.  He  used  this  also 
as  a  means  of  extra  income  by  harvesting  for  other 
people. 

These  were  depression  days  and  there  was 
very  little  money.  We  were  taught  to  make  our  own 
entertainment  and  the  neighbor  children  gathered  to 
play  Old  Sow,  Kick  the  Can,  No  bears  out  Tonight, 
Mother  May  I.  Dad  taught  us  how  to  make  whistles 
from  willows  and  top  from  spools. 

They  had  many  mouths  to  feed  and  taught  us 
well:  a  rime  to  work  and  a  time  to  play.  One  year 
there  were  4  in  high  school  and  4  in  grade  school. 

Harry  built  furniture  for  their  home.  He  was 
very  knowledgeable  about  a  lot  of  things.  He  was  a 
self-educated  man,  having  only  4  years  of  school. 

Dad  was  a  good  dancer,  waltz,  two-step,  and 
fox  trot.  They  went  to  warm  River  dances 
occasionally.  When  they  came  home,  they  showed  us 
how  to  dance  "Have  you  Seen  my  New  Shoes." 

Also  there  were  box  lunches,  a  picnic  at 
Conant  Creek  and  4th  of  July  rodeo  at  the  church 
grounds.  He  would  let  Herbert  and  Ed  take  us  to 
Conant  Creek  to  swim,  in  the  Model  T.,  he  had  made 
into  a  pickup  type,  we  picked  up  the  neighbor's 
children  on  the  way. 

Dad  rented  and  farmed  our  place,  also  for 
Mr.  Rankin,  Dr.  Ed  Hargis,  the  Day  place.  He  later 
bought  80  acres  next  to  Whitmore's.  It  was  a  red 
letter  day  when  he  obtained  a  big  tractor  with  lug 
wheels.  He  hauled  our  wood  for  heating  from  Bear 
Gulch  and  High  Point. 


r 


Hairy  Benson  and  Bill  Muidock  one  of  the  first  tractors  in  Fvnum 

Dad  loved  the  outdoors  and  the  forests. 
There  were  the  majestic  Tetons  to  the  East  of  us.  He 
became  interested  in  the  Treasure  Mountain  Boy 
Scout  Camp  just  below  them.  The  twilight  time  of 
day  was  his  favorite  I  think,  especially  as  he  looked 
over  the  vast  wheat  fields,  lush  and  green,  tall  as  his 
underarm. 

It  was  better  for  them  when  Mr.  Betke,  who 
owned  the  farm,  came  from  Omaha  and  asked  him, 
would  he  prefer  a  windmill  or  some  more  house.  He 
got  both.  The  windmill  replaced  the  gasoline  pump 
engine  and  Dad  built  a  cistern  for  storing  water  for 
the  house.  We  had  a  pitcher  pump  in  the  kitchen. 
He  also  provided  a  wind  charger  with  batteries  in  the 
attic  which  provided  some  electricity.  What  a  luxury! 


*  ,  ** 

.-^X      ■■*«(, 


WindmiU 


t  ■ 


79 


There  were  always  horses  at  Famum.   Ed  and 
Lorel  became  very  good  at  training  and  riding  them. 


Ed  later  made  a  profession  of  training  horses  in 
California. 

Dad  played  the  mandolin.  His  favorite  time 
was  Lapa  Loma.  The  sweat  would  roll  from  his  brow 
as  he  played,  The  Irish  Washer  Woman  and  Red 
Wmg  on  his  harmonica.  We  loved  it.  Ed  Smith  came 
to  Famum  to  teach  school.  He  also  had  a  mandolin 
and  with  Herbert's  guitar,  they  played  for 
entertainment. 

While  at  Farnum  Dad  became  interested  in 
Genealogy.  His  love  for  his  family,  brothers  and 
sisters,  and  ancestors  was  the  beginning  of  an 
enjoyable  time  of  his  life. 

The  family  moved  to  Lyman,  Idaho,  in 
December  of  1940.  Dad  bought  80  acres  of  irrigated 
land  with  a  rock  house  and  large  apple  orchard.  He 
developed  a  herd  of  Holstein  cows  and  sold  milk. 
The  crops  were  good  and  they  were  doing  very  well. 
He  was  active  in  the  church  and  held  various 
positions,  especially  in  the  Scouting  program.  By 
now,  1940,  Eva  was  married  and  in  Wyoming.  Ed 
was  married  and  in  California,  May  had  gone  to 
California  to  work  also.  Herbert  had  a  farm  and  got 
married  soon  after  we  moved  there.  After 
graduation,  I  also  went  to  California  to  work  in  an 
aircraft  plant.  Lorcl  was  in  the  Marines  and  wounded 
at  Pearl  Harbor  and  Mel  and  Clare  later  served  in  the 
Navy  after  graduation.  The  rest  were  at  home. 

Harry  took  ill  with  cancer  of  the  stomach. 
After  18  months  of  suffering  he  left  us  quietly.  He 
diedjuly  15,  1951. 

By:  Verla  Benson  Freeman  (daughter) 


ANNA  CHERRY  BENSON 

Anna  Amelia  Cherry,  the  daughter  of 
Charles  Stephen  and  Nancy  Jane  Bennett  Cherry. 
She  was  born  at  Mapleton,  Franklin  County,  Idaho, 
September  20,  1896.  She  was  from  a  family  of 
thirteen  Children,  four  boys  and  seven  girls.  Anna's 
Father  and  the  family  moved  to  Ora,  Fremont, 
Idaho  when  she  was  a  child.  Anna  worked  at  various 
places.  At  one  time  she  milked  8  cows,  night  and 
morning. 

Anna's  grandmother,  Nancy  Cherry,  moved 
on  a  place  near  Homer  and  Anna  Jones.  Anna  went 
to  live  in  Drummond,  with  her  grandmother  and 
went  to  work  at  Galeys  store.  It  was  while  working 
at  Galey's  she  met  Harry  Benson.  Anna  and  Harry 
started  dating  in  March.  They  were  married  June  2, 
1915  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  They  built  and  lived  in 
a  little  log  house  in  Drummond  for  a  while  and 
moved  to  Farnum  in  the  fall  of  1923.  The  house 
was  frame  with  good  floors.  Anna  was  happy  to 
move  to  Famum. 

The  Famum  L.D.S.  Church  was  just  across 
the  road  from  the  new  home.  The  farm  consisted  of 
about  one-thousand  acres  of  dry  farm.  They  raised 
mostly  wheat  and  hay. 


The  house  had  a  bedroom,  a  living  room,  a 
kitchen  and  a  Uttle  lean-to  or  back  porch  as  the 
family  called  it.  There  was  a  large  front  porch  on  the 
front  of  the  house. 

We  could  see  the  three  Tetons  to  the  east 
and  looking  south  was  the  big  hill  and  our  pasture. 
West  were  the  wheat  fields  and  one  mile  in  that 
direction  was  the  school  house. 

Anna  always  raised  a  big  garden.  She 
canned  many  quarts  of  fruits  and  vegetables  to  feed 
the  family  in  the  winter  months.  She  made  clothes 
for  the  girls,  never  using  a  pattern.  She  always  saw 
that  her  family  was  clean  and  well  fed.  Anna 
developed  many  talents,  crocheting  and  quilting 
were  her  favorites.  She  was  hard  working  with  little 
resources  at  her  command.  She  worked  in  the  fields 
with  Dad  a  great  deal.  The  years  were  very  hard.  I 
don't  recall  that  we  were  unhappy.  We  learned  to 
entertain  ourselves.  Frances  Bratt  said  to  me 
recently,  "We  didn't  have  any  money  but  we  sure 
had  fun  didn't  we?" 

Mom  had  a  good  sense  of  humor  and  helped 
her  children  and  the  neighbor  kids  to  play  games  and 
just  find  ftm.  She  worked  in  the  Relief  Society  and 
Sunday  School.  Our  spiritual  training  was  her  work. 

She  nursed  dad  through  cancer  for  one  and 
a  half  years  before  his  death.   Her  last  few  years  were 
spent  with  May  in  Sidney,  Nebraska.    She  died  July 
18,  I98I,  and  buried  in  the 
Sutton,  Cemetery  at  Archer  Idaho. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Herbert  Lawrence      b-  1916  d-  1975 

md-  Alta  Munns 

(2)  George  Edward  b-  1917  d- 

md-  Margaret  Taylor 

(3)  Eva  b-  1919 

md-  Rodney  Bert  Howell 

(4)  Ethel  May  b-  1921 

md-  Vernon  Chester  Scott 

(5)  Lord  Harry  b-  1922  d-  1978 

md-  (1)  Gwen  Reeder 
(2)  Pauline  Wilson 

(6)  Verla  b-  1924 

md-  Ivan  Lamoine  Freeman 

(7)  Myrth  b-  1926 

md-  Dee  Farrell  Bowen 

(8)  Mclvin  b-  1926 

md-  (1)  Gwen  Reeder 

(2)  Marion  Home 

(3)  Ruth  Binns 

(9)  Dennis  Keith  b-  1931 

md-  (1)  Marilyn  Woolf 
(2)  Deloris  Dufault 
(lO)Raymond  Clare         b- 1933  d- 1978 

md-  (1)  Donna  Hom 
(2)  Ruth  Davidson 
(ll)Myma  b-  1935 

md-  Ernest  Baker  Moyes 
OQ  By:  Verla  Benson  Freeman 


HERBERT  LAWRENCE  BENSON 

Herbert  Lawrence  Benson,  the  oldest  son  of 
Harry  Lorenzo  Benson  and  Anna  Amelia  Cherry  was 
born  at  Drummond,  Idaho,  Fremont  County,  on 
February  6,  1916. 

Herbert's  schooling  was  at  Drummond, 
Famum,  Ashton  High  School  and  Ricks  College.  He 
was  good  in  mathematics. 

He  was  captain  of  the  basketball  team.  He 
earned  a  four-year  letter  award  in  both  basketball  and 
football  at  Ashton  High  School.  Herb  and  Ed  were 
both  active  in  school  plays.  Herbert  usually  played 
the  jilted  lover  or  the  overgrown  flapper. 

Herbert  served  in  the  CCC  (Civilian 
Conservation  Corps)  program  when  he  was  18  years 
old.  This  program  was  set  up  to  help  unemployment 
during  the  depression  years.  It  provided  a  uniform 
and  $30.00  a  month  was  paid  to  their  parents. 
Usually  the  parents  saved  it  to  further  their  education. 
Herbert  worked  around  Osbom  Springs  above  Bear 
Gulch.  He  fought  forest  fires  and  Mormon  crickets 
across  that  area  and  at  High  Point  over  Ashton  Hill 
also. 

Being  the  oldest,  Herbert  learned  responsi- 
bility early.  He  watched  over  his  younger  brothers 
and  sisters  from  the  age  of  8,  always  conscious  of 
being  an  example  and  choosing  good  reading 
material.  He  farmed  with  and  by  his  father  from  the 
time  he  was  old  enough  to  work.  He  was  large  and 
strong. 

He  made  a  commitment  to  the  Lord  early  in 
his  life.  His  desire  for  a  mission  was  never  fulfilled. 
He  filled  one  at  home.  He  became  Bishop  of  the 
Famum  Ward  in  1942  at  the  age  of  26.  He  served  in 


this  capacity  until  1945  when  he  and  his  family  moved 
to  Lyman,  Idaho.  He  was  a  scoutmaster  for  25  years 
beginning  at  age  20.  He  met  his  future  wife,  Alta 
Munns,  through  Verla.  They  were  married  in  the  Salt 
Lake  Temple,  June  30,  1942.  He  wrote  her  that  he 
was  heavily  in  debt  and  would  probably  be  for  some 
time.  She  was  willing  anyway  and  they  made  their 
first  home  in  a  small  two-room  house  adjacent  to  the 
40  acres  he  bought  fi-om  his  father  near  Conant  Creek 
in  Famum,  Idaho. 

In  1945,  he  sold  it  and  moved  to  Lyman. 
While  at  Lyman,  his  first  house  bumed  and  all  in  it 
while  they  were  away.  He  built  a  house  there  large 
enough  for  his  family.  He  was  very  much  concerned 
about  the  public  schools.  He  fought  hard  to  keep  the 
small  country  schools  despite  the  trend  to  consolidate. 

He  took  other  children  into  his  home  to 
reverse  their  direction  when  they  were  in  trouble. 
Friends  of  his  children  also  often  spent  time  there. 

Farming  did  not  provide  enough  for  his 
family  and  the  education  and  missions  he  desired  for 
them.  He  earned  an  electrician's  license  and  did 
insulation  and  wiring  to  assist  in  his  endeavors.  Alta 
worked  along  side  him  many  times  in  the  fields  and 
always  had  the  children's  interest  at  heart.  They 
sacrificed  together  for  the  things  they  felt  most 
important.  He  taught  his  sons  to  do  electrical  work. 
George  took  over  his  business  following  his  death. 

He  put  7  children  through  college  and  6  on 
missions.  Herbert  was  a  reader.  His  study  provided 
much  of  his  self-education.  He  loved  people.  His  was 
a  Ufe  of  service.  He  was  good  to  his  family.  He  took 
his  mother  into  his  home  when  she  sold  hers  because 
of  age  and  health  reasons.  He  and  Alta  cared  for  her 
for  three  years. 


HERBERT  LjWVRENCE  BENSON  FAMILY 
81 


Herbert  became  ill  in  1975.  He  could  barely 
get  around  for  pain.  They  ran  the  tests  again  and 
found  a  'tumor'  back  against  his  spine.  He  was  to  put 
his  affairs  in  order.  He  is  buried  in  the  Archer 
Cemetery. 

He  and  Alta  are  the  parents  of  a  good  family, 
their  contribution  to  a  future  generation. 

MEMORIES 

Fern  and  Earl  Kidd  were  friends  of  Herbert 
and  Ed.  Fern  and  Herbert  usually  versus  Ed  and  Earl. 
Mr.  Kidd  was  still  a  kid  and  often  gave  them  all 
trouble. 

A  chickaree  was  in  the  order  of  the  day.  They 
stoic  Mr.  Kidd's  chickens,  went  over  the  hill  on  the 
creek  bottom,  and  on  a  bonfire  fried  the  chickens. 
When  they  had  them  all  cooked,  Mr.  Kidd,  who  had 
been  watching  them,  took  the  chickens  away  into  the 
house  where  he  and  his  wife  and  others  of  the  fiimily 
had  a  delicious  supper. 

There  was  known  to  be  a  mountain  lion  on 
Conant  Creek,  where  the  boys  was  known  to  swim. 
One  evening  when  the  boys  weren't  home,  Mrs.  Kidd 
wished  they  would  come.  Mr.  Kidd  asked,  "Do  you 
really  want  them?"  "Yes,  I'm  worried  about  them." 
He  stepped  out  on  the  porch,  gave  a  blood-curdling 
scream,  and  immediately  four  boys  appeared,  "We 
didn't  sec  it,  but  we  sure  heard  it  close." 
by:  Verla  Benson  Freeman 

GEORGE  EDWARD  BENSON 

George  Edward  Benson  was  born  May  31, 
1917,  at  Sarilda,  Idaho,  west  of  Ashton  at 
Grandmother  Cherry's  place,  the  second  son  and 
second  child  of  Harry  and  Anna  Benson. 

Ed  grew  up  at  Drummond  and  Famum.  His 
love  was  horses.  There  were  many  at  Famum  and  he 
learned  to  ride  and  train  them,  later  made  a  profession 
of  it.  He  liked  riding  in  the  rodeo  and  was  good  at  it. 
He  liked  to  dance,  box,  wrestie  and  play  football. 

He  graduated  from  the  eighth  grade  at 
Famum  and  finished  high  school  at  Ashton.  Much  of 
the  winter  was  to  be  spent  in  town  due  to  the  snowy 
roads.  There  weren't  snow  plows  for  road  openings 
as  there  are  now. 

He  farmed  with  Dad  and  Herbert  at  first. 
The  year  he  and  Margaret  were  married  he  farmed  for 
Benjamin  Diesel  at  Horse  Shoe  Flats.  He  worked 
when  he  could  for  $1.50  -  $2.00  per  day.  Ed  was  a 
good  worker  and  usually  worked  when  others  didn't 
get  work. 

He  married  Margaret  Irene  Taylor  on 
November  2,  1939.  They  moved  to  Califomia.  He 
obtained  work  with  Lockheed  Aircraft  as  a  tooling 
machinist  and  worked  on  planes  of  that  era,  P-48, 
Constellation.  They  lived  at  Simland. 

Horses  were  still  his  hobby  but  he  wanted  to 
have  his  own  business.  He  turned  it  into  a  profession 
of  farrier.    He  did  train  many  horses  for  pleasure,  for 


show,  and  for  the  movies.  His  wife  worked  with  him 
and  they  had  moonlight  rides  and  barbecues  for 
entertainment. 

He  took  many  blue  ribbons  in  the  horse 
shows  along  with  his  daughter  Margaret  Anna.  His 
favorite  black  stallion  was  used  in  some  movie  scenes 
when  the  black  and  white  stallions  fought.  When 
Margaret  Anna  was  only  big  enough  to  get  around,  he 
would  sit  her  behind  him,  tell  her  to  hold  on  to  his 
pockets,  and  thus  taught  her  as  she  grew.  She 
qualified  for  the  Santa  Fc  rodeo  as  a  trick  rider. 
Together  they  won  numerous  awards  and  blue 
ribbons  in  this  capacity.  He  skilled  his  horse  in  all 
fashions  of  show  exhibits.  He  also  shocd  horses  until 
his  health  required  that  he  quit.  He  suffered  a 
cancerous  kidney  that  was  removed  and  he  was  one  of 
the  lucky  ones.  It  was  discovered  early  enough  for 
total  recovery. 

He  had  an  experience  at  Farnum  that 
demonstrated  his  strength.  A  boy  had  fallen  into  Fall 
River  and  was  gone  by  the  time  the  companion  came 
for  help.  All  were  trying  to  find  him.  Ed  swam  the 
swift  river  twice  in  late  October  when  the  water  was 
near  freezing  in  search  of  him.  He  was  not  found 
until  a  month  later  lodged  in  a  dam  near  Chester. 

After  retiring  about  1980,  he  has  enjoyed 
touring  the  country  in  his  motor  home. 

By:  Verla  Benson  Freeman 


CHILDREN: 

(1)-  Margaret  Anna 

md. 

Denny  Jones 

(2)-  Butch 

md. 

Pam 

(3)-  Donald  Francis 

(4)-  Jane 

md. 

Jack  Pearson 

(5)-  Eddie 

md. 

Tom  Hale 

(6)-  Bobby  (Barbara  Jo) 

md. 

Mike  Shultz 

EVA  BENSON  HOWELL 


82 


b.r.  Rccd,  Jeanne,  Wayne,  Arden,  f.r.  Bruce,  Eva,  Bert,  Bob  Howell 

I  was  born  April  4,  1919  at  Drummond, 
Idaho,  the  third  child  and  first  daughter  of  Harry 
Lorenzo  Benson  and  Anna  Amelia  Cherry  Benson. 
When  I  was  four  years  old  the  family  moved  from 


Drummond  to  a  larger  farm  in  Famum.  I  remember 
moving  with  a  white  topped  buggy  and  team  of 
horses  plus  a  farm  wagon  and  horses.  We  moved  to  a 
little  larger  house  but  it  soon  filled  up  to  running 
over. 

I  started  school  in  Famum  at  the  age  of  six. 
My  first  grade  teacher  was  lone  Jensen.  She  taught 
me  for  two  years  before  she  married  Frank  Merrick. 
Of  all  the  teachers  I  ever  had,  I  think  she  was  my 
favorite.  Our  school  consisted  of  two  rooms,  with 
four  grades  in  each. 

The  farm  was  doing  well  by  then  so  dad 
bought  a  home  in  St.  Anthony  in  1928-1929  making 
it  easier  to  get  the  children  to  school.  We  moved 
there  for  one  year  but  the  next  fall  a  crop  loss  due  to 
hail  forced  dad  to  sell  the  home  in  St.  Anthony  for 
money  to  live  on  that  winter.  I  was  offered  a  chance 
to  work  for  my  board,  room,  books  and  clothes  for 
school,  my  parents  encouraged  me  to  go.  At  the  age 
of  eleven,  I  left  home  to  work  for  Mrs.  Mayo  in  St. 
Anthony  and  stayed  three  summers  and  two  winters. 
I  had  good  clothes  and  good  training  but  didn't  enjoy 
my  stay  there.  She  had  a  son  two  years  older  than  I 
who  was  really  mean  to  me  and  I  finally  got  my 
parents  consent  to  my  leaving  there.  I  went  to  the 
eighth  grade  at  home.  We  took  our  final  exam  in 
March  but  held  graduation  exercises  in  May.  I 
graduated  from  eighth  grade  with  four  other's:  Cedl 
Whitmore,  Jay  Hill,  Martha  Murdoch  and  Afton 
White. 

The  summer  I  was  seven,  my  cousin  pushed 
me  off  the  haystack  into  a  pile  of  hay  waiting  to  be  fed 
to  the  horses.  Years  later  it  was  found  that  I  had  a 
broken  neck  but  due  to  a  lack  of  medical  advantage  it 
was  not  discovered  at  the  time.  It  left  me  with  a  pain 
in  my  shoulder  until  thirty  five  years  later  when  I 
found  a  Doctor  who  was  able  to  take  the  pain  away. 

For  two  summers  I  worked  two  days  a  week 
for  Mae  Hawkes  and  as  a  baby  sitter  for  Percy  and  Ida 
Hawkes,  our  Bishop.  After  eighth  grade  graduation  I 
wanted  to  go  to  high  school  in  Ashton  but  there  was 
not  money  to  rent  a  place  for  me  through  the  winter. 
I  earned  enough  for  my  clothes  and  dad  helped  me 
find  a  place  to  stay  in  exchange  for  work.  I  lived  with 
the  Hunts  who  ran  a  dry  goods  store.  I  had  almost 
the  complete  running  of  the  house  and  meals.  They 
treated  me  very  well.  The  next  year  I  could  have  gone 
back  but  there  were  four  of  us  to  go  to  high  school  so 
dad  rented  us  a  two  room  apartment  in  Ashton,  when 
the  winter  became  to  severe  to  drive  back  and  forth. 
When  spring  came  we  drove  again  till  school  was  out. 

I  went  to  work  for  Homer  and  Anna  Jones  at 
Drummond  after  school  was  out  and  stayed  through 
threshing  season.  Anna  was  ill  and  I  cooked  alone  for 
the  harvest  men.  I  didn't  go  back  to  school  that  fall. 

While  living  at  Hunts  I  met  Bert  Howell  at  a 
school  house  dance  and  married  him  November  18, 
1935. 

We  lived  in  the  Cafe  building  at  Warm  River 
that  winter,  serving  as  caretakers  of  the  resort.    Bert      «2 


started  working  on  construction  jobs  and  we  moved  a 
lot  the  next  ten  years.  Living  in  a  tent,  apartments 
and  finally  a  trailer  house.  We  helped  to  build  the 
Atomic  Plant  at  Hanford,  Washington,  but  after  that 
work  became  scarce  with  out  a  big  move.  So  in  June 
of  1944  Bert  went  to  The  Aleutian  Islands  to  work  on 
a  War  project.  I  lived  in  Shelton,  Washington  with 
the  three  children  while  he  was  gone.  Thirteen 
months  later  when  he  returned  we  had  saved  enough 
to  venture  into  buying  a  farm  in  Archer,  Idaho,  which 
we  have  lived  on  ever  since.  We  started  out  with  40 
acres  and  an  old  log  house.  Later  we  added  another 
50  acres  and  went  into  the  dairy  business  which  we 
kept  for  26  years.  During  that  time  we  built  a  new 
house  but  refusing  to  go  into  debt  for  it  we  took  four 
years  to  get  it  finished.  For  several  years  the  boys  and 
I  ran  the  dairy  while  Bert  helped  pioneer  the  artificial 
insemination  of  cattle  in  our  county  and  later  several 
surrounding  counties.  When  the  older  boys  left  home 
he  had  to  drop  that  work  to  help  at  home  with  the 
dairy  but  as  each  boy  left  more  and  more  of  the 
milking  fell  to  me.  After  two  years  we  gave  it  up  and 
sold  the  cows. 

We  were  not  touched  by  the  waters  of  the 
Teton  Dam  break  but  spent  a  few  anxious  moments. 
In  the  spring  of  1982  Myrth,  Myma  and  I  went  to 
Europe  to  meet  Myrna's  Missionary  daughter  and 
take  a  two  week  tour. 

We  celebrated  our  50th  anniversary  in 
November  1985.  I've  served  in  many  church 
positions,  through  the  years. 

I  have  enjoyed  crafts,  quilt  making,  gardening 
and  cooking.  I  have  made  many  men's  suits,  shirts  and 
ties.  I  also  make  most  of  my  own  clothes  and  do  lots 
of  sewing.  We  are  still  farming. 

By:  Eva  Benson  Howell  Sep.  1990 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  David  Reed  b- 1936 
md-  Ada  Lou  Sutton. 

(2)  Robert  Eugene  b-  1938 
md-  Myrtle  Roma  Kennington 

(3)  Evelyn  Jean  b-  1941 
md-  Terry  Gifford 

(4)  Benson  Bruce  b-  1948 
md-  Aldene  Edith  Beesley 

(5)  Alan  Wayne  b- 1951 
md-  Loralee  Cook 

(6)  Arden  Jay  b-  1955 
md-  Janet  Shirley 

ETHEL  MAY  BENSON  SCOTT 

I  was  born  at  home  with  Doctor  Hargis 
assisting,  on  February  19,  1921,  at  Drummond, 
Fremont,  Idaho,  the  daughter  of  Harry  Lorenzo  and 
Anna  Amelia  Cherry,  Benson.  My  earliest  recollection 
is  of  moving  in  a  wagon  from  Drummond  to  Famum, 
Idaho,  where  my  father  farmed  a  thousand  acres  of 
dry  farm.    The  house  at  Famum  had  a  wooden  front 


b.r.  Suzanne,  Elmer,  Mardell,  Daniel  f.r.  Lila  Mac,  May,  Vem  Scott 

gate  which  I  remember  swinging  on.  One  day  soon 
after  we  moved  there,  a  neighbor  boy,  Stanley  Bratt, 
came  over  and  brought  me  an  all-day  sucker.  He 
lived  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  but  he  was 
visiting  his  grandmother  who  lived  across  the  road 
from  us.  Just  to  the  east  of  her  place  was  the  Famum 
ward  church  house.  We  had  many  good  times  there. 
Dances  were  held  often  and  the  whole  family  would 
go.  When  the  children  got  tired  they  were  put  to 
sleep  on  the  benches  which  were  turned  to  face  the 
walls  so  they  wouldn't  fall  off.  I  began  dancing  when 
I  was  only  six  years  old  and  have  always  loved  to 
dance.  The  music  was  a  fiddle  played  by  our  bishop 
Thomas  T.  Murdoch,  a  clarinet  played  by  one  of  the 
school  teachers  Bryan  Bean,  and  the  piano  played  by 
Mrs.  Kirkham. 

We  lived  exactly  one  mile  from  the  Famum 
school  house.  I  started  to  school  when  I  was  six  years 
old,  my  teacher  was  Mrs.  Sartin,  my  classmates  were: 
Stanley  Bratt,  Delia  Murdoch,  and  Bud  Whitmore. 
The  Bean's  came  and  taught  for  several  years.  They 
had  a  son  Robert  (Bob).  When  we  graduated  from 
the  eighth  grade  there  were  still  just  the  three  of  us. 

We  all  got  together  at  our  high  school  class 
reunion  in  1976.  We  had  a  picture  taken  and 
published  in  the  Ashton  Herald  to  celebrate  our  39th 
anniversary.  There  were  still  just  the  three  of  us. 

I  went  to  Drummond  school  when  I  was  in 
the  fourth  grade  and  lived  with  the  Percy  Hawkes 
family.  That  was  during  the  depression  and  I  was 
practically  never  home  after,  that  as  I  would  work 
around  for  people  who  needed  baby  sitters  or  help 
with  cooking  during  the  summers.  When  I  was  in  the 
seventh  grade  I  went  to  stay  with  my  aunt  Velma 
Siddoway  at  Wilford.  There  were  no  other  seventh 
graders  so  I  did  eighth  grade  work  and  passed  okay. 

I  graduated  from  the  Ashton  High  School  in 
1938  at  age  17.  I  worked  until  the  next  Christmas 
time,  when  Acy  and  May  Hawkes  brought  me  to 
California  with  them,  when  they  came  for  the  winter. 
In  the  spring  when  they  went  home,  I  stayed  in 


84 


California.  I  worked  for  the  David  H.  Cannon  family. 
He  was  an  attorney  and  a  Stake  President.  I  went  to 
college  the  next  winter  and  still  worked  for  them. 
Then  I  moved  into  an  apartment  and  worked  for  the 
telephone  company  until  I  got  married. 

I  married  Vernon  Chester  Scott  on  Dec  5, 
1941.  While  we  were  on  our  honeymoon  in  Tiajuana, 
Mexico,  Pearl  Harbor  was  attacked.  The  next 
October,  Vem  went  into  the  Air  force.  I  continued  to 
stay  in  Burbank  and  changed  jobs  to  work  patriotically 
at  the  Vega  airplane  plant.  In  December  of  1943,  I 
moved  to  Bakersfield  as  Vernon  had  been  stationed 
there  for  over  a  year.  He  was  a  link  trainer  instmctor. 
Vem  was  sent  to  Virginia  for  some  training.  I  went  to 
Texas  to  stay  with  his  folk's  while  he  was  gone.  He 
came  home  in  September  1945.  We  moved  to  Taft 
the  next  spring  and  started  building  a  house  in 
Greenacres.  We  had  3/4  acre  of  land  there,  so  we 
raised  a  big  garden  and  kept  a  cow. 

In  1960  we  moved  to  Bakersfield,  that  fall  I 
went  back  to  college.  I  graduated  in  1964  from 
Fresno  State  teachers  College.  That  Fall  I  started 
teaching  school  at  Norris  Elementary.  I  taught  fourth 
grade  for  two  years  and  first  grade  for  three  years.  I 
like  to  do  art  work.  I  took  a  correspondence  course  in 
art  when  I  was  in  Los  Angeles  before  I  was  married.  I 
like  to  cook  and  sew  and  enjoy  crafts.  I  drew  the  blue 
prints  for  the  house  we  built  in  Greenacres  and  also 
pounded  a  lot  of  nails  and  spread  a  lot  of  paint. 

I  took  care  of  my  mother  7  years  until  her 
death.  I  still  write  to  Delia  Murdoch  Davis  Perry 
whom  I  started  in  the  first  grade  with  over  50  years 
ago,  in  Famum.  1  also  keep  in  touch  with  my  best 
friend  from  high  school,  Cleo  May  Smith  Gledhill. 

One  of  the  highlights  of  our  life  was  our  trip 
to  Nauvoo  for  the  dedication  of  a  monument  to  the 
women  of  the  church  and  family  unity. 

In  the  bicentennial  year,  Vern  and  I  took  a 
month-long  trip  to  the  eastern  part  of  the  U.S.  where 
we  visited  historical  places  like  Jamestown,  Virginia, 
Philadelphia,  Washington  D.C.  Boston,  Cape  Cod, 
and  Niagara  Falls.  It  was  a  very  exciting  trip.  In 
1979,  finished  a  book  of  poetry  for  my  children 
relating  some  of  their  childhood  experiences. 

In  August  1984,  Vern  and  I  were  called  to 
serve  a  mission  for  our  church  for  one  year  in 
Argentina.  We  have  now  settied  down  in  Lehi,  Utah. 

By:  Ethel  May  Benson  Scott 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Suzanne  b- 1944 

md-  John  M.  Jennings 

(2)  Elmer  b-  1945 

md-  Debbie 

(3)  Daniel  b-  1947 

md-  Pamela 

(4)  MardeU  b-  1950 

md-  Bmce  Lloyd 

(5)  lila  May  b-  1955 

md-  Dan  Kesterson 


GROWING  UP  IN  FARNUM 

Every  time  I  hear  firecrackers,  I  remember 
the  good  times  we  used  to  have  on  the  Fourth  of  July. 
Dad  would  always  see  to  it  that  each  of  us  kids  had  a 
pack  of  firecrackers.  Some  how  we  never  had  a  fire 
get  out  of  control.  I  think  now  what  a  disaster  it 
would  have  been  had  we  started  a  fire  in  the  wheat 
fields  which  grew  right  next  to  our  house.  Sometimes 
the  boys  would  get  a  cap  gun  also  with  some  caps. 
The  day  would  begin  at  sun-up  as  did  every  other  day. 
At  the  sound  of  the  first  firecracker  our  little  black  and 
white  terrier,  Pal,  would  put  his  tail  between  his  legs 
and  run  under  the  house.  We  wouldn't  see  him  again 
until  the  next  day.  Our  favorite  sport  was  to  see  how 
high  we  could  blow  a  tin  can  into  the  air  by  lighting 
more  and  more  firecrackers  under  it  at  the  same  time. 
We  always  guarded  our  supply  so  we  would  be  sure  to 
have  a  few  left:  for  after  dark  that  night. 

Some  times  we  went  picnicking  in  the 
mountains.  Once  I  remember  a  ward  party  down  on 
Conant  Creek.  That  was  the  day  I  first  learned  how 
to  swim-paddle,  anyway  it  kept  me  on  top  of  the 
water  and  I  felt  I  had  really  accomplished  something. 
We  never  had  swimming  suits,  just  went  in  our  flour 
sack  underwear  and  an  old  dress  that  was  too  short  to 
wear  for  anything  else.  We  never  felt  ashamed 
because  everyone  else  did  the  same.  There  were  lots 
of  craw-dads  in  the  creek  and  we  girls  were  afi^d  they 
would  get  us.  That  was  great  for  the  boys  because 
they  could  make  us  run  and  scream  when  they 
threatened  to  put  them  on  us. 

At  picnics  our  family  would  always  eat  salmon 
sandwiches.  I  loved  them  with  beet  pickles  sliced  on 
them.  The  homemade  bread  would  have  been 
delicious  all  by  itself,  mother  really  did  make  good 
bread.  Sometimes  we  had  fried  chicken  or  bologna 
sandwiches  too.  We  topped  it  off  with  cake  and 
homemade  ice-cream. 

Christmas,  I  remember,  started  early  with  our 
pouring  over  the  Sears  Roebuck  catalogue  to  pick  out 
the  things  we  would  like  to  have. 

LOREL  HARRY  BENSON 

Lorel  Harry  Benson  was  bom  at  Drummond, 
Idaho,  October  19,  1922,  to  Harry  and  Anna  Cherry 
Benson.  The  family  lived  in  Drummond  and  later 
moved  to  Famum  where  Lorel  grew  up.  One  of  our 
favorite  pastimes  was  to  take  the  cows  to  the  pasture 
up  "south  lane".  Lloyd  Bratt  had  taken  their  cows  to 
the  pasture  up  "south  lane",  to  their  pasture  on  the 
opposite  side.  We  would  all  three  go  to  the 
"haunted"  house  on  the  Woodland  place  just  at  the 
edge  of  the  big  hill. 

We  had  been  forbidden  to  go  there,  probably 
because  there  were  cisterns  open.  They  had  water  in 
them  from  the  snow  melt.  There  was  also  many  tall 
tumbleweeds  and  bull  thisdcs  in  an  unkempt  yard  to 
hide  those  cisterns. 


Wc  knew  where  they  were.  We  were  not 
about  to  M  in  them.  Our  parents  didn't  know  that. 

This  house  was  used  by  some  moonshiners 
during  prohibition  and  so  was  dubbed  "haunted"  to 
keep  people  away.  We  liked  to  play  like  we  were  the 
haunts.  Wc  would  climb  up  the  outside  where  a  stair 
used  to  be  to  the  attic.  When  neighbor  kids  came 
around,  we  would  drop  loose  bricks  down  the 
chinmey.  Kids  would  pause,  then  scatter.  We  would 
stay  all  day  and  enjoy  ourselves.  About  dark,  Lloyd's 
mother  began  to  call,  we  would  start  home,  in  no 
hurry.  When  she  met  us  at  the  comer,  she  would 
have  a  willow.  Lloyd  hurried  then  with  every  switch 
all  the  way  home.  We,  of  course,  were  disciplined  too 
and  the  next  time  also,  but  "a  cussin  don't  hurt  and  a 
lickin'  don't  last  long"  we'd  say  to  ourselves.  Littie 
did  we  realize  how  we  worried  our  folks. 

Lorel  couldn't  pronounce  his  L's  when  he 
started  school  and  it  was  hard  for  him,  so  he  was  held 
back  that  year.  His  folks  had  bought  a  home  and 
moved  to  St.  Anthony.  He  did  well  and  got  excellent 
grades. 

Things  didn't  go  right.  We  were  hailed  out 
the  next  summer  and  the  folks  were  forced  to  sell  the 
house  in  St.  Anthony  and  move  back  to  Farnum. 
Here  he  had  the  same  Mrs.  Bean  the  next  three  years. 

Lorel  liked  to  ski,  snowshoe,  dance,  and  just 
have  fim.  He  had  many  friends,  both  genders.  He 
was  tall,  blonde,  and  handsome. 

One  "Dog  Race  Day"  at  Ashton,  his  name 
showed  in  the  entry  for  snowshoe  barrel  race  during 
the  long  laps  the  dogs  ran.  Dad  shook  his  head  and 
said,  "I  don't  think  he  ever  snowshoed,"  and  worried 
for  him.  He  was  to  run  on  snowshoes  a  distance, 
climb  through  a  wooden  barrel,  run  a  distance,  climb 
through  another  barrel,  etc.,  always  with  the 
snowshoes  on.  He  won. 

In  the  8th  grade,  (we  graduated  fi-om  the  8th 
then),  the  county  superintendent  had  said  that 
anyone  who  maintained  an  "A"  grade  would  not 
have  to  take  the  test.  Lorel  qualified.  Mr.  Smith,  the 
teacher,  learned  that  you  could  not  force  Lord  so  he 
won  him  through  love  and  friendship.  He  would 
walk  up  to  our  house  evenings  or  Lorel  walked  to  his 
and  would  challenge  each  other  a  game  of  Camclot, 
or  train  dogs  to  pull  the  sleigh,  play  keeps  at  marbles, 
and  Mr.  Smith  kept  them.  Mr  .  Smith  did  things 
with  Lorel  that  he  liked  to  do,  anything  to  be  a 
friend.  All  the  time  teaching  him.  Laurel  started 
high  school  at  Ashton  and  left  school  when  he  was  a 
sophomore. 

Not  long  after  he  joined  the  Marines  at  18  in 
1940.  He  still  could  not  accept  discipline  in  a 
forceful  way  so  it  was  an  experience  for  him.  He 
liked  the  Marines.  He  taught  hand-to-hand  combat, 
fist  fighting,  club  fighting,  bayonet,  jujitsu,  and  the 
ways  a  man  defends  himself  without  weapons. 

December  6,  1941  found  him  at  Pearl 

Harb>or.    When  the  Japanese  attacked,  the  men  were 

or     all  on  leave.    Everyone  ran  for  whatever  they  could 


do.  There  was  no  command.  He  carried  shrapnel  in 
his  hip  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  told  how  the  Japanese 
would  tie  themselves  in  a  tree  so  they  couldn't  fell. 
When  the  Marines  fired  again  and  again,  the  Japanese 
company  could  tell  where  they  were.  They  could 
come  in  and  eat  and  sleep  right  among  the  men  to 
get  information.  Their  fatigues  were  alike.  They 
were  dirty  and  whiskery  and  many  had  been  educated 
in  the  United  States  so  they  spoke  perfect  English 
except  for  their  "r''s.  Their  passwords  were  always 
heavy  with  "r''s  to  detect  them.  He  told  once  of 
sitting  at  a  mess  table.  Someone  called  out,  "Pass  the 
sugar."  The  CO.  drew  his  gun  and  shot  him  right 
there.  They  questioned  why.  "He's  a  Jap."  they 
said,  "how  did  you  know?"  He  said,  "You  all  know 
we  haven't  had  any  sugar  since  we  have  been  on  this 
island." 

When  his  four-year  enlistment  was  up,  the 
war  was  not  over  so  he  had  to  serve  two  more  years 
before  he  was  honorably  discharged. 

He  served  on  Midway,  Wake,  and  Guam. 
He  was  two  days  out  of  the  Philippines,  when  they 
fell  to  the  Japanese.  He  came  home  for  a  30-day 
furlough  and  told  his  experiences  to  us. 

He  married  Jean  Harmon,  but  was  later 
divorced.  He  stayed  in  California  with  Ed  and  found 
work  there  in  a  heat  treat  (for  aeroplanes)  plant  in 
1948.  He  went  to  Redding,  California  and  worked 
in  the  lumber  mill.  He  married  Gwen  Reader,  May 
17,  1952,  who  had  been  Melvin's  wife  (divorced), 
and  lived  in  North  Hollywood,  California.  They  had 
three  boys:  Thomas  Michael  (Tom),  Steven  Harry, 
Brian  Bradley.  He  also  adopted  (Kathy)  Kathleen 
Elaine  October  21,  1941  by  Gwen's  previous 
marriage  and  raised  her  as  his  own. 

Tragedy  struck  this  home  and  Gwen  died 
suddenly  October  14,  1959.  He  married  her  friend, 
PauHne  Wilson,  in  1960.  To  this  union  was  given 
another  boy,  David  (Swede).  They  were  divorced 
and  his  life  was  again  very  severe.  His  health  was 
failing.  He  loved  his  children  and  stated  that 
regardless  of  what  they  did  he  would  never  whip 
them.  He  stood  by  them  always  and  did  the  best  he 
could.  He  was  very  lonely  and  had  very  little  means. 

He  sold  real  estate.  He  contracted  cancer 
which  took  his  life  slowly.  Eva,  Myrth  and  I  visited 
him  in  the  Veteran's  Hospital  at  Sylmar,  California  a 
few  months  before  his  parting.  He  passed  away 
January  7th  1978.  He  was  buried  next  to  his  wife, 
Gwen,  at  Glenhaven  Memorial,  San  Fernando, 
California. 

By:  Verla  Benson  Freeman 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Thomas  Michael 

(2)  Steven  Harry 

(3)  Brian  Bradley 

(4)  Kathleen  Elaine  (his  second  wife's  child  by  a 
previous  marriage  whom  he  adopted). 


VERLA  BENSON  FREEMAN 


86 


Norman  Laync,  Marion  Doyle,  CoUccn,  Shelly,  Verla,  D.  Freeman 

I  was  bom  April  30,  1924,  the  first  summer 
after  my  folks  moved  ft-om  Drummond  to  Famum, 
Idaho.  I  am  the  middle  child  of  eleven  children.  My 
parents  were  Harry  Lorenzo  and  Anna  Amelia  Cherry 
Benson. 

The  dry  ferm  we  lived  on  was  owned  by  a  Mr. 
Betke  ft-om  Omaha,  Nebraska.  Dad  fermed  it  for  18 
years.  He  also  rented  other  ferms  and  bought  a  40- 
acre  irrigated  ferm  near  Connant  Creek. 

We  lived  across  the  road  from  the  church 
house.  This  played  a  major  part  in  our  young  lives. 
Our  parents  did  the  janitor  work  for  the  church  for 
some  time.  There  were  pack  rats  under  the  stage. 
They  often  stole  the  sacrament  glasses  and  left 
whatever  they  chose  to  exchange.  We  always  knew 
where  to  retrieve  them  as  there  was  always  something 
left  for  what  they  took.  There  was  a  small  cut  glass 
window  in  the  west  side  of  the  church,  a  pump  organ, 
and  pigeons  cooing  in  the  bclfiy.  I  remember  "Mr. 
Rogers"  with  yellow  glasses.  He  walked  past  our 
house.  In  church  he  sat  on  a  chair  on  the  little  kids 
row,  with  his  hand  cupped  over  his  ear  so  he  could 
hear. 

The  school  was  one  mile  from  us.  It  was 
built  of  cement  blocks,  2  rooms,  with  a  hall  in 
between.  Each  morning  when  the  teacher  rang  the 
bell,  we  all  lined  up  and  marched  into  the  school.  We 
saluted  the  flag,  gave  the  pledge  of  allegiance, 
someone  gave  a  prayer,  and  school  began.  The 
teachers  were  a  man  and  wife.  Each  taught  four 
grades.  They  Hved  in  the  "cottage"  on  the  school 
grounds. 

We  graduated  from  the  8th  grade  then. 
There  were  eight  in  the  first  grade  with  me,  two  sets 
of  twins  included.  When  I  graduated,  there  were  the 
Roger  twins  and  me. 

Then  we  went  on  to  high  school  in  Ashton. 
Sometimes  we  worked  for  our  room  and  board  at  a 


home  in  town.  Sometimes  Dad  rented  a  room  in  a 
home.  There  was  no  bus  until  my  sophomore  year. 

We  moved  to  Lyman,  Idaho  during 
Christmas  vacation  1940.  This  was  mid-term  my 
junior  year.  I  graduated  from  Madison  High  School 
in  1942.  The  boys  were  leaving  for  the  service. 
World  War  11  was  just  beginning,  patriotism  was  the 
word,  and  feeling  of  the  young  people  that  age. 

Dee  Freeman  came  into  my  life  in  June  of 
1942,  we  became  engaged  before  he  was  drafted  in 
September  of  1942.  He  served  in  the  European 
Theatre  of  the  war  and  served  38  months  overseas. 

The  fall  of  1942  I  went  to  Los  Angeles  to 
work  in  the  home  of  David  Cannon.  After  a  short 
time  there  I  hired  into  Vega  Aircraft  as  a  frame 
builder.  I  earned  $1.10  per  hour. 

I  helped  construct  the  fiiselage  and  the  main 
door  of  the  famous  B-17  Flying  Fortress,  Airplane.  At 
this  time,  it  was  playing  a  major  roll  in  the  European 
theater,  specifically  in  England. 

I  came  home  after  "D.  Day".  I  was  married 
to  Dec  Lamoine  Freeman  on  June  25,  1946,  at  my 
parent's  home  in  Lyman. 

We  settled  in  Independence.  We  both  said 
we  wouldn't  farm  but  here  were  farming  40  acres  that 
belonged  to  his  father 

We  bought  a  one  room  house  and  moved  it 
on  the  place  .  Here  we  lived  until  we  were  able  to 
build  the  home  we  live  in  now 

Except  for  his  service  time  D.  has  spent  his 
entire  63  years  on  the  farm  where  he  was  bom. 

Few  family  farms  still  have  pigs,  chickens, 
cows,  or  horses. 

Gardening  is  still  done  at  most  homes.  What  took 
weeks  in  1964  and  before  to  run  a  farm  can  be  done 
in  a  matter  of  hours  and  very  few  hands. 

Since  World  War  11,  we  have  seen  antibiotics, 
heart  and  other  organ  transplants,  rocket  space  flight 
to  the  moon,  the  splitting  of  the  atom,  and  many 
more  great  things  of  world  progression. 

We  felt  the  Hebgen  Lake  earth  quake,  also 
the  recent  one  at  Mackay,  we  were  on  the  edge  of  the 
Teton  Dam  flood  and  greatfull  to  be  spared.  Though 
we  were  much  involved. 

Time  changes  nor  does  it  stand  still.  It's 
most  enjoyable,  when  they  all  return  home  for  a  visit 
and  fill  the  house  with  love  and  the  noise  of 
grandchildren.  Home  has  become  the  best  place  to 
be.  Our  roots  are  here  in  Independence  on  the  Texas 
slough  approximately  four  and  a  half  miles  from 
Rexburg.  God  has  treated  us  well  .  We  have  enjoyed 
his  blessings. 

By  Verla  Benson  Freeman 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Colleen  b-  1948 
md-  William  S.  Fowler 

(2)  Norman  Layne  b-  1950 
md-  Deborah  Kay  Bond 


(3)  Marlon  Doyle  b-  1955 
md-  Sonjia  Siepert 

(4)  SheUy  b-  1963 
md-  Ronald  K,  Samford 

MYRTH  BENSON  BOWEN 


87 


MYRTH  BENSON  BOWEN  FAMILY 


I  was  bom  the  7th  child  of  Harry  Lorenzo 
Benson  and  Anna  Amelia  Cherry,  July  29,  1926  at 
Famum,  Idaho,  and  was  followed  30  minutes  later  by 
a  brother,  Melvin  C. 

I  had  a  happy  and  carefree  childhood  in 
Famum.  Attended  grade  school  in  Famum  in  a  two 
room  school  a  mile  from  our  home.  I  graduated  from 
the  8th  grade  there.  The  entire  graduating  class 
consisted  of  myself  and  my  twin  brother. 

Farnum  was  a  dry  farm  community  and  the 
winters  were  hard.  We  would  often  ski  to  school 
behind  the  school  sleigh.  Every  family  had  a  one  or 
two  bob  (mnners)  covered  sleigh  pulled  by  a  team  of 
horses.  This  is  how  we  went  to  town,  community 
activities,  and  school.  Our  family  sleigh  was  a  one 
bob  with  a  canvas  cover,  boards  along  the  sides  for 
seats,  and  a  small  hole  in  the  front  door  for  the  lines 
to  go  through.  There  was  a  small  square  stove  in  one 
corner  that  Dad  made  from  and  old  gas  tank.  We 
stored  wood  under  the  scats  and  kept  a  fire  going.  It 
was  a  very  comfortable  way  to  travel,  although  it  had 
an  element  of  danger,  too.  Sometimes  going  over 
drifts  the  sleigh  would  tip  over  and  then  there  could 
be  a  fire.  Fortunately  our  family  never  suffered  such 
an  accident  that  I  can  remember. 

One  year  when  I  was  in  the  4th  or  5th  grade 
a  bad  blizzard  came  up  in  the  afternoon  and  none  of 
the  school  sleighs  were  able  to  get  to  the  school 
house.  It  was  necessary  for  all  of  us  to  stay  at  the 
school  all  night.  Mrs.  Smith  took  all  the  giris  and 
stayed  in  the  teacher's  cottage  (a  three-room  house  on 
the  comer  of  the  school  yard)  and  Mr.  Smith  stayed  in 
the  school  house  with  the  boys  and  kept  the  fires 


going  to  keep  warm.  The  next  day  the  sun  shone 
bright  and  wc  skied  home  holding  on  the  telephone 
wires.  It  was  several  days  before  we  could  return  to 
school. 

In  1940  I  started  High  School  in  Ashton.  In 
December  of  that  year  we  moved  to  a  form  in  Lyman, 
Idaho,  south  of  Rexburg,  and  at  the  first  of  the  year  I 
started  school  at  Madison  High  School.  I  finished  my 
Jr.  year  there.  I  met  Dec  Farrell  Bowen  and  on  July 
16,  1943  wc  were  married  in  the  Logan,  Utah 
Temple.  Our  first  home  had  only  one  room  and  later 
we  moved  to  a  two-room  apartment  in  Pocatello, 
Idaho  just  two  blocks  fi-om  the  railroad  shop  where 
Dee  was  employed  making  55  cents  an  hour.  That 
fall  Dee  quit  the  shops  and  we  moved  to  David 
Spaulding's  dry  farm  above  Canyon  Creek.  We 
helped  in  the  harvest  that  Fall,  living  in  a  tent.  When 
the  harvest  was  finished  Dee  found  full  time  work 
from  Orville  Jeppson  and  we  moved  to  a  two- room 
home  on  his  dry  farm.  We  received  $75  a  month,  a 
pig  for  meat  and  our  eggs  and  milk.  As  we  had  no  car 
or  means  of  transportation  we  stayed  there  all  winter, 
not  coming  out  until  spring.  When  spring  came  and 
field  work  began  we  received  $150  a  month  through 
the  summer.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  wc  bought 
our  first  car.  A  '29  Chevrolet  costing  $50.  I  don't 
think  we  have  been  so  happy  with  a  car  since. 

In  Oaobcr  of  that  year  Dee  was  drafted  into 
the  Army  (W.  W.  II)  and  I  moved  back  with  my 
parents.  At  Christmas  time  Margaret  Birch  and  I  took 
a  Greyhound  bus  to  Mineral  Wells,  Texas,  to  spend 
the  next  two  months  with  our  husbands  who  were  at 
Camp  Wolters  for  their  Army  training  before  going 
over  seas.  We  arrived  Christmas  Eve.  Dee  and  Reid 
had  rented  a  room  for  us  to  share,  twenty  blocks  from 
town.  Later  we  were  able  to  find  a  single  room  for 
each  of  us  closer  to  town.  While  we  lived  there  I 
worked  in  a  laundry  in  a  large  hotel  to  help  support 
us.  The  Government  paid  me  $55  a  month  and  Dee 
got  about  $17.  With  what  Httie  I  made  in  the  laundry 
it  was  still  hard  to  make  ends  meet,  so  we  had  to  sell 
our  beloved  car  to  my  father  for  money  to  sustain  us 
until  I  returned  home. 

In  February  we  rode  a  troop  train  home  and  I 
again  stayed  with  Mom  and  Dad  while  Dee  shipped 
over  seas  for  active  duty. 

Dee  was  wounded  and  in  October  returned 
home  after  some  months  in  hospitals.  The  war  ended 
that  year  and  on  Dee's  return  we  again  became  a 
family. 

It  was  impossible  to  find  a  place  to  live  as  so 
many  service  men  were  returning  home.  Bishop 
Angus  Peterson  had  a  two-room  house  on  his 
property.  The  windows  were  all  broken  out  and  the 
doors  left  open.  Cows  and  horses  had  been  in  and 
out  for  some  time.  We  painted  it,  put  new  windows 
in  and  cheap  linoleum  on  the  floors  and  moved  in. 
We  lived  there  for  the  next  year.  In  the  spring  of 
1946  we  rented  and  that  fall  bought  the  farm  where 
we  now  live.   We  lived  in  two  rooms  of  an  old  house 


on  this  farm  for  the  next  1  1/2  years,  while  we  built 
the  home  wc  now  live  in.  We  went  to  the  hills  and  cut 
and  hauled  all  the  logs  and  rough  lumber  and  built 
the  house  ourselves.  It  had  four  rooms  and  a  bath, 
with  a  full  basement,  central  heat  and  running  water, 
(Heaven). 

We  still  live  in  this  home  but  it  is  much  larger 
now.  Our  children  are  all  married  and  live  close 
around  us  with  children  and  homes  of  their  own.  Our 
grandchildren  are  in  and  out  of  our  home  all  the  time 
and  we  love  it. 

During  the  years  we  have  both  been  active  in 
the  Church  Of  Jesus  Christ  Of  Latter-Day  Saints.  We 
have   both   had   many  opportunities  to  serve. 

I  worked  for  many  years  as  a  waitress  and 
grocery  checker  and  am  now  happy  to  work  in  the 
Church  and  the  most  important  profession  of  all, 
housewife,  mother,  grandmother,  and  great 
grandmother.  I  have  a  large  yard  and  garden  and  love 
to  work  in  them  in  the  summer,  especially  seeing  the 
flowers  and  vegetables  grow  as  I  work  with  them. 

In  1982  I  had  an  experience  I  never  dreamed 
I  would  have.  Eva,  Myma,  and  her  daughter,  Shauna 
and  I  enjoyed  a  tour  of  Europe.  We  worked  hard  for 
this,  earning  the  money  for  it  by  picking  worms, 
making  craft  items  to  sell,  raising  and  selling 
raspberries,  and  other  garden  produce  and  many  other 
projects,  it  was  a  wonderful  treat  in  our  lives. 

In  1975  I  went  to  Night  School  for  6  weeks, 
took  a  G.E.D.  test  and  received  my  High  School 
Diploma. 

I  enjoy  our  Family  reunions.  I  especially 
enjoy  getting  to  know  family  members  and  relatives 
better.  Dee  was  called  to  be  Bishop  of  the  Ricks 
College  15th  Ward.  This  also  necessitated  my  being 
released  as  Relief  Society  President.  I  am  back  in 
Lyman  Ward  at  this  time  getting  acquainted  again  in 
our  home  ward. 

By:  Myrth  Benson  Bowen 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Elva  Ann 

(2)  DeeAnna 

(3)  Paul  M. 

(4)  Stephen  Dee 

(5)  Gary  L. 


b- 

b-  1945 
b-  1949 
b-  1952 
b-  1954 


d-  Infant  10  hours  old 


MELVIN  C.  BENSON 

Twin  Melvin  C.  Benson,  with  his  sister 
Myrth,  was  bom  in  Famum,  Idaho,  on  July  29,  1926. 
They  were  blue-eyed  blonds,  otherwise  they  never 
really  looked  very  much  alike.  They  resembled 
members  of  Dad's  family. 

Mother  states  in  her  history  that  they  gave 
more  attention  to  the  twins  and  enjoyed  them  more. 
Twins  should  be  special.  Melvin  had  a  hernia  and 
cried  a  lot.  Mom  used  to  say  she  sat  with  Myrth 
across  her  knees  and  Melvin  in  her  arms  and  cried 
g^^     with  them. 


Mclvin  enjoyed  working  with  the  dogs 
pulling  the  little  sleigh  and  playing  with  his  brothers 
and  sisters. 

Melvin  attended  school  at  Farnum  until  he 
graduated  from  the  eighth  grade.  Then  he  attended 
high  school  at  Ashton  for  freshman  and  half  of  his 
sophomore  year.  He  finished  high  school  at  Madison 
in  Rexburg.  He  joined  the  Guard  and  then  went  to 
serve  his  country  in  the  Navy  of  the  United  States. 
The  Pacific  theater  was  where  he  served.  He  had 
many  friends  in  Lyman,  but  always  felt  that  Farnum 
was  "home". 

After  his  service  years,  he  stayed  in  San 
Fernando,  California.  He  found  work  with  Standard 
Oil  Co.  and  managed  his  service  station. 

He  spent  one  year  in  Lyman  after  Dad  died, 
helping  Mother  and  working  in  Idaho  Falls.  In 
traveling  to  Idaho  Falls,  he  had  a  wreck  at  Ucon.  He 
spent  some  time  in  the  hospital  but  survived. 

He  returned  to  California  to  his  service 
station  work  and  later  managed  a  parts  house.  He  is  a 
ham  operator. 

In  1983,  they  left  Sylmar,  California,  and 
made  their  home  at  Kemville,  California,  near  Rutli's 
parents. 

Melvin  and  his  wife,  Ruth  Binns,  now  live  at 
Kemville,  California. 

By:  Verla  Benson  Freeman 

CHILDREN: 

From  marriage  to  Gwen  Reeder: 

(l)Kathleen 

From  marriage  to  Marion  Home: 
(l)Amelia  Marie 
(2)Cari  Melissa 
(3)Raymond  Dee 

From  his  marriage  to  Ruth  Binns,  he  has  had 

in  his  home  the  following  children  from 

Ruth's  first  marriage: 
(l)Alan  James  Curric 
(2)Jamcs  William  Curric 
(3)Sandra  Marie  Currie 
(4)Ruth  Twilt 
(5)Hank  Twilt 

DENNIS  KEITH  BENSON 

Dennis  Keith  Benson  was  the  fifth  son  and 
ninth  child  of  Harry  Lorenzo  Benson  and  Anna 
Amelia  Cherry  (Benson).  He  was  bom  at  Farnum, 
Idaho,  on  13  Mar  1931.  He  began  school  in  the  two- 
room  school  house  and  the  entire  eight  grades  were 
taught  by  two  teachers.  He  moved  with  the  family  to 
Lyman,  Idaho  in  1941  and  graduated  Valedictorian  of 
his  class  and  subsequently,  from  Madison  High 
School  in  Rexburg,  Idaho.  He  briefly  attended  Ricks 
College  and  later  graduated  Cum  Laudc  from  Idaho 
State  College  in  Pocatello,  Idaho,  with  a  B.S.  Degree 
in  Physics.  He  married  Marilyn  Woolf  of  lone,  Idaho, 
at  the  Idaho  Falls  Temple  on  July  27,  1950.  That  fall 


they  moved  from  Idaho  to  Southem  Califomia.  He 
returned  with  his  family  to  Pocatello,  Idaho  in  1952, 
where  he  lived  until  he  graduated  in  1956. 

Keith  and  his  family  moved  from  Idaho  to 
California  where  he  was  employed  by  General 
Dynamics  in  the  creation  and  sales  of  new  missile 
systems.  They  lived  in  Pomona,  Califomia  until  1963, 
when  they  moved  to  Newport  Beach.  The  children  all 
grew  up  at  the  Newport  Beach  home. 

Keith  changed  companies  and  joined 
Rockwell  International  for  a  few  years.  Marilyn  passed 
away  in  November  1966.  The  following  years  were 
difficult  but  rewarding,  and  resulted  in  a  family  with 
very  close  ties. 

Keith  married  Dolores  Du  Fault  in  1972. 
Dolores  has  two  sons  by  a  previous  marriage,  Keith 
and  Bradley. 

Keith  and  Dolores  Benson  moved  to 
Orlando,  Florida  from  1972  to  1975.  They  retumed 
to  California  and  now  reside  at  Lake  Forest,  near  El 
Toro.  Keith  is  again  employed  by  General  Dynamics 
where  he  is  in  charge  of  a  group  of  engineers 
engaged  in  creating  and  developing  special 
electronics  and  weapons  projects  for  the  U.  S. 
Govemment. 

Keith  and  Dolores  travel  frequently  abroad. 
Dolores  retired  as  a  surgical  nurse  and  is  now  active  in 
local  church  and  dvic  afl&irs.  Her  main  interest  is  in 
their  combined  family  and  grandchildren.  She  is  well 
known  to  her  friends  and  family  as  an  excellent 
decorator  and  homemaker.  Keith  has  established  a 
honey  bee  business  as  a  sideline  and  is  now  operating 
approximately  500  hives  on  a  commercial  basis.  He 
gready  enjoys  hunting  and  fishing  when  time  permits. 
He  likes  to  design  and  build  things  with  his  own 
hands. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Michael  Keidi  b- 1951 

md-  Etsuko  (Kato) 

(2)  Korina  b-  1953 

md-  Bob  Winks 

(3)  Meloni  b-  1954 

md-  Dr.  Bryan  Davis 

(4)  Konda  b-  1955 

md-  Tom  Mc  Keeby 
Dennis  Keith's  second  wife  Delores  Du  Fault's  two 
sons  by  a  previous  marriage  are: 

(1)  Keith 

(2)  Bradley 

RAYMOND  CLARE  BENSON 

I  was  born  on  March  5,  1933  at  Farnum, 
Fremont  Country,  Idaho.  My  parents  arc  Harry 
Loren2»  Benson,  and  Anna  Amelia  Cherry.  I  was  the 
tenth  of  eleven  children  born  into  this  family.  My 
birth  certificate  showing  my  name  to  be  Clare 
og      Raymond  Benson. 


In  the  farm  community  of  Farnum,  I 
remember  skiing  behind  a  large  black  harnessed  dog 
and  behind  a  horse  with  a  rope  tied  to  its  tail.  The 
school  was  two  rooms  about  a  mile  west  of  the  farm. 
I  attended  the  first  grade  and  part  of  the  second 
before  moving  to  Lyman,  Madison  County,  Idaho 
with  my  femily  in  December  1940.  I  was  not  easy  to 
control  and  remember  several  spankings  at  this  school 
at  Lyman.  In  1957, 1  graduated  from  Madison  High 
School  in  Rexburg,  Idaho.  I  was  active  in  the  sports 
of  basketball,  football  and  track.  I  also  played 
American  legion  baseball.  I  was  awarded  a  scholarship 
in  basketball  and  football  to  Ricks  College,  however,  I 
did  not  attend  college. 

On  July  15,  1951,  my  father,  Harry  Lorenzo 
Benson  died  of  cancer  after  a  long  illness.  I  continued 
to  run  the  farm  for  my  mother  until  the  crops  were 
harvested.  During  the  winter  of  1952  I  informed 
mother  I  did  not  want  to  farm  and  I  went  to  work  for 
Roger  Brothers  producing  dehydrated  potatoes  and 
potato  flour. 

In  March  of  1952  I  joined  the  U.  S.  Navy. 
The  Korean  War  was  going  on  at  this  time.  I  spent 
basic  training  at  the  Naval  Training  Center  in  San 
Diego,  and  then  attended  Electrician  Mate  School 
also  in  San  Diego,  California.  I  then  spent  the 
balance  of  my  4  years  aboard  the  U.S.S.  Hamel  Ad- 
20,  a  destroyer  tender.  I  attained  the  rank  of 
Electrician's  Mate  First  Class.  I  was  honorably 
discharged  in  February,  1956. 

On  July  28,  1955  I  was  married  to  Dona  Jean 
Home. 

In  March  1956  I  began  working  for  a 
building  material  supply  store  in  Glendale,  California. 

I  continued  working  in  the  building  material 
business  until  I  obtained  a  job  in  sales  with  a  lime 
manufacturer  and  continue  at  this  writing  in 
November,  1983. 

In  1966,  I  became  actively  involved  with  the 
Church  Of  Jesus  Christ  Of  Latter- Day  Saints,  we  were 
divorced  in  1974. 

On  November  16,  1974,  I  was  married  to 
Ruth  Eliza  Davidson.  She  had  4  children  at  the  time. 

We  moved  to  Phoenix,  Arizona  in  June  1976 
and  live  there  at  this  time.  We  are  active  in  the  church 
and  try  to  live  righteous  lives. 

By:  Raymond  Clare  Benson 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Terry  Raymond  b- 1956 
md-  Myra  Darlene  Jones 

(2)  Tela  Jean  b-  1967 

My  2nd  wife  Ruth  Eliza  Davidson's  four  children  are: 

(1)  Kathy  Lynn  Williams 

(2)  Candee  Williams 

(3)  Donald  Edward  Williams  III 

(4)  Robyn  Deanne  Williams 


MYRNA  BENSON  MOYES 


Bradky,  Michael,  Shawna,  Ernest,  Myma  Moycs 

I  was  bom  on  23  November,  1935  to  Harry 
Lorenzo  Benson  and  Anna  Amelia  Cherry  at  our 
home  in  Famum,  Fremont,  county,  Idaho.  I  am  the 
youngest  of  eleven  children. 

I  don't  remember  to  much  about  Famum,  so  I  went 
to  my  joumal  and  recalled  some  of  my  memories  of 
my  childhood  while  we  lived  in  Famum.  We  lived 
across  the  street  from  the  L.D.S. church.  The  Bratt 
family  lived  across  the  road  and  were  our  nearest 
neighbor.  We  all  loved  Grandma  (Jane)  Bratt,  she 
was  our  Grandma  and  was  a  great  help  at  times  for  my 
Mother. 

I  recall  that  toys  were  scarce  at  our  house  at 
Christmas  time. 

In  the  summer  I  recall  mother  giving  us  some 
old  spoons  to  dig  with  and  we  played  under  the 
porch,  it  was  nice  and  cool.  Digging  holes  and 
making  mud  pies  was  a  great  pastime.  Dad  would  let 
us  have  the  granary  or  the  coal  shed  for  a  play  house  if 
we  wanted. 

We  had  a  great  time  -  when  our  parents  were 
gone  -  sliding  down  off  the  roof  of  the  house,  mom 
was  always  after  us.  One  day  Keith,  Clare  and  I  got 
up  there  ,  Verla  made  us  to  get  down,  Keith  had  to 
have  one  last  time,  unfortunately  there  was  a  nail  he 
got  it  good.  We  had  a  good  laugh  while  Verla 
patched  him  up.  We  moved  from  Famum  to  Lyman 
when  I  was  six.  Dad  had  bought  a  ranch  between 
Rexburg  and  Rigby  and  I  spent  the  rest  of  my 
growing  up  years  there. 

I  attended  the  Lyman  grade  School  and  then 
went  to  Madison  High  School  and  Ricks  College  at 
Rexburg. 

I  had  always  wanted  to  play  the  piano  and  so 
dad  bought  me  one  and  I  began  to  take  music  lessons. 
I  took  piano  for  six  years,  and  then  taught  myself  to 
play  the  organ.  I  am  still  playing  for  church  and  have 
been  the  organist  for  30  years  in  my  ward  in 
QQ     Bakersfield,  Califomia,  where  I  have  lived  for  the  past 


years.  Music  is  still  part  of  my  life,  although  I  have 
not  pursued  it  as  a  career. 

In  1955,  I  met  my  husband,  Earnest  Baker 
Moyes  while  I  was  living  in  California.  We  were 
married  on  November  10th  in  the  Idaho  Falls 
Temple. 

We  are  proud  of  our  family,  they  are  a  great 
joy  to  us. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Bradley  Benson  b-  1956 

md-  Lucinda  Jane  Johnson 

(2)  Shawna  Ann  b-  1959 

md-  Dan  Worley 

(3)  Michael  Albert  b- 1962 

md-  Kerri  Janine  Clegg 

By:  Myma  Benson  Moyes 

WALTER  BERGMAN 

and 

ANNA  AHRENTSCHILD 


Anna  and  Walter  Bergnnan 

Walter  Bergman  was  born  May  2,  1887,  in 
Concordia,  Mo.  the  son  of  Martin  and  Louise 
Stuenkel  Bergman.  He  grew  up  and  attended  school 
in  Concordia.  He  worked  with  his  parents,  who 
owned  a  farm  and  lumber  yard. 

Walter  came  to  Idaho  in  March  of  1906.  He 
bought  land  in  Grainville  and  farmed  with  horses  a 


Martin,  Etna,  Charles,  Helen  Bergman 


91 


few  years,  then  went  back  to  Concordia,  Missouri,  and 
married  Anna  Ahrentschild,  March  26,  1911. 

They  came  back  to  Grainville,  Idaho  and  lived 
on  the  hill  east  of  the  tracks.  Anna  cooked  for  men 
when  they  built  the  elevator  and  some  railroad  tracks. 

In  1912-1913  they  bought  160  acres  by  Fall 
River.  They  built  a  house  and  homesteaded  there  till 
1932.  Then  they  bought  the  land  cast  of  the  tracks 
and  moved  into  the  house  where  they  first  lived  at 
Grainville. 

He  bought  a  tractor  and  threshing  machine, 
with  which,  2vlartin  and  Walter  went  out  threshing  for 
other  farmers. 

In  1936  he  bought  the  Tucker  place  (north  of 
Conant  Creek).  They  farmed  till  1946  when  he 
bought  Hart's  house  in  Ashton.  Walter  died  June  14, 
1968  and  Anna  died  Aug.  17,  1977.  They  had  4 
children: 

(1)  Martin  -  married  Marie  Seibal  from  Idaho  Falls. 
They  live  in      Ashton. 

(2)  Erna  -  married  Richard  Reinke  from  Clover, 
Idaho. 

(3)  Charles  -  married  Dorothy  Madsen  from  Moline, 
lU. 

(4)  Helen  -  married  Albert  Scafe  from  Onalaska, 
Wisconsin. 

Charlie  and  Albert  farmed  the  Bergman  farm. 
Martin  and  Erna  both  live  in  Ashton. 

MARTIN  BERGMAN 

and 

MARIE  SEIBEL 

My  fether,  Walter  Beigman  came  to  this  area 
in  1907  at  the  age  of  18  or  19  years.  He  bought  160 
acres  of  school  land  from  the  state,  S.W.1/4,  Sec  10 
T.  8  R.  43,  which  later  became  the  place  called 
Grainville.  The  railroad  came  through  in  1908  or 
1909,  and  Thomas  Bros,  built  an  elevator  in  1912. 

Father  went  back  to  Concordia,  Mo.  and 
married  in  1911.  My  mother's  name  was  Anna 
Ahrentschild. 

I  was  bom  April  12,  1912.  Mother  cooked 
for  the  men  that  built  the  elevator.  In  1913,  Father 
took  up  a  homestead  of  120  acres  on  Fall  River  and 
moved  there  then. 

In  1933  we  moved  to  Grainville  where  Albert 
Scafe  now  lives,  and  later  he  bought  that  place, 
incidentally,  that  is  where  I  was  bom,  in  1912. 

In  1930  we  bought  a  22-36  IHC  tractor  and 
32"  threshing  machine.  I  ran  that  each  fall  for  about 
2  months  each  year,  threshing  throughout  the  area, 
threshing  peas,  oats,  wheat,  and  barley,  wherever  we 
could  do  the  job. 

I  built  a  cabin  at  that  place  and  married  Marie 
Scibel,  born  in  1913,  the  daughter  of  George  and 
Mary  Scibel,  from  Idaho  Falls,  in  1935. 

In  1936,  father  bought  320  acres  south  of  the 
road,  N.1/2  of  Sec.  15  T.  8  R.  43,  and  I  moved  down 


there  till  our  first  son,  Ronald,  went  to  school  in  1942 
(I  still  worked  for  my  father  at  this  time). 

We  moved  to  Ashton  at  that  time,  to  a  home 
I  had  bought,  north  of  the  school,  on  the  west  of  the 
road  going  north,  which  is  now  a  State  EQghway.  We 
did  that  to  be  close  to  a  school  for  the  kids.  I  drove 
out  to  the  farm  I  had  rented,  it  was  known  as  the 
Cunningham  place,  N.1/2  of  Sec.  14  T.  8  R.  43, 
which  belonged  to  the  Hypotheek  Land  Bank  of 
Spokane. 

I  farmed  that  till  1976  when  I  retired.  The 
place  was  sold  to  Lynn  Loosli  in  1973.  In  1955,  I 
built  a  new  home  on  South  10th,  in  Ashton  and 
moved  there  in  1956. 

We  have  two  boys  and  one  daughter.  We  are 
still  living  here  at  69  South  10th  Street. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Ronald  -  bom  1937,  is  a  lawyer  living  in  Seattle, 
has  three  daughters. 

(2)  Ilene  -  bom  1940,  is  a  secretary  for  Fisher  Ins. 
Co.,  in  Ashton,  has  one  daughter.  Her  daughter  lives 
out  on  the  old  Casey  Farm,  east  of  Highway  47,  east 
of  the  Power  Station  on  a  farm  the  family  owns. 

(3)  Larry  -  bom  1946,  is  an  electrical  design  engineer 
at  Forest  Grove,  West  of  Portland,  and  works  in  the 
area  of  Tigert,  Oregon.  He  has  three  daughters. 

ERNA  BERGMAN 

and 
RICHABX)  REINKE 


r 


*'*»*«*,«»<.****' 


Ema,  Richard  Rcinke 

Ema  Reinke  was  born  at  the  homestead  of 
Walter  Bergman,  by  Fall  River  in  1913.  She  attended 
school  in  Ashton  as  the  family  moved  to  town  during 
the  winter  months. 

Later,  Ema  worked  in  several  different  homes 
in  the  community  helping  cook  for  threshers  and 
doing  household  work  in  general. 

In  1939,  she  married  Richard  Reinke  from 
Clover,  Idaho,  whom  she  had  met  at  a  youth  church 


rally.  They  lived  at  Clover  as  Richard  was  farming 
with  his  father. 

In  1942,  they  had  a  chance  to  rent  a  dry  farm 
so  moved  to  Grainville,  to  the  farm  known  as  the 
McDonald  place,  north  of  Conant  Creek.  During  the 
winter  months  they  lived  in  Ashton  as  Richard  worked 
for  the  city  plowing  snow  with  a  D-4  Caterpillar 
equipped  with  a  snow  plow. 

In  the  fall  of  1946  they  moved  to  Gooding, 
Idaho  and  farmed  there  for  one  year. 

In  the  fall  of  1947  they  came  back  to  Ashton 
and  bought  the  grain  business  from  Herb  Stewart, 
known  as  the  Thomas  Brothers  Elevators.  They  also 
later  bought  the  Midland  elevator  at  Grainville  from 
Art  Anderson.  Later  they  added  the  Midland  elevators 
at  Ashton  and  France.  They  added  a  new  office  and 
equipment  and  more  storage  bins  in  Ashton. 

In  1956  they  built  a  new  home  in  Ashton,  in 
which  they  are  still  residing. 

They  have  four  children: 

Darrcl  and  David  are  living  in  Ashton  and 
operate  the  grain  business. 

La  Vera  Boyle  is  in  Idaho  Falls.  Her  husband 
is  the  manager  of  the  Sears  Store. 

Joanne  Mullcr  is  in  San  Diego,  Calif  Her 
husband  is  admission  officer  at  the  University  of  San 
Diego. 

The  Rcinke's  have  ten  grandchildren . 

CHARLES  W.  BERGMAN 

and 
DOROTHY  M.  MADSEN 


92 


b.r.  James,  Nancy,  Ester,  Anna  Marie, 
f.r.  Dorothy  and  Charles  Bergman 


I,  Charles  W.  Bergman,  was  born  July  10, 
1917,  at  Fall  River  homestead,  six  and  one-half  miles 
southeast  of  Ashton.  I  am  the  third  child  of  Walter 
Bergman  and  Anna  Ahrentschild  Bergman. 

I  grew  up  in  Ashton,  attending  Ashton 
schools  through  grade  nine. 

I  then  worked  for  my  father  on  the  farm  until 
I  was  drafted  into  the  U.S.  Army  in  March  1944, 


serving  in  Europe  as  an  infantry  rifleman  with  the 
320th  Inf.  Reg.  35th  Division  in  France  and  Germany. 
I  was  injured  and  then  served  as  a  Medic  in  the  U.S. 
on  hospital  trains,  taking  injured  men  to  various  U.  S. 
hospitals.  I  was  discharged  in  June,  1946. 

I  married  Dorothy  M.  Madsen  of  Moline,  111., 
on  April  19,  1946,  in  Butte,  Montana.  Dorothy's 
parents  were  Rasmus  P.  Madsen  and  Zora  M.  Sheetz 
Madsen.  Dorothy's  mother,  Zora,  was  a  sister  to 
W.L.  (Lute)  Sheetz  of  Ashton. 

We  worked  for  my  father  for  several  years  and 
then  in  partnership  with  Albert  and  Helen  Scafe  in  the 
Grainville  area. 

A  few  years  later  we  dissolved  the  parmership 
and  farmed  our  own,  and  rented  land,  with  our  son, 
James.  In  1985  we  sold  the  farm  to  Scott  and  Nancy 
Kandler.  Since  then  I  have  done  odd  jobs. 

For  several  years  I  worked  as  a  lift  operator  at 
Bear  Gulch  Ski  area.  I  helped  many  an  Ashton  child 
on  and  off  the  lifts.  We  were  sad  when  Bear  Gulch 
closed,  and  the  way  the  Lodge  was  burned. 

We  are  the  parents  of  four  children: 

(1)  James  Bergman  married  Eileen  Kent  -  working  in 
Ashton. 

(2)  Nancy  Bergman  -  living  and  working  in  San 
Diego,  California. 

(3)  Anna  Marie  Bergman  Kokotovic,  PhD.  -  living 
and  working  as  a  psychologist  in  Santa  Barbara,  CA. 
Her  husband  is  Petar       V.  Kokotovic. 

(4)  Esther  Bergman  Rylond  -  living  in  Edwards,  CA. 
Her  husband,  Timothy  P.  Rylond,  is  serving  in  the 
U.S.A.F. 

We  have  three  grandchildren. 
We  are  active  members  of  Zion  Lutheran 
Church  in  Ashton. 

GILBERT  BERRY 

and 

LANGLEY 

Gilbert  Berry  was  foreman  of  the  Highland 
Ranch  when  the  Ormes  purchased  it.  His  wife  and 
her  mother,  Mrs.  Langley,  were  cooks  and 
housekeepers.  Mrs.  Berry  brought  the  first  piano  into 
the  area — a  large  antique  Chickering. 

After  they  left  the  ranch,  they  purchased  land 
near  the  Highland  School  and  lived  in  that  area  a  few 
years. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  104 

CHARLES  C.  BINGHAM 

and 
MARY  C.  MICKELSON 

Charles  C.  Bingham  was  bom  12  June  1860 
at  Ogden,  Utah,  a  son  of  R.  Thomas  Bingham  and 
Karun  H.  Halliday.  He  was  married  to  Mary  C. 
Mickclson,  bom  3  May  1867  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Utah,  a 
daughter  of  Rasmus  Mickelson  and  Mary  C.  Peterson. 


CfflLDREN: 

(1)  Paul 

b-  1898 

(2)  Lorin  Peter 

b-  1900 

(3)  Ralph  M. 

b-  1902 

(4)  Walter  P. 

b-  1903 

(5)  Florence  Marie 

b-1904 

BTT,L 

JAY  BISHOFF 

and 

EMMALY  K.  WHFIMORE 

93 


Bill  Bishoff,  Emmaly  K.  Whitmore 

Bill  Jay  Bishoff  was  bom  and  raised  on  a  farm 
outside  of  Sugar  City.  He  loved  farming  and  in  High 
School  excelled  in  his  agricultural  classes  and  industrial 
arts.  He  is  very  good  at  wood  work. 

He  met  Emmaly  Kay  Whitmore  while  she  was 
employed  in  a  bank  in  Rexburg  and  Bill  was  home  on 
leave  from  the  U.  S.  Army.  They  were  married  Oa. 
21,  1966. 

Bill  drove  truck  and  worked  for  the  Forest 
Service  in  the  winter.  They  have  farmed  in  the 
Famum  area  for  21  years.  At  first  they  farmed  rented 
ground  and  later  purchased  land  to  farm  and  build 
their  home.  Bill  loves  to  farm,  hunt,  and  play  cards. 

Emmaly  Kay  Bishoff  was  raised  on  a  farm  in 
Famum.  She  attended  grade  school  at  Dmmmond 
and  Ashton  and  high  school  at  Ashton.  She  graduated 
from  college  and  worked  in  banks  and  farm  loan 
offices.  She  met  Bill  while  he  was  on  leave  from  the 
army  and  married  him  in  1966.  She  has  two  children, 
Brett  Mary  bom  in  1972  and  Bill  Carl  bom  in  1969. 
She  loves  to  read,  ride  horses,  and  travel. 

The  following  are  two  comparative  histories 
of  the  children  as  they  relate  to  their  respective 
grandparents: 

Bill  Carl  &  His  Grandfather  John  Carl 

Bill  Carl  Bishoff  was  bom  June  15,  1969.  He 
was  born  on  Father's  Day  and  was  named  after  his 
grandfather  John  Carl  Whitmore.  Bill  is  at  this  time  a 
senior  at  Idaho  State  University.  He  has  earned 
scholarships  and  was  chosen  for  Idaho  Business  Week. 


John  Carl  Whitmore  and  Bill  Carl  Bishoff 

He  loves  farming  and  helping  his  father.  Bill 
is  an  excellent  skier  and  has  won  races.  He  also  races 
snowmachines  and  has  won  trophies.  He  rides 
bareback  bronc.  In  High  School  he  was  active  in 
debate,  basketball,  football  and  wrestling. 

Bill  likes  the  outdoors  and  this  beautiful 
Famum  area.  He  enjoys  hunting  and  hiking  on  the 
Teton  River,  Conant  Creek  and  Fall  River.  Growing 
up,  all  the  fields  around  our  home  and  back  to  the 
Famum  School  house,  has  been  his  playground  on  his 
snowmachine  and  horse. 

He  loves  to  hear  the  stories  about  his 
grandfather  John  Carl  "Dutch"  Whitmore.  His 
grandfather  was  an  excellent  horseman  and  rode  and 
worked  breaking  and  training  horses.  He  was  a  local 
rodeo  rider  and  always  had  a  team  and  sleigh.  He  fed 
cattle  with  his  team  and  took  Bill  Jr.'s  mother  and 
sister  to  Drummond  across  the  fields  in  the  sleigh  to 
grade  school.  He  had  several  different  styles  of  sleighs 
for  the  different  snow  conditions.  He  loved  the  draft 
horses.  One  particular  sleigh  he  called  the  "Hookie 
Bob".  His  horses  were  named  Sam  &  Bess,  &  June  & 
May. 

Bill  enjoys  music  and  loves  to  hear  the  songs 
his  grandfather  used  to  sing  to  his  mother  and  sister 
and  brother. 

His  grandfather  Whitmore  had  a  wonderful  memory 
and  graduated  as  valedictorian  from  the  Farnum 
School.  He  enjoys  hearing  about  what  a  hard  worker 
and  independent  person  John  Carl  Whitmore  was. 
Bill  Jr.  enjoys  hearing  about  the  days  when  his 
grandfather  was  raised  in  a  log  cabin  along  with  8 
brothers  and  sisters  above  the  Conant  Creek  Canyon. 

Bill's  grandfather  slept  in  a  separate  cabin 
which  was  his  grandmother  Sarah  Mason  Whitmore 
Brown's  cabin.  She  was  a  widow  who  had  come  out 
fi-om  Virginia  with  her  sons  to  homestead.  Carl  got 
along  well  with  his  very  independent  grandmother. 

Bill  Jr.  still  has  marbles  won  by  his 
grandfather  at  recesses  at  Famum  grade  school. 

Bill  Jr.'s  mother  has  told  him  the  stories  her 
father  told  her  about  this  proud  Virginia  lady  who 
came  out  West  as  a  widow  and  homesteaded  and 
proved  up  on  her  land.    She  planted  trees  and  lilacs 


and  built  log  buildings,  homes  and  farm  buildings. 
She  made  a  home  in  the  Famum  community. 

Bill  Jr.'s  grandfather  also  worked  for  Johnny 
Sack  herding  horses  and  working  on  Johnny's  ranch. 
His  grandfather  did  many  years  of  farming  with  horses 
and  in  the  fall  did  custom  plowing  for  other  people 
with  his  horses  and  plow. 

Brett  Mary  and  Grandmother  Mary  Ellen 


94 


Brett  Mary  Bishoff  and  Mary  Ellen  Whitmore 

Brett  Mary  was  born  March  19,  1972  and 
named  for  her  grandmother  Mary  Ellen  McLane 
Whitmore. 

Brett  Mary  is  a  freshman  at  Utah  State 
University.  She  has  eamed  scholarships  and  was  the 
Pro  Rodeo  Queen  for  2  years  at  the  National  Circuit 
Finals  in  Pocatello.  Brett  Mary  cow  cuts  and  was  in 
the  top  10  finalists  at  state  all  four  years.  She  was  also 
District  I  Rodeo  Queen  all  four  years  of  high  school. 
She  has  won  all  the  County  Queens  from  Bannock  to 
Fremont.  In  1990  she  was  invited  by  Montie 
Montana,  a  trick  roper  and  in  the  movies,  to  ride  with 
him  in  the  Rose  Parade  on  one  of  his  horses. 

In  high  school  Brett  Mary  was  Homecoming 
Queen  her  senior  year,  also  cheerleader  and  an  honor 
student.  She  loves  the  Famum  area  and  the  outdoor 
activities  her  family  participate  in  along  Conant  Creek 
and  Fall  River. 

Brett  Mary  loves  to  hear  stories  about  her 
grandmother  Mary  Ellen  McLane  Whitmore.  She 
loves  the  stories  of  Mary  on  her  sorrel  thoroughbred 
horse  named  "Tarzan"  which  she  rode  bareback  and 
could  jump  ditches,  fences  and  hurdles  even  bareback. 
She  also  loves  to  hear  about  all  the  dances  and  dance 
contests  her  grandmother  was  in.  Mary  Ellen  was  the 
winner  of  many  contests  and  won  a  beautiful  porcelain 
doll  at  Warm  River.  Brett  Mary  enjoys  the  poetry  her 
grandmother  read  and  also  wrote.  She  loves  to  hear 
how  her  grandmother  could  sing  and  play  the  piano. 
Brett  Mary  is  a  computer  program  major  and  her 
grandmother  was  excellent  in  business.  She  worked 
for  lawyers. 

A  perfect  rainy  day  for  Brett  Mary  and  Mary 
Ellen  is  a  good  book  preferably  a  classic,  and  a  crisp 
apple. 


Brett  Mary's  grandmother  was  valedictorian 
of  both  her  8th  grade  class  and  her  high  school 
graduation  class. 

Her  grandfather  John  Carl  Whitmore  and 
grandmother  Mary  Ellen  McLane  met  at  the  Famum 
school  house  at  a  Famum  community  dance. 

VERNON  LORENZO  BIXBY 

and 

BLANCHE  C.  ARBERRY 

Vernon  Lorenzo  Bixby  born  at  Blackfoot, 
Bannock  County,  Idaho.  He  married  Blanche  C. 
Arberry  Oaober  9  1908  at  Famum,  Idaho. 

Blanche  was  bom  at  Stewart,  Nebraska.  They 
had  2  children. 

(1)  Verne  C.  Bixby  b  May  7,  1908  (4  hrs  old 
premature  birth.) 

(2)  Feme  Marie  Bixby,  b  August  17,  1908,  (3 
months,  11  days    permature  birth.) 

(007,  455)  Famum  Ward  marriage,  birth  and  death 
records  reported. 

WILLIAM  C.  BLAIR 

William  C.  Blair,  known  as  Bill  Blair, 
homesteaded  in  the  early  1900's  east  ofthe  Curt 
Marsden  place,  he  came  from  Sevierville,  Tennessee 
about  1910-  1912.  He  cleared  about  100  acres  of 
land  by  hand,  he  grubbed  the  trees  with  an  axe.  He 
was  a  wonderful  axe  man. 

He  was  a  boyhood  friend  of  W.L.  Sharp.  He 
married  a  widow  with  two  children.  After  awhile  they 
were  divorced. 

By:  Clan  Sharp 

ALMA  MORONI  BLANCHARD 


Ainu  Moroni 


Alma  Moroni  Blanchard,  Jr.  was  born 
October  15,  1868  in  Springville,  Utah,  to  Alma 
Moroni  Sr.  and  Emma  Bocock  Law.  From  this  union. 
Alma  had  three  brothers  and  sisters:  Medora,  Sarah, 
and  Byron  -  and  half  brother,  Frank  Law.  Alma's 
mother  died  when  he  was  four  years  old.  His 
Grandparents  (Asaph  and  Eimice)  helped  raise  the 
children  until  his  father  remarried.  Alma  married 
Emily  Pierce  Price  in  1880,  and  from  this  union  came 
four  half  brothers  and  sisters:  Barbara,  Rucben, 
Rousseau,  and  Ludlle.  Not  only  was  the  family  poor, 
but  they  did  not  get  along  well  together;  and  Alma 
JR.  left  home,  to  live  with  his  Aunt  Rossclla  father's 
sister  at  the  age  of  thirteen.  She  was  kind  to  me  and  I 
stayed  with  them  'till  I  was  15  years  old.  (They 
bought  me  my  first  suit  of  clothes  and  the  first 
underwear  I  ever  had.)  My  half-brother,  Frank,  had 
rented  a  farm  in  Ogden  Valley  and  wanted  me  to  work 
for  him.  I  did  this  every  year,  but  returned  to  Pleasant 
View  in  the  Fall  to  attend  school. 

Frank  traded  work  with  Hyrum  Brown  since 
we  could  work  two  weeks  early  on  the  east  side  of  the 
valley  than  on  the  west.  After  cropping  season,  I 
went  to  Hyrum's  and  attended  school  in  Eden  near 
his  property  until  I  was  about  18  years  old.  (Hyrum's 
first  child,  Raymond,  had  been  bom  during  this  time.) 
I  returned  back  to  Frank's  farm  which  now  had  a 
house  on  it.  He  was  now  married  to  Anine  Deem  and 
she  was  a  good  cook  and  very  jolly.  Originally  I  had 
agreed  to  work  for  Frank  for  seven  years  to  acquire  80 
acres  of  ground.  However,  when  I  was  21,  Hyrum 
Brown  asked  me  to  work  for  him  in  Idaho  where  he 
was  homestcading  some  land  on  Fall  River.  Frank 
decided  to  pay  me  $500.00  for  five  years  I  had  worked 
for  him;  and  Hyrum  was  to  pay  me  $200.00  per  year 
plus  room  and  board." 


Ainu  Blanchard 


Sarah  Elizabeth 


Byron 


Charles  Andrew  Hicckenloopcr  Harriet  Lillian  Smith 


Franccis  Ferrin 


Annie  McLane 


95 


"The  young  folks  in  Utah  gave  me  a  party 
and  I  started  out  for  Idaho.  I  got  on  the  train  in 
Ogden  and  rode  to  Roberts,  Idaho.  Then  I  walked 
and  got  rides  on  wagons.  It  took  a  day  to  come  to  the 
home  of  Hyrum  Brown  who  was  living  on  the  north 
side  of  Fall  river.  Because  there  was  no  bridge, 
Hyrum  crossed  the  river  on  a  horse  to  get  me."  (A 
bridge  was  built  in  1903,  and  his  house  was  located 
where  Arlo  Blanchard  lived;  and  his  son,  Gail,  now 
lives.)  Alma  stayed  with  Hyrum  for  over  a  month 
helping  haul  hay  and  building  sheds.  Then  they  both 
went  back  to  Ogden  Valley  for  the  winter.  It  took 
twelve  days  by  wagon  because  the  roads  were  so 
muddy.  In  the  spring  of  1890,  Alma  sold  40  acres  of 
land  in  Ogden  Valley  that  he  had  homesteaded; 
bought  a  team  of  horses,  wagon,  tools  and  other 
provisions  and  headed  for  Fall  River,  Idaho.  It  took  a 
week  to  get  there,  he  arrived  April  12.  Alma  bought 
Elisha  Hathaway's  homestead  and  some  land  from 
Thomas  and  Joseph  Brown.  He  built  a  one  room 
cabin  near  Fall  River.  Living  on  Fall  River  was  a 
lonely  life.  Alma  lived  there  alone  for  five  years- 
returning  each  winter  to  Pleasant  View,  Utah  working 
for  others.  Then  Alma's  brother  Byron,  came  and 
lived  with  him  for  one  winter.  Byron  decided  to  stay 
and  homesteaded  in  the  Chester/Famum  area.  Alma 
never  went  back  to  Utah  to  winter  anymore. 

In  the  spring  of  1895,  the  Henry  Smith 
family  moved  to  Fall  River.  (  Now  named  Chester.) 
They  had  a  daughter  named  Harriet  Lillian  whom 
Alma  courted  and  married  in  1897.  They  built  a  two 
room  log  house  with  a  shanty  for  a  kitchen.  There 
three  sons  were  bom  Arlo,  Dcvcre  and  Delbert.  In 
1906,  they  started  building  a  rock  home  nearby.  It 
was  finished  two  years  later.  There  Floyd,  Arthur  and 
Virgil  were  born.  After  six  boys,  Alma  and  Harriet 
were  blessed  with  a  little  girl,  Stella.  Alma  relates  this 
story  of  her  birth  and  the  tragic  events  that  followed: 

"Stella  was  bom  April  7,  1909.  The  midwife 
for  all  the  births  in  Chester  was  Net  Brown.  On  May 
27,  I  had  got  my  crops  in  on  the  Grecntimbcr  land 
and  came  home  at  10:00  PM.  All  was  quiet  on  the 
farm.  I  went  in  and  found  Ha  trie  sick  in  bed.  She 
took  sick  in  the  afternoon,  after  some  plaster  had 
fallen  on  her  head  while  she  was  sitting  by  the  north 
window  doing  mending.  The  night  before  we  had 
finished  plastering  the  dining  room  ceiling,  someone 
threw  a  large  rock  through  the  east  window.  The 
blowing  East  wind  had  frozen  the  plaster  and  made  it 
brittle.  The  second  moming  when  I  came  in  from 
choring,  Hattie  drank  a  little,  and  was  trying  to  sleep. 
I  had  just  finished  eating,  when  I  was  called  to  the 
bedroom.  She  had  fainted.  We  brought  her  to,  but 
she  never  spoke  again.  In  two  hours  she  died — no 
one  ever  thought  of  her  dying.  The  funeral  was  held 
on  Sunday,  May  3,  1909.  Stella  was  seven  weeks  old. 
I  tried  to  keep  her  at  home,  but  had  to  hire  two 
women  to  care  for  her.  I  decided  to  let  Grandma 
Smith  take  care  of  her.  Grandma  kept  kept  her  as  a 
child,  but  I  paid  for  her  Clothes" 


96 


Five  years  later,  Alma  married  Margaret 
Higby.  Things  went  fairly  well  for  five  years,  then  she 
decided  to  leave.  He  later  married  Viola  Pack,  but 
that  marriage  only  lasted  one  year.  During  that  time 
Alma  had  been  one  of  five  directors  of  the  first 
National  Bank  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  After  the 
economic  slump  left  by  the  World  War  1  and  the 
depression.  Alma  was  left  in  bad  shape — not  only  did 
he  owe  personal  debts,  but  he  signed  notes  for  several 
of  his  neighbors,  plus  he  lost  $37,000  on  city  and 
county  bonds.  The  following  year  he  married 
Elizabeth  (Lizzie)  Parrat  Maycock  from  North 
Ogden,  Utah.  Alma  was  a  hard  working  and  thrifty 
man,  and  he  was  determined  to  start  a  new  life  and  to 
dean  up  his  debts  as  soon  as  he  could.  Over  the  next 
few  years  he  had  enough  good  crops  to  clear  up  his 
debts.  Years  later,  he  and  Elizabeth  decided  to  leave 
the  farm  and  move  to  Logan  Utah.  Before  he  moved 
to  Logan  he  had  bought  farms  for  all  his  six  boys  in 
Chester  and  Farnum  area.  (He  had  bought  land 
which  is  now  Frances  Bratts  place  and  there  was  a 
home  on  it  and  had  lived  there  during  the  summers.) 
Stella  also  received  some  land  in  Chester — plus  a 
house  in  Logan.  Each  year  he  and  Hzzie  would  retum 
to  visit  with  his  children  and  grandchildren. 

On  January  23,  1940,  Alma  died  of  cancer, 

in  his  home  in  Logan  at    the  age  of  71.  Lizzie  was  at 

his  side.    He  was  buried  at  the  Pineview  Cemetery  in 

Ashton,  Idaho  near  his  children  and  the  land  he 

oved. 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Arlo  Murle  b  1898 
md-  Mary  Brenchley 

2)  Henry  Devere  b  1900 
md-  Mary  Rebecca  Hansen 

3)  Delbert  A.  b  1901 
md  Lettie  Monroe 

(2nd)  Crystal  Hansen 

4)  Floyd  Ivan  b  1903 
md  Rula  Kent 

5)  WiUiam  Anhur  b  1905 
md  Clara  Marie  Hansen 

6)  Aseph  b  1906 
6)  Virgil  August  b  1907 

md  Chloda  Blanche  Winters 
(7)Stella  Naomi  b  1909 

md  Charles  Henry  Arnold 


HENRY  DEVERE  BLANCHARD 

and 

MARY  REBECCA  HANSEN 

I,  Henry  Devere  Blanchard  the  son  of  Alma 
Maroni  Blanchard  Jr.  and  Harriet  Lillian  Smith,  was 
bom  March  31,  1900  in  Chester  in  a  littie  log  house 
west  of  the  rock  house  that  my  father  had  built  near 
Fall  River.  My  father  started  to  build  the  rock  home 
in  1901.  We  moved  into  the  rock  house  in  1903.  I 
was  still  wearing  dresses  at  that  time. 


d- 

1945 

d- 

1976 

d- 

1981 

d- 

1984 

d- 

1985 

d.l906  Inf^t 

d- 

I  don't  remember  much  about  my  mother, 
just  helping  her  wash  the  dishes.  She  died  when  I 
was  9  years  old.  Dad  and  I  were  putting  in  the  crop 
at  the  dry  farm  at  Greentimber  when  she  took  sick. 
We  picked  up  the  tools  and  reins,  traveled  all  night 
got  home  about  4  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Mother 
died  two  days  later.  I  went  to  school  in  Chester  in  a 
two  story  frame  building  across  the  road  from  the 
Byron  Blanchard  home,  that  is  the  Angus  Blanchard 
home  now.  After  the  eighth  grade  there,  I  went  part 
of  a  year  at  Ricks  Academy  at  Rexburg,  Idaho. 

We  Had  lots  of  horses,  got  kicked  several 
times.  Never  broke  any  bones.  I  fell  off  saddle  horses 
a  good  many  times,  I  would  rather  ride  a  horse  than 
eat.  People  came  from  all  over  for  us  to  put  up  their 
hay.  We  put  it  up  for  $1.25  a  ton.  We  put  up  some 
people's  hay  on  shares.  We  had  240  acres  of  hay  and 
a  lot  of  dry  farm  to  run.  My  place  in  Famum  was 
rented  the  year  I  started  farming  in  1923,  so  1  ran  the 
Black  Springs  place.  The  year  before  I  was  married  I 
ran  my  dry  farm  at  Famum,  didn't  have  too  big  of  a 
crop  but  it  was  better  than  the  year  before. 

I  met  Mary  Rebecca  Hansen  at  a  dance  at 
Wilford.  We  went  together  for  2  or  3  years  (1922- 
1925).  We  were  married  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho  by 
Judge  Miles  Cahoon  on  my  25th  birthday,  31  March 
1925.  We  went  down  in  an  old  buggy.  We  went  and 
lived  with  Dad  for  a  couple  of  weeks  before  we  had 
this  house  where  we  are  Hving  now.  It  was  full  of  bed 
bugs  at  that  time  and  we  had  to  clean  it  out  and  white 
wash  it  and  calcimine  it.  The  first  year  I  went  up 
there  I  didn't  raise  enough  to  pay  the  interest.  There 
was  just  enough  wheat  to  plant  the  next  years  crop. 
The  next  year  I  had  a  good  crop  at  both  places.  I  had 
enough  to  pay  off  my  debts.  I've  never  wanted  to  run 
in  debt  again. 

I  did  lots  of  dry  farming  and  irrigating.  I 
liked  to  fish  and  hunt.  That  kept  me  busy  when  I 
wasn't  farming.    We  always  raised  a  good  garden. 

I  never  had  many  narrow  escapes.  Got  scared 
a  time  or  two.  Had  the  lightning  hit  up  at  the  dry 
farm  in  Famum  once.  It  ran  the  horses  all  down  to 
the  bam,  which  had  a  swinging  door.  The  door  hit 
me  on  top  of  the  head  and  I  thought  the  lightning 
had  hit  and  knocked  me  down. 

I  have  spent  my  lifetime  farming,  milking 
cows,  feeding  pigs  and  chickens.  Rebecca  and  I  loved 
to  dance,  went  to  a  lot  of  dances  at  Marysville,  Ashton 
and  Warm  River.  When  we  were  first  married  we 
danced  upstairs  at  the  old  Fogg  Hall  in  St.  Anthony 
where  the  old  starch  factory  used  to  be. 

Mother  and  I  had  5  kids.  Three  girls  and  two 
boys.  I  lived  quite  a  life!  A  pretty  long  life  from  what 
I  think.  I  and  Mama  were  married  50  years  yesterday 
(31  March  1975). 

By:  Henry  Devere  Blanchard 

"My  Father,  Devere,  died  31  July  1976 
Saturday  night,  from  complications  of  arthritis  from 
taking  too  much  aspirin.    He  was    buried  in  the 


Pineview  Cemetery,  Ashton,  Idaho. 

By:  Norma  Blanchard  Powell  June  13,1988) 


97 


Dcvcrc  Blanchard  1926,  with  horses,  Dick,  Dan,  Fox,  Babe 

"  My  Dads  Farm  " 
Devere's  farm  was  across  the  road  from  Francis  Bratt's 
farm.  My  girl  friend  Mona  Howard  Bratt,  married 
Harold  Bratt,  is  across  the  road  still.  My  Dad  gave 
the  dry  farm  to  my  oldest  brother,  Harold  who  lives 
in  Chester,  but  still  farms  the  land  in  Famum.  Alma 
Moroni  Blanchard  Jr.,  Devere's  father,  acquired  these 
forms  and  gave  them  to  his  boys — most  of  them  still 
had  mortgages  on  them.  When  I  was  a  little  girl. 
Mom  and  Dad  and  I  lived  at  the  dry  farm  in  that  old 
house  part  of  the  summer  while  putting  in  the  crops. 
There  was  a  garden  on  the  west  side  of  the  house  with 
currant  and  gooseberry  bushes.  A  big  barn  and  a 
couple  of  granaries  and  a  cistern  in  the  ground  that 
dad  threw  boards  and  trash  into  it,  when  it  was  no 
longer  inuse  and  because  a  young  colt  (horse)  fell  in 
it.  Us  kids  liked  to  wander  through  that  old  house. 
Someone  later  wanted  the  old  boards,  etc.  and  Dad 
let  them  tear  it  down. 

By:  Norma  Blanchard  Powell  (June  13  1988) 

MARY  REBECCA  HANSEN  BLANCHARD 

I  was  born  at  home  11  June,  1901  in 
Wilford,  Fremont  County,  Idaho  to  Christian  Hansen 
and  Sarah  Annie  Greenhalgh.  My  father  was  bom  in 
Denmark,  my  mother  was  born  at  Bloomington, 
Idaho 

I  was  the  oldest  of  11  children,  two  died 
young  as  babies.  I  grew  up  with  4  brothers  and  4 
sisters.  Our  home  consisted  of  two  large  rooms,  made 
out  of  logs.  Mother  had  a  hard  life  raising  all  of  us 
children.  I  tended  my  brothers  and  sisters.  Seemed 
like  mother  always  had  a  baby  around. 

I  liked  to  make  mud  pies  as  a  child.  I  made 
mud  dolls  out  of  clay  along  the  canal  bank  that  ran  by 
our  house.    I  played  with  cats  and  dressed  them  in 


doll  clothes.  I  had  an  old  yellow  cat.  Mother  would 
wash  the  baby's  clothes,  then  I  would  take  some  of 
them,  dress  my  cat  up  in  them  and  set  him  in  the 
baby's  high  chair.  It  sat  there  just  like  a  child.  One 
day  it  didn't  return  to  the  house  and  I  cried  for  weeks. 

Mother  went  to  cook  for  thrashers  one  time. 
I  decided  to  wash  all  the  dirty  clothes  for  Mother. 
Aunt  Glida  says  she  can  still  sec  those  "dirty"  clothes 
hanging  on  the  line.  In  those  days  they  used  stove 
black  on  their  wood  stoves  to  make  them  shine.  One 
day  I  decided  to  dean  Mother's  stove.  I  washed  it  off 
with  soap  and  water,  and  took  all  the  black  off.  I 
wanted  to  be  kind  to  Mother.  Once  I  made  ice  cream 
as  a  surprise  while  Mother  was  gone.  When  Mother 
came  home,  my  brother  Dee,  went  running  out  of  the 
house  and  said  to  her,  "Rehy  made  ice  cream  and  hid 
it  behind  the  door!"  Every  time  Mother  left  home,  I 
stirred  up  a  cake. 

I  had  membranous  croup  when  I  was  small.  I 
went  black  in  the  face  and  couldn't  breath.  O.  K. 
Meservy  was  going  down  the  road  on  a  bicycle  at  the 
time.  He  had  a  split  tail  coat  on.  He  went  for  help 
and  his  coat  tails  went  flying  in  the  breeze.  Grandpa 
Greenhalgh's  blessing  saved  me.  I  stayed  there  with 
Grandma  Greenhalgh  taking  care  of  me  till  I  was  well 
again.  Uncle  Alma  Greenhalgh  said,  "I  about  kicked 
the  bucket." 

The  only  time  we  got  an  egg  was  for  our 
birthday.  Mother  took  the  eggs  from  our  chickens  to 
the  store  and  traded  them  for  groceries.  If  we  were 
lucky,  we  got  an  orange  in  our  stocking  for  Christmas. 
I  went  to  school  in  Wilford  till  I  graduated  fi-om  the 
8th  grade. 

After  graduating  I  started  working  in  the  seed 
house  at  St.  Anthony.  We  picked  out  the  culls,  rocks, 
etc.,  from  the  peas.  I  used  to  have  to  help  buy  shoes 
for  my  brothers  and  sisters.  I  rode  a  sleigh  into  St. 
Anthony  in  the  wintertime,  heated  rocks  and  put 
them  in  the  sleigh  with  lots  of  quilts  to  keep  from 
freezing.  In  the  summer  we  rode  in  a  buggy. 

I  met  Devere  at  a  dance  at  the  Fogg  Hall  in 
St.  Anthony.  Devere  had  a  white  top  buggy  drawn  by 
one  horse.  It  had  one  scat.  That  is  the  way  we  went 
on  dates.  Later  on,  Devere  got  a  white  top  drawn  by 
two  horses  and  it  had  two  seats.  Our  first  car  was  a 
Model  T  Ford. 

On  our  dry  farm  at  Famum  was  an  old  two 
story,  unpainted  frame  house,  a  bam,  a  hay  shed,  a 
hand  dug  well  and  a  cistern.  We  went  up  there  in  the 
spring  and  stayed  until  we  had  the  crop  in.  We  were 
driving  horse  and  buggy  in  those  days  so  it  was  slow 
traveling.  Dad  (Devere)  plowed  with  horses.  Raised 
a  small  garden  up  there,  had  gooseberries  and  currant 
bushes.  Came  back  to  the  house  in  Chester,  went 
back  and  forth  to  the  dry  farm  untill  the  crop  was 
harvested  in  the  fall. 

I  kept  busy  with  making  my  own  bread, 
making  butter,  bottling  fruit,  vegetables,  pickles, 
relishes,  jam  and  jellies.  About  300  quarts  every  year. 
Devere  always  had  a  large  garden.  We  picked 


raspberries  out  of  our  garden  and  canned  them  as  fruit 
and  jam.  We  always  had  plenty  to  eat.  We  had  our 
meat  also.  I  fed  and  milked  cows  most  of  my  life. 
Had  to  do  that  while  Devere  was  up  to  the  dry  farm 
working,  he  never  came  home  till  dark.  There  was 
potatoes  to  get  the  weeds  out  of,  shocked  grain  at  the 
dry  farm  (binder  would  cut  the  grain  and  put  it  in 
bundles  and  threw  it  on  the  ground,  had  to  go  along 
and  pile  them  up  in  piles  so  rain  wouldn't  ruin  the 
grain  heads).  I  had  good  health  most  of  my  life,  but 
did  have  surgery  for  a  goiter,  and  some  back 
problems.  Life  is  getting  a  little  tiring  as  I  have  to 
spend  so  much  time  sitting  around,  doing  nothing. 

By:  Mary  Rebecca  Hansen  Blanchard 

On  the  11th  of  June  1984  she  became  83 
years  old.  From  January  on  of  this  year  her  health  was 
going  down  hill.  She  died  21  August  1984.  Burial 
was  at  the  Pincview  Cemetery,  Ashton,  Fremont 
County,  Idaho. 

By:  Norma  Blanchard  Powell 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Son               b-  1925       d-  1925 

Stillborn 

(2)  Elda              b-  1926       d-  1926 

Infant 

(3)  Norma           b-  1927 

md-  Sanders  Cox  Powell 

(4)  Harold  D      b-  1929 

md-  Georgia  L.  Shelton  Baker 

(5)  Wilma           b-  1931 

md-  Donald  Orion  Petersen 

(6)  Dean  R.         b-  1934 

md-  Naomi  Riggs 

98 


HEINRICH  KLAUS  BOLLAND 

and 

KATHERINA  OHRENBERG 

Heinrich  Klaus  Bolland  (  1861-1925  )  was 
born  in  Selsinger,  Hanover,  Germany  near  Bremen. 
He  had  only  one  sister,  Martha  Ohrenbcrg  Burfiend, 
and  a  brother,  Adolph  Ohrenberg,  the  tailor. 

"My  mother's  Dad  and  Mother  didn't  live  to 
be  very  old.  She  remembered  her  father  as  old  and 
crippled  at  about  56,  he  didn't  live  much  longer.  Her 
mother  could  remember  when  Napolean  went  to 
Russia  and  was  defeated.  They  came  right  through 
her  place.  She  was  herding  horses.  She  died  between 
the  year  Henry  and  I  were  bom." 

Heinrich  Bolland  was  a  "Tocpler"  by  trade, 
building  fireplaces,  outside  baking  ovens  or  stoves, 
pottery,  crocks,  chimneys,  etc.  in  Germany.  (  In 
Germany  they  didn't  burn  wood  for  cooking,  they 
used  "Turf"  which  they  dug  out  of  the  ground  ). 

Heinrich  Bolland  came  to  America  in  1890. 
He  came  alone  without  saying  anything  to  anyone 
because  he  knew  they  would  stop  him.  He  left  a  note 
in  his  cup.  (  He  had  started  once  before  and  stopped 
at  his  sister  Minna's  in  Bremen  and  she  had  talked 
him  in  to  going  back  ),  so  this  time  he  didn't  stop. 


He  came  to  Concordia,  Lafayette  County, 
Missouri  because  he  knew  some  people  there.  He 
worked  for  a  man  named  Colmeyer  and  when  he  had 
enough  money  he  sent  for  his  family.  It  was  in  1891 
that  the  Holland  family  came  to  America,  Katherina 
and  three  children,  Mary,  Henry  Jr.,  and  Adolph. 
Some  of  the  children  dared  litde  Adolph  (  2  years  old  ) 
to  throw  his  cap  into  the  ocean,  and  he  did.  When 
they  landed  in  New  York  they  had  prunes  at  their  first 
meal.  Henry  was  4  and  Mary  was  6. 

Pa  was  a  very  common  laborer  in  Concordia. 
He  never  had  any  more  money  than  he  could  carry  in 
his  pocket  easily.  "When  we  came  to  Idaho,  Henry 
and  I  had  earned  enough  money  and  bought  our 
own  rickets,  but  when  pa  bought  the  rest  of  the 
family  their  tickets  he  only  had  $142.00  in  his 
pocket." 

By  Adolph 

There  were  a  lot  of  people  going  West.  The 
tickets  only  cost  about  $20.00.  The  owner  had  to 
sleep  in  the  freight  car  with  the  belongings,  livestock 
and  feed.  The  rest  of  the  family  rode  in  the  coach. 
The  trip  took  about  a  week. 

In  1906  when  the  Bolland  family  came  to 
Idaho  they  came  with  several  other  families,  August 
Lenz,  Bill  Griffel,  Henry  Geischen  and  Paul 
Heisterberg.  The  first  place  they  lived  in  Idaho  was  a 
log  cabin  on  the  George  Harrigfeld  farm.  A  short 
time  after  that  they  moved  to  where  the  George  Baum 
place  in  now,  it  was  Mrs.  Sophia  Shafer's.  Then  they 
lived  on  the  Chris  Harrigfeld  place  until  1915,  then 
moved  to  the  Tom  Osman  place  near  the  Squirrel 
store.  While  living  there  they  bought  the  "Goshen" 
place  on  Fall  River  from  Martin  Luetjen  in  1920. 
Then  they  bought  80  acres  of  land  along  Squirrel 
Creek,  3  1/4  miles  east  of  the  store,  from  Bill  Stronks 
and  built  their  house  on  this  property.  "We  piled  all 
our  belongings  on  the  wagon  and  drove  up.  I 
remember  because  we  used  to  have  earlier  spring  than 
we  do  now.  Two  of  the  boys  drove  a  herd  of  hogs." 
by  Bill 

When  we  Hved  in  Germany,  Feiber's  Martin, 
a  neighbor's  kid,  threw  a  rock  and  hit  me,  so  I  told 
the  'Gendarme."  The  Gendarme'  told  him  "  I  will 
cut  his  ears  off  " . 

Henry  Heinrich  Bolland  had  no  milk  cows 
when  they  first  came  from  Germany,  so  they  had  to 
walk  through  the  woods  to  get  milk  from  the 
neighbor.  When  Henry  and  Adolph  were  getting 
milk  when  it  began  to  rain  real  hard,  so  they  crawled 
under  a  wood  brush  pile  and  it  got  dark.  They  had  to 
stay  there  all  night.  The  neighbors  helped  look  for 
them.  They  thought  they  heard  Grandfather's  whistle 
and  they  found  them,  wet  hungry  and  cold,  but  they 
brought  the  milk  home. 

Once  Henry  was  working  for  Herman 
Heirman  at  Concordia  and  coming  home  one  time  he 
asked  Bill  to  open  the  gate.  Bill  didn't  want  to,  but 
he  did  anyhow  "Ich  mot  me  noch  dodt  arbeiten — 


mama  hat  me  uk  all  wehr  robcn  ."    (I  have  to  work 
myself  to  death,  Mama  has  called  me  again  already  ). 


CHILDREN: 

(l)Mary 

b- 

md-  George  Stetzcl 

(2)  Henry 

b- 

md-  Frieda  Luetjen 

(3)  Adolph 

b- 

md-  Frieda  Stuenkel 

(4)  William 

b- 

unmarried 

(5)  Frieda 

b- 

md-  Herman  Heuer 

(6)  Katharina 

b- 

md-  William  (Bill)  Garz 

99 


HENRY  MARTIN  BOLLAND 

and 

FRIEDA  LUETJEN 

Dad  was  born  in  Selsingen,  Germany  on 
September  5,  1887.  His  parents  were  Heinrich  Klaus 
Bolland  and  Katherina  Ohrenberg  Bolland.  He  was 
the  second  of  six  children.  Grandpa  Bolland  came  to 
America  in  1890  and  sent  for  his  family  the  next  year 
when  he  had  earned  enough  money  to  pay  their 
passage.  Aunt  Mary,  Dad  and  Uncle  Adolph  came 
with  Grandma  when  Dad  was  nearly  five  years  old. 
They  settied  in  Concordia,  Missouri  where  Grandpa 
did  farm  work.  Uncle  Bill,  Aunt  Katie  aunt  Freida 
were  bom  there.  Dad  attended  parochial  School  and 
the  Davis  Creek  School  in  Concordia. 

In  1906,  when  Dad  was  nineteen,  the 
Bolland  family  moved  to  Squirrel,  Idaho  where  they 
farmed  and  built  the  home  place  at  Squirrel  Creek. 

Dad  and  Mom  had  attended  the  same 
Parochial  School  in  Concordia,  Missouri.  They  met 
again  at  a  dance  in  Squirrel  where  Dad  was  playing  the 
fiddle  in  a  dance  band.  Dad  was  twenty-five  then  and 
Mom  only  sixteen.  Five  years  later  they  were  married 
in  the  Zions  Lutheran  Church,  Squirrel,  Idaho  on 
March  4, 1917. 

Dad  built  a  house  for  them  to  live  in.  They 
lived  there  until  the  family  was  too  large  for  it. 
Herbert  Martin  was  bom  first  on  April  8,  1918.  Paul 
Theadore  arrived  on  March  26,  1920.  Dorothy  their 
first  girl,  was  bom  October  14,  1923.  Henry  Emest 
arrived  August  13,  1927  and  Fred  William  September 
28, 1928.  The  children  attended  country  school. 

Besides  farming.  Dad  had  his  own  blacksmith 
shop  where  he  did  blacksmithing  for  his  neighbors. 
He  organized  the  area  farmers  to  keep  the  roads  open 
in  the  winter  with  horsedrawn  scrapers.  Dad  was  a 
charter  member  of  the  Zion  Lutheran  Church  and 
played  the  comet  in  the  church  band.  He  sang  in  the 
church  choir.  He  was  a  member  of  the  first  ball  team 
in  Ashton. 

Dad  bought  his  home  place  from  Mom's 
mother  1923.  Rosemarie  was  bom  June  5,  1936  and 
John  Lawrence  arrived  on  October  3,  1937  while  they 
were  living  at  the  home  place.  Dad  and  Mom  moved 
to  Ashton  during  the  winters  beginning  in  1942  so 
that  the  children  could  go  to  school  in  towTi. 

Dad  retired  from  farming  in  1950  when  he 
was  sixty-three,  but  he  continued  to  help  out  and 


Bill,  John,  Paul,  Bud,  Dorothy,  Rioscmaric,  Herbert  f.r.  Henry  and  Frieda  Bolland 


advise  his  sons  when  they  took  over  the  farming.  He 
then  began  work  as  the  custodian  of  the  Lutheran 
church.  He  retired  from  his  custodian  work  in  1973 
at  the  age  of  eightyfive.  He  was  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  the  Ashton  area  in  1972  and  for  several  years 
thereafter.  He  served  as  President  of  the  Fremont 
Senior  Citizens. 

Dad  enjoyed  such  a  great  diversity  of 
activities  during  his  life.  He  enjoyed  playing  cards, 
from  a  serious  game  of  pinochle  to  playing  seven-up 
with  the  grand  kids.  He  played  horseshoe  and  pool, 
traveled,  played  his  old  pump  organ  and  piano,  and 
kept  a  beautiful  yard  and  garden.  He  enjoyed 
reading,  especially  poetry  He  kept  active  and  busy 
and  claimed  that  all  his  kids  and  grand  kids  kept  him 
young. 

To  many,  it  may  not  seem  that  Dad  was  a 
particularly  sucessful  or  great  man.  He  was  never  a 
rich  man,  never  very  famous  or  outstanding.  He  left 
no  great  mark  on  history  or  great  legacy  to  mankind, 
and  yet,  he  was  probably  the  most  successful  man  I 
have  ever  known.  Not  in  the  way  the  world  usually 
looks  on  success  it  lies  in  what  he  was  inwardly,  and 
what  he  will  always  be  to  us,  in  our  hearts  and  minds. 
We  honor  him  not  for  what  he  was  to  the  world,  but 
what  he  was  to  us:  a  strong  Christian,  a  loving  father, 
a  man  who  was  happy  and  content  with  his  place  in 
life,  who  enjoyed  what  he  did  to  the  utmost,  and 
when  things  got  hard  for  him,  he  did  not  complain. 
He  trusted  in  God. 

His  example  to  us,  in  his  life  and  even  in  his 
death,  will  be  remembered.  God  kept  his  promise  to 
Henry  Bolland... 


"  That  it  may  be  well  with  thee,  and  thou 

mayest  live  long  on  the  earth",  And  now... 

Heaven  is  his  home  . 
With  love  your  daughter, 
Rosemarie  Bolland 

FRIEDA  SOPHIA  MARY  BERTHA  LUETJEN 

Mom  was  born  in  Concordia,  Missouri  on 
February  25,  1896  to  Martin  and  Dorthea  (Wolpers) 
Luetjen.  She  spent  her  early  childhood  in  Concordia 
and  attended  Lutheran  Parochial  school  there. 

When  she  was  twelve  years  old,  her  family 
moved  to  Squirrel,  Idaho.  They  moved  by  renting  a 
box  car  on  the  railroad  and  loaded  all  their  possessions 
in  the  box  car.  They  took  along  homemade  barrels  of 
molasses,  flour,  home  dried  fruits,  plants,  shrubs, 
seeds  and  even  Grandpa  Luetjen 's  span  of  mules  and 
their  feed.  Grandpa  rode  in  the  box  car  with  their 
belongings  and  the  rest  of  the  family  rode  in  the 
coach.  Mom  celebrated  her  twelfth  birthday  on  the 
train  in  1908. 

Mom's  family  stayed  with  the  Carl  Lenz 
family  until  they  could  move  to  their  own  place.  They 
had  forty  acres  to  start  with  and  then  hired  help  to 
break  more  land  on  the  Warnke  place.  Grandpa 
bought  the  Chilson  place  after  four  years  and  they 
moved  again.  Mom  remembers  the  original  log  cabin 
was  still  in  use  down  by  the  spring.  The  spring  was 
where  many  of  the  local  people  got  their  water.  They 
hauled  it  in  fifty  gallon  barrels  placed  on  skids  and 
pulled  by  horses.  Later  they  dug  a  well  and  moved 
the  log  cabin  up  to  where  the  new  house  was  built. 


100 


Mom  met  Dad  back  in  Missouri  where  they 
went  to  school.  They  met  again  in  Squirrel  at  dances 
where  Dad  played  the  fiddle.  Mom  was  sixteen  and 
Dad  twenty-five.  They  had  a  long  five-year 
courtship,  because  Mom's  parents  wouldn't  let  her 
get  married  until  she  was  twentyonc.  They  were 
married  in  the  old  Squirrel  church  (Zion  Lutheran) 
by  Rev.  Schaus  on  March  4,  1917. 

Mom  and  Dad  rented  a  house  at  Highland 
Ranch  while  Dad  finished  building  their  house.  It 
was  a  two-room  house  with  a  cellar  and  they  later 
built  on  an  enclosed  porch.  Dad  also  built  a  log  barn 
and  chicken  house,  a  granary  and  shed.  They  also 
drilled  a  well.  They  lived  in  this  house  until  their 
family  became  too  large  for  it.  Herbert  Martin  was 
born  on  April  8,1918.  Paul  Theadore  arrived  March 
26,  1920.  Dorothy  was  bom  October  14,  1823. 
Henry  Ernest  arrived  August  13,  1927  and  Fred 
William  was  born  on  September  28,  1828.  A  year 
after  Bill  was  bom  they  sold  their  house  and  rented 
the  Fuller  place.  Mom  said  that  leaving  that  little 
home  that  Dad  built  was  one  of  the  hardest  things 
she  ever  had  to  do.  They  lived  in  this  next  house 
four  years  and  then  bought  Grandma  Luetjen's  place. 
She  was  an  invalid  and  widowed  and  unable  to 
manage  it  by  herself.  Grandma  lived  with  Mom  and 
Dad  and  was  cared  for  by  them.  In  1936  another 
daughter,  Rosemarie,  was  born  on  June  5th,  and 
John  Lawrence  arrived  on  October  3,  1937.  The 
older  children  attended  the  country  school  until  it 
closed.  Then  Mom  and  Dad  bought  their  home  in 
Ashton  fi-om  Bill  Garz  and  the  two  youngest  children 
attended  school  in  town. 

Mom  and  Dad  continued  to  help  the  boys 
mn  the  ranch  and  also  kept  a  large  garden  in  town. 
They  were  active  in  the  Lutheran  Church.  They 
traveled  and  visited  many  friends  and  relatives 
throughout  the  country.  Mom  has  always  lived  a 
very  full  and  active  life.  She  loves  gardening,  tending 
house  plants,  sewing  and  needlework,  music,  and 
writing.  She  has  cared  for  many  newboms  both  in 
the  family  and  while  assisting  the  doctor.  Mom  will 
always  be  an  inspiration  to  her  family.  She  always 
looks  on  the  bright  side  of  life.  Her  strong  faith 
shone  through  all  the  hard  times  she  has  gone 
through.  We  admire  her  hard  work,  her  gentleness 
and  caring,  her  love  of  beauty  and  of  nature. 

We  know  she  loves  all  her  family  to  the 
utmost  with  deep  concern  for  all  their  problems.  We 
will  love  her  always. 

By:  Rosemarie 

GODS  FOOTSTEPS 

I  trod  the  hills  in  search  of  GOD 

I  found  him  not,  but  when  I  trod 

In  wooded  glen  I  saw — 

With  leaves  unfurled 

and  petals  curled — 

Where  one  scarlet  lily  bloomed 


And  there  I  found 

As  a  footstep  of  my  God 

And  as  I  stood  and  looked  around 

I  saw  where  flowers  and  trees  abound 

And  trees  so  straight  and  tall 

I  came  to  realize  that  all 

This —  and  all  things  —  good — 

Are  the  footsteps  of  my  GOD 

By:  Freida  Bolland 

MAYNARD  P.  BOWERSOX 

and 

DIXIE  SHARP 


b.r.  Dixie  and  Maynard  Bowcrsox  f.r.  Bill  and  Margaret  Bowersox 


101 


b.r.  Bill  and  Ruby  Bowcrsox  f.r.  EHxic,  Billy,  Brett,  Dcbra 


Four  brothers  came  from  Germany  and 
settled  in  Illinois. 

My  father,  M.  P.  Bowersox,  had  three 
brothers  and  one  sister.  He  came  to  Idaho  a  few  years 
before  World  War  I.  He  went  to  the  army  and  served 
in  France.  He  returned  to  Idaho  after  World  War  I 
and  lived  in  a  tent  that  winter  as  he  had  a  job  in  the 
spring  as  a  hired  hand  for  $30.00  a  month. 

He  had  purchased  a  fiddle  in  France  during 
the  war  and  had  carried  it  all  over  during  the  war.  He 
learned  to  play  the  fiddle  that  winter  in  the  tent.  He 
played  for  many  years  at  Squirrel  for  dances  with 
George  Amen. 

He  married  Dixie  Sharp  and  they  lived  in  a 
log  house  on  Squirrel  Creek  where  he  was  farming. 
We  moved  to  Drummond  in  the  spring  of  1933  where 
I  finished  the  first  grade.  We  moved  to  the  John 
Meek  place  south  of  Drummond.  I  have  one  sister, 
Margaret. 

We  bought  and  moved  to  the  Niefort  place  in 
1947  and  resided  here  ever  since,  (This  place  is  across 
the  street  north  of  the  Blaine  Baird  residence). 

I  married  Ruby  Klein  in  1954.  We  have  four 
children:  Debra,  Dixie,  Bill  Jr.,  and  Brett. 

By:  W.  M.  (Bill)  Bowersox 

GEORGE  BOYLAN 

and 

MAMIE  KING 

No  history 

1st.  Gen:  HENRY  AARON  BRATT 

and 

JANE  POVEY  BRATT 


b.r.  Marion,  Francis  (Frank),  Aunt  Emily,  f.r.  Jane,  Wilfred  (baby), 
Walter  is  holding  Harold,  and  Henry  Bratt 


102 


One  of  Farnum's  early  families,  and  whose 
descendants  still  are  residing  in  the  community,  were 
Henry  and  Jane  Povey  Bratt  and  family,  who  came 
from  England  to  America  in  April  1912,  and  settled  in 
Famum. 

Henry  Aaron  Bratt  was  born  near  Cheshire, 
England,  May  1859,  and  died  at  Famum  in  1927.  He 
was  the  son  of  Aaron  Bratt,  an  iron  founder.  His 
mother  is  not  known. 

Information  from  their  mdrricige  certificate: 

Henry  Aaron  Bratt,  age  30,  bachelor,  paper 
hanger,  residing  at  29  Oakfield  Road,  Everton, 
England.  His  father's  name  Aaron  Bratt,  (an  iron 
founder).  Married:  Jane  Povey,  age  21,  spinster, 
residing  at  21  Veger  Street,  Everton,  England. 
Father,  John  Povey,  (deceased)  a  wheelwright. 
Married  in  the  Register  Office  in  the  presence  of  J.  R. 
Pendrigh  and  J.  C.  Greenlees.  George  H.  Cleaveaves, 
Registrar,  T.  J.  Pentin,  Supt.  Registrar.  Thirtieth 
March,  1889.  In  the  distria  of  West  Derby,  England, 
in  County  of  Lancaster,  England. 

Henry  and  his  wife,  Jane  Povey,  and  children; 
Walter,  Francis  (Frank),  Marian,  Harold  C.  and 
Wilfred,  sailed  to  New  Foundland,  April  1912  on  the 
S.  S.  Corsica.  They  had  planned  on  sailing  on  the  new 
lovely  ship  "The  Titanic"  but  were  unable  to  book 
passage.  They  learned  later  The  Titanic  had  collided 
with  an  iceberg  and  sank.  Their  ship  was  in  the  same 
shipping  lane  but  was  too  far  away  to  give  them  any 
assistance.  They,  themselves,  had  hit  an  iceberg  but 
didn't  sustain  much  damage,  but  didn't  resume  their 
course  until  morning.  It  had  given  them  quite  a  jar,  as 
it  knocked  Wilfred  from  his  bunk  to  the  floor. 

They  came  to  America  about  ten  years  after 
Jane's  mother,  Emily  Simpson,  had  come  to  America 
with  some  L.D.S.  Missionaries.  She  encouraged  her 
children,  Jane,  Dick  and  Emily  to  come  to  Weston, 
Idaho.  Jane's  sister,  Emily,  had  come  over  previous  to 
the  Bratts  and  was  already  married  to  an  early  pioneer, 
Lewis  J.  Hawkes,  and  living  at  Lillian,  a  community 
just  east  of  Famum.  She  had  written  glowing  rep>orts 
to  the  Bratt  family  in  England  and  encouraged  them 
to  come  out  to  the  land  of  opportunity. 

Henry  and  family  arrived  at  Weston,  where 
Jane's  mother  was  residing,  and  stayed  two  weeks, 
then  came  on  to  Lillian,  Idaho.  It  was  quite  a  change 
in  their  lives  from  the  crowded  streets  of  Liverpool, 
England  to  the  wide  open  spaces  of  Famum,  but  they 
soon  adjusted. 

Henry  was  assistant  postmaster  and  ran  the 
store.  He  continued  in  his  profession  of  interior 
decorator,  wallpapering,  painting,  concrete  work  and 
carpentry  work.  He  built  a  home  on  a  piece  of  land 
near  the  Famum  Church  House.  He  enjoyed  fishing 
as  a  pastime  and  relaxation. 

As  each  child  matured  and  married,  they 
settled  within  the  same  vicinity.  They  had  the 
misfortune  of  having  one  son,  Harold,  killed  by  being 
dragged  to  death  by  a  horse  when  only  18  years  of 
age.  They  also  had  to  leave  two  small  boys,  Percy  and 


Leslie,  who  had  died  of  Diphtheria,  buried  in 
England. 

Henry  died  before  Wilfred  had  left  the  family 
home.  There  was  no  Social  Security  or  pensions  and 
life  was  hard.  The  homes  in  those  days  did  not  even 
have  electricity  or  plumbing.  Wilfred  stayed  and 
supported  his  widowed  Mother  for  many,  many  years 
until  she  died  in  February  25,  1949,  at  Famum.  She 
is  buried  in  the  Ashton  Cemetery. 

Wilfred  married  Floy  Plant  and  they  still  live 
in  the  center  of  Farnum.  They  have  no  children  of 
their  own  but  they  are  so  loved  and  appreciated  by  all 
the  nieces  and  nephews  that  they  are  considered  a  part 
of  each  family. 

By:  F.  W.  Bratt  Grandson 


CHILDREN: 
1)  Percy  Leslie 


2)  Walter  H.  b-  1891 

md-  Vera  S.  Wickham 

3)  Fredrick  b-  1892 

4)  Francis  (Frank)      b-  1895 

md-  Isabella  Priscilla  Hawkes 


5)  Baby  (Boy) 


6)  Marian  Evelyn        b-  1901 

md-  George  Henry  White 

7)  Harold  Clifton       b-  1903 


b-  1890       d-  1895  Died  in 

England 
d-  1945 

d-  1895  Died  in 

England 
d-  1981 

b-  1897      d-  1897    Died  in 

England 


d-  1921 

Died  when  18  Years 
Old 


8)  Wilfred  Arnold      b-  1906 
md-  Velma  Floy  Plant 

2nd  Gen:  WALTER  H.  BRATT 

and 

VERA  S.  WICKHAM 


Walter  H.  and  Vera  S.  Wickham  Bratt 


Walter  H.  Bratt,  son  of  Henry  Aaron  Bratt 
and  Jane  Povey  Bratt  was  born  March  12,  1891  at     jq^ 


Liverpool,  England.  He  attended  public  schools  and 
completed  his  schooling  at  Christ  Church  School  at 
Waterloo,  England.  As  a  boy  he  sang  in  the  Choir  of 
the  St.  George's  Church  at  Liverpool  for  five  years. 
After  completing  school,  he  served  an  apprenticeship 
of  five  years  with  an  electrical  firm  of  Darg  and 
Griffith  of  Liverpool,  England.  During  this  time  he 
worked  as  an  electrician  on  some  of  the  biggest 
buildings  in  the  city,  being  in  charge  of  all  the 
electrical  work  on  the  Royal  Liners  Ins.  Co's,  modem 
structure  in  Liverpool.  At  age  21,  he  came  to  America 
with  his  parents  and  four  brothers  and  one  sister. 

They  left  England  April  5,  1912  on  the  S.S. 
Corsica.  The  Captain  of  the  ship  was  "Captain 
Cook",  a  Scotchman.  They  landed  at  New  Foundland 
and  made  the  long  journey,  by  train,  to  Weston, 
Idaho.  The  family  visited  two  weeks  with 
grandmother  Emily  Simpson  and  came  on  to  Lillian, 
Idaho  where  his  father  found  work  in  the  store  there. 
He  grew  up  in  the  Lillian  area  and  later  married  Vera 
Sophrona  Wickham,  the  daughter  of  Walter  Wickham 
and  Mary  Ann  Hawkes. 

He  bought  the  Wade  place,  and  farmed  along 
with  his  other  work  with  the  Fall  River  Rural  Electrical 
Cooperative,  with  headquarters  at  Ashton  and  was  a 
help  in  getting  the  electricity  into  the  Farnum, 
Drummond,  Lamont  and  Squirrel  area.  In  1939  he 
was  elected  Superintendent  of  this  organization. 

Walter  H.  Bratt  54,  was  the  local  manager  of 
the  Fall  River  Rural  Electric  Cooperative  at  Ashton,  at 
the  time  of  his  death,  Monday  noon,  at  his  home  from 
a  heart  attach.  He  was  buried  June  9,  1945,  at  the 
Ashton  Cemetery. 

VERA  SOPHRONA  WICKHAM 

Vera  Wickham  was  bom  at  Heber  City,  Utah, 
November  14,  1895.  Her  parents  were  Walter  Bryant 
Wickham  and  Mary  Ann  Hawkes.  She  had  one  sister 
and  four  brothers. 

Her  parents  came  to  Wilford,  Idaho  from 
Heber  City,  Utah,  in  1906,when  she  was  about  11 
years  old.  Her  Father  homesteaded  land  in  that  area. 
Her  mother  Mary  Ann  Hawkes  died  when  Vera  was 
16  years  of  age.  She  then  took  over  the  responsibility 
of  housekeeping  for  her  father  and  brothers,  one 
being  younger  than  she  was.  June  6,1917,  she 
married  Walter  H.  Bratt  who  had  arrived  from 
England  four  years  before.  They  made  their  home  in 
Famum,  working  a  farm  there.  Vera  was  a  very  hard 
worker  on  this  farm  and  helped  with  heavy  labor, 
which  was  required  by  all  at  that  time.  They  farmed 
for  28  years  until  he  died  in  1945.  She  continued  to 
stay  on  the  farm.  She  spent  some  winters  in  Mexico 
and  Arizona.  On  December  5,  1955,  she  married  Ren 
Hill  and  they  continued  to  spend  the  winter  months 
in  the  Southem  States  until  his  death  in  1973. 

Vera  then  lived  alone  in  St.  Anthony  until 
November  7,  1985  when  she  was  admitted  to  the 
Ashton  nursing  home  in  Ashton  Idaho.  While  there 


she  was  honored  as  the  Patient  of  the  Month.  They 
said,  "She  is  interested  in  all  our  activities  and  crafts, 
and  especially  enjoys  visiting  with  the  other  residents 
and  callers".  She  passed  away  January  15,  1989  and  is 
buried  in  the  Ashton  Cemetery. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Francis  Walter  b- 1918 

md-  Ruth  Marsden 

(2)  Stanley  Dean  b-  1921  d-  1987 
md-  Gwen  Swenson 

(3)  LLoyd  Henry  b-  1923 

md-  Venna  Jean  Powell,  Leora  Arnold 

3rd  Gen:  FRANCIS  WALTER  BRATT 

and 

RUTH  MARSDEN 


b.r.  Shcryl  Bainbridgc,  Jerry,  Roger, 
f.r.  Ruth  Marsden  and  Francis  W.  Bratt 


I  first  saw  Famum,  Idaho  on  August  4,  1918, 
the  day  I  was  born  to  Walter  H.  and  Vera  S.  Bratt. 
Like  all  babies  at  that  time,  I  was  born  at  home  as 
there  were  no  hospitals  nearby.  Also,  there  were  very 
few  cars.  Everyone  depended  on  horses  for  all  farm 
work  and  transportation.  The  farms  were  small  so 
there  were  quite  a  few  families.  They  depended  on 
each  other  in  those  days  and  were  friendly  and 
generous  with  each  other.  Borrowing  machinery  was 
common,  also  tools,  horses,  wagons,  etc.  In  those 
days,  farming  was  simple  compared  to  today.  About 
the  only  equipment  required  was  a  plow,  harrows,  a 
drill,  maybe  a  disk  and  a  binder.  The  bundles  of  grain 
were  shocked  or  stacked  and  eventually  threshed  by 
Hans  Nielsen  and  his  steam  powered  threshing 
machine.  Fertilizer  was  unheard  of  Feed  for  horses 
was  raised  on  the  farm,  also  for  the  cows,  pigs, 
chickens  and  people.  In  my  early  years,  people  seldom 
went  to  town,  especially  in  the  winter  when  there  was 
only  a  sleigh  road.  Before  they  started  using  covered 
sleighs,  some  hay  was  put  in  the  bottom  of  an  open 
sleigh,  then  some  quilts  to  sit  on  and  there  you  sat 
until  you  arrived  at  your  destination.  When  the  cold 
became  unbearable,  you  got  out  and  ran  behind  until 
the  circulation  returned. 


There  were  two  rooms  in  the  Famum  school 
with  about  25  to  30  kids  in  each  room  when  I  went. 
Mrs.  Pete  Madsen  was  my  first  teacher  and  Bryan 
Bean  my  last  when  I  graduated  from  the  eighth  grade. 
Everyone  walked  to  school  except  in  Wmter  when 
they  had  horse  drawn  school  sleighs.  The  winters 
were  harsh  in  those  days  with  lots  of  snow.  After  a 
bad  blizzard  all  the  men  would  harness  their  teams  of 
horses  and  break  open  the  roads  again.  Everyone  had 
fences  to  contain  their  animals  and  it  was  not  unusual 
to  ski  right  over  the  top  of  them  as  the  snow  was 
deeper  than  it  is  now. 

There  were  several  large  families  in  Famum 
and  one  of  these  was  the  Benson  family  who  lived  next 
to  us.  I  can  still  remember  the  fun  rimes  we  had 
playing  together.  In  the  summer  we  played  games 
until  dark  about  every  evening  after  chores  were  done. 
They  had  an  old  horse  named  "Mack"  that  was  too 
old  to  work  but  we  fixed  up  an  old  buggy  chassis  with 
boards  to  sit  on  and  had  a  lot  of  fun.  In  winter,  we 
skied  and  on  moonlit  nights  would  lie  atop  a  haystack 
and  shoot  rabbits  as  they  came  in.  There  were  lots  of 
big  white  rabbits  in  those  days. 

Everyone  worked  hard  when  I  was  young  and 
I  remember  working  in  the  field  with  four  horses  on  a 
drill  or  eight  horses  on  a  plow  when  I  was  in  about  the 
fifth  or  sixth  grade.  Men's  wages  at  that  rime  was 
$1.00  per  day. 

When  I  started  to  High  School  in  Ashton,  I 
drove  an  old  Model  T  v^ith  no  cab  that  my  Dad  had 
fixed  up  but  when  winter  came  and  the  roads  snowed 
in,  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  ride  a  horse  to  school  as 
it  was  in  the  depression  and  no  money  for  boarding 
out.  I  would  have  to  leave  as  it  was  just  getting  light 
in  the  momings  and  get  home  just  at  dusk  at  night.  I 
carried  a  littie  sack  of  oats  behind  the  saddle  to  give 
my  horse  at  noon.  The  next  year  I  lived  with  the  Nels 
Knudsen  family  and  worked  for  my  board  in  his 
grocery  store  after  school  and  on  Saturdays.  The  next 
Wmter  I  lived  with  a  kid  from  Dmmmond  (Harold 
Hendrickson)  in  one  of  Kenny  Rankin's  cabins  across 
the  highway  west  of  the  school.  It  was  a  cold  littie 
cabin  and  we  had  to  do  our  cooking.  We  had  to  haul 
coal  a  gunny  sack  at  a  time  on  a  littie  sled  from  the 
elevator.  By  my  last  year  the  Depression  was  over  and 
my  brother  Stan  had  started  High  School  so  we  lived 
in  the  Ashton  Hotel  which  was  pretty  nice  in  those 
days  but  we  still  had  to  do  our  own  cooking.  The 
folks  would  come  in  on  weekends  with  the  horse  and 
sleigh  and  bring  supplies. 

I  loved  all  sports  and  especially  baseball  and 
felt  quite  honored  when  I  graduated  from  High 
School  to  be  asked  to  play  on  the  Ashton  baseball 
team.  In  those  days  each  town  in  the  valley  had  a 
team  called  the  Yellowstone  League  and  would  import 
good  players  and  find  them  a  job. 

The  highlight  of  my  life  began  October  10, 

1940  when  I  married  a  girl  by  the  name  of  Ruth 

Marsden  who  had  come  to  Famum  to  teach  school, 

TQ^    although  the  meeting  actually  took  place  at  a  dance. 


She  quit  teaching  and  I  quit  playing  baseball  and  we 
settled  down  to  farming.  We  eventually  had  three 
children  Roger,  Sheryl,  and  Jerry. 

I  never  knew  my  mother's  parents  as  they 
died  before  I  was  bom.  Their  names  were  Walter  and 
Mary  Ann  Wickham.  My  grandfather  Bratt  also  died 
when  I  was  quite  yoimg  although  I  can  remember 
him  a  litde.  I  will  always  remember  my  grandmother 
Jane  Bratt  as  the  kindest  most  loving  person  I  ever 
knew.  She  lived  until  after  we  were  married  and  I 
never  heard  her  say  a  bad  thing  about  any  person. 
We  all  loved  to  go  to  her  place.  My  grandfather's 
name  was  Henry.  I  had  two  brothers,  Stanley  and 
Lloyd.  My  dad  was  the  first  superintendent  of  the 
R.E.A.  from  when  it  started  in  1939  until  he  died  in 
1945. 

When  the  farms  were  small  and  numerous  and 
travel  limited,  Famum  was  more  like  an  independent 
community  with  its  own  school,  church  and 
recreation.  The  church  yard  and  building  really  served 
as  the  hub  of  the  community.  Not  only  for  church 
but  all  the  social  gatherings  like  baseball  (yes,  Famum 
had  a  baseball  team  in  the  early  days)  in  the  summer 
and  basketball  in  the  winter,  all  the  funerals,  big 
wedding  parties  where  the  bride  and  groom  sat  in  the 
middle  of  the  floor  and  opened  their  presents  and 
then  had  a  big  dance.  The  Christmas  parties  and 
school  programs  and  even  Fourth  of  July  celebrations 
were  held  there.  The  main  sodal  event  of  the  year  was 
the  17th  of  March  celebration.  Everyone  came, 
ususilly  by  horse  and  sled.  It  lasted  all  day  widi  a  nice 
program  and  tables  set  up  and  a  huge  feed  and  a  lot  of 
visiting.  By  evening,  everything  was  cleared  away  and 
the  dance  started.  The  young  kids  were  sleepy  by  then 
so  were  wrapped  in  their  blankets  and  put  in  some  of 
the  rooms  downstairs  where  they  wouldn't  be 
disturbed.  By  the  time  everyone  had  danced  with 
everyone  else,  it  was  time  to  go  home  so  they  all 
gathered  up  their  belongings  and  tried  not  to  awaken 
their  kids  as  they  carried  them  out  to  the  sleigh.  They 
all  hoped  they  had  the  right  kids  when  they  got  home 
and  unwrapped  them. 

I  have  lived  and  farmed  in  Famum  all  my  life, 
although  I  have  done  some  outside  work.  I  worked  as 
mral  mail  carrier  for  19  years,  as  a  substitute  at  first 
and  later  as  a  regular,  but  still  maintained  the  farm 
with  the  help  of  the  rest  of  the  family. 

A  lot  of  good  people  have  come  out  of 
Famum  but  it  hasn't  been  easy.  The  winters  arc  long 
and  hard  and  the  summers  arc  hot  and  dry.  Fail  is  the 
best  time  of  year  when  the  air  is  crisp  and  clear  and  the 
surrounding  mountains  are  beautiful.  Sometimes 
people  stop  by  to  locate  where  they  were  born  or 
raised  but  it  is  difficult  to  identify  with  the  fences  and 
homesteads  all  gone  making  the  country  look 
different.  Now  people  speed  through  Famum  without 
even  knowing  it  was  ever  a  thriving  community.  To  a 
lot  of  people  it  is  just  a  memory  but  a  lot  of  history 
has  happened  within  it's  boundaries. 


RUTH  (MARSDEN)  BRATT 

I  was  bom  in  Tooele,  Utah  June  5,  1917  to 
Leo  Curtis  Marsden  and  Mary  Gordon  Marsden.  At 
this  time  my  family  was  in  the  process  of  moving  to 
Idaho  where  my  Dad  changed  his  occupation  as  a 
worker  at  a  smelter  to  farming. 

Wc  lived  near  the  Highland  schoolhouse 
about  15  miles  east  of  Ashton.  We  were  a  real  pioneer 
family  with  no  modern  conveniences  such  as 
electricity,  telephone,  bathroom  or  car.  We  attended 
school  in  a  one-roomed  schoolhouse  until  we 
graduated  from  the  eighth  grade.  Then  we  had  to 
leave  home  because  there  were  no  school  buses  to  take 
us  to  Ashton  High  School. 

I  went  to  Utah  and  lived  with  relatives  the 
first  two  years  of  High  School.  Then  I  went  to 
Rexburg  where  I  graduated  from  Madison  High 
School  in  a  class  of  98  students. 

I  then  went  to  Ricks  for  two  years  and 
graduated  as  an  elementary  school  teacher.  I  taught 
school  at  Famum  and  Highland. 

I  married  Francis  Bratt  October  10,  1940  and 
we  have  lived  at  Famum  ever  since.  We  have  two  sons 
and  a  daughter  and  eight  grandchildren;  four  boys  and 
four  girls. 

We  have  seen  Farnum  change  from  small 
farms  and  many  families  with  local  school  and  church 
to  larger  farms  and  fewer  families  and  everyone  going 
to  Ashton  to  school  and  church. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Roger        b-1944 

(2)  Sheryl        b-  1949 

(3)  Jerry  b-  1956 


md-  Carolyn  Gertech 
md-  John  Bainbridge 
md-  Paulette  Peterson 


3rd  Gen:  STANLEY  BRATT 

and 

OWEN  SWENSON 

Stanley  Bratt  was  bom  24  January  1921,  at 
Famum  Idaho.  He  was  the  second  son  of  Walter  and 
Vera  Wickham  Bratt.  He  grew  up  in  Farnum  and 
attended  all  eight  grades  at  the  little  school  house 
which  is  still  standing  (1991). 


CFHLDREN: 

(1)  Barbara 

(2)  Virginia 

(3)  Robert 


b  1946 
bl948 
b-  1958 


3rd  Gen;  LLOYD  HENRY  BRATT 

and 

VENNA  JEAN  POWELL 


On  April  5,  1945,  Lloyd  Henry  Bratt  and  I, 

Venna  Jean  Powell,  were  married  in  St.  Antony,  Idaho 

at  the  home  of  my  parents,  Lewis  and  Maria  Housley 

,Qr     Powell.    As  World  War  II  was  in  progress,  Lloyd  was 


Vera  Jean,  Vcnna  Jean  Powell,  Lloyd  Henry, 
f.r.  Robert  Warren,  Gordon  Lloyd  Bratt 

in  the  United  States  Air  Force  so  we  were  unable  to 
establish  a  permanent  home.  He  was  stationed  at 
Biloxi,  Mississippi.  In  October,  1945,  I  was  able  to 
go  to  Mississippi  to  be  with  Lloyd  and  we  were  there 
until  he  was  discharged  from  the  service  in  early  1946 
at  the  close  of  the  war. 

We  returned  to  Famum  where  we  lived  with 
his  mother,  Vera  Bratt,  in  her  home.  We  were  living 
there  when  our  first  son,  Gordon  Lloyd  Bratt,  was 
born  at  St.  Anthony  hospital,  June  30,  1946.  We 
were  also  living  there  when  our  second  son,  Robert 
Warren  Bratt  was  bom  at  the  same  hospital  November 
23,  1947.  Lloyd  was  farming  a  portion  of  his  mother's 
land. 

FARNUM  WABD  CHAPEL 

Early  in  the  year  1947,  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  made  a  decision  to 
condemn  the  Famum  Ward  Chapel  for  further  use. 
The  members  then  met  at  the  Drummond  school 
house  for  a  few  months.  Shortly  thereafter,  Famum 
Ward  was  consolidated  with  Marysville  Ward  and 
members  went  to  Ashton  to  meetings  in  the  new 
Marysville  Chapel. 

We  decided  we  would  like  to  purchase  the 
building  and  three  acres  of  land  and  make  our  home 
there.  We  contacted  local  church  officials  and  they 
instructed  us  on  what  steps  we  could  take  to  see  if  the 
purchase  could  be  made.  We  wrote  to  the  Church 
offices  in  Salt  Lake  City  regarding  our  desire  and  they 
wanted  to  meet  with  us  in  Salt  Lake  City.  In  June 
1947  we  went  to  this  meeting  and  they  wished  to 


know  what  wc  intended  to  do  with  the  building  if  we 
purchased  it.  We  told  them  we  wanted  to  take  the 
upper  story  off  and  make  a  home  in  the  basement. 
They  did  not  seem  to  want  to  sell  if  it  was  to  be  used 
in  any  way  in  its  present  condition  due  to  being 
condemned.  When  they  learned  we  intended  to 
remove  the  upper  portion  and  use  the  basement  only, 
they  consented  to  sell  it  to  us  and  in  July  we  made  the 
total  payment  to  Bishop  Walter  Clark. 

Upon  completion  of  the  purchase  we 
immediately  began  the  work  of  dismantling  the  upper 
portion,  saving  as  much  as  we  could  for  sale  to  various 
individuals.  As  we  sold  windows,  flooring,  lath,  etc. 
the  purchasers  would  come  and  help  remove  the  items 
they  wanted.  After  the  roof  was  removed  the  cement 
block  walls  had  to  be  taken  down.  This  was  no  easy 
task  and  eventually  the  aid  of  a  caterpillar  tractor  was 
needed  in  order  to  pull  them  over. 

We  worked  on  this  project  all  summer  and 
reached  the  stage  where  the  flat  floor,  which  was  now 
the  roof  of  our  home,  could  be  covered  with  roofing 
material  in  September.  It  was  then  closed  in  from 
storms  that  would  come. 

The  spare  time  in  the  Fall  and  all  of  the 
Wmter  months  were  spent  finishing  living  quarters  in 
the  basement.  The  south  half  was  made  into  a 
kitchen,  living  room,  and  two  bedrooms.  The  north 
half  was  storage  area  and  a  room  for  wood  and  coal 
storage.  The  entrance  was  through  the  little  porch 
covering  the  outside  stairway  and  door  to  the 
basement. 

One  interesting  phenomenon  of  this  project 
was  the  finding  of  some  of  the  old  glass  sacrament 
cups.  They  would  be  in  the  most  unsuspected  places, 
such  as  between  rafters  or  floor  joists,  neatly  tucked 
away.  Sometimes  they  were  alone,  sometimes  with 
other  things.  The  conclusion  we  came  to,  was  that 
pack  rats  had  decided  they  were  a  pretty  trinket  and 
had  carried  them  off  and  hid  them.  The  meeting 
house  must  have  been  quite  an  apartment  and 
playground  for  them  between  the  time  it  was 
condemned  and  when  we  started  remodeling. 

Early  in  the  year  of  1948  we,  with  our  two 
small  sons,  Gordon  and  Warren,  moved  into  our  'new' 
home.  I  was  very  pleased  to  be  able  to  move  into  this, 
our  first  home  of  our  own  since  our  marriage.  It  was  a 
comfortable  home,  warm  in  the  winter  and  cool  in  the 
summer. 

One  drawback  was  the  lack  of  a  well  or  any 
source  of  water  on  the  place.  For  the  first  year  we  had 
to  carry  all  our  water  in  ten  gallon  cans  from  Vera's 
home.  During  this  time  I  learned  to  be  very  frugal  as 
far  as  water  was  concerned.  Sometimes  it  was  used 
three  times  before  being  thrown  away,  such  as 
bathing,  washing  clothes,  then  mopping  the  floors. 
The  summer  of  1949  we  put  in  a  water  pipeline  from 
Vera's  to  the  basement  house  and  what  a  great 
blessing  that  was! 

After  we  had  the  water  piped  here,  I  planted 


106 


and  cared  for  a  nice  garden.  We  had  use  of  some  of 
the  vegetables  but  when  the  grain,  which  was  planted 
around  the  garden,  began  to  ripen,  grasshoppers 
moved  from  the  grain  field  into  my  garden,  and  in 
about  48  hours  they  ate  everything  right  to  the 
ground,  including  the  onions.  No  food  left  for  us 
except  a  few  carrots  underground.  That  experience 
made  me  more  aware  of  the  trials  the  pioneers  had 
with  grasshoppers  and  crickets. 

We  lived  here  until  the  spring  of  1951  when 
we  purchased  the  Drummond  Mercantile  Store  and 
moved  there  to  run  the  store  and  post  office. 

The  basement  house  is  now  demolished,  but  a 
portion  of  the  Famum  Ward  Chapel  lives  on  in  the 
hardwood  flooring  in  Harold  and  Mona  Bratt's  home 
which  they  were  building  at  the  time  we  purchased  the 
chapel.  They  purchased  the  hardwood  flooring  from 
us  for  their  new  home. 

DRUMMOND  MERCANTILE  STORE  AND 
POST  OFFICE 

In  the  Spring  of  1951  my  husband,  Lloyd 
Bratt,  and  I  purchased  the  Drummond  Mercantile 
Store  from  Chester  and  Ila  Moyer.  We  moved  from 
the  basement  house  we  had  made  from  the  Famum 
Ward  Chapel,  into  the  living  quarters  at  Drummond 
Mercantile  Store.  Lloyd  was  appointed  Postmaster 
there. 

While  here  at  Drummond  our  daughter,  Vera 
Jean  Bratt,  was  bom  at  the  Ashton  hospital,  Febmary 
4,  1952. 

Twice  each  day,  except  Sunday,  we  had  to 
meet  the  train  at  the  Drummond  depot.  We  came 
once  in  the  morning,  to  get  the  incoming  mail  from 
the  train  as  it  passed  through  on  the  way  to  Teton 
Basin.  Then  in  the  late  afternoon,  we  met  it  again  to 
put  the  outgoing  mail  on  it. 

Two  mail  routes  were  dispatched  from  the 
Drummond  Post  Office.  Hazen  Flawkes  took  one 
route  to  Squirrel  Post  Office.  John  McFarlan  was  the 
other  mail  carrier  and  he  took  mail  to  residents  west  of 
Drummond.  Prior  to  our  operating  the  Post  Office 
these  men  had  to  use  horses  and  sleds  in  the  winter. 
They  had  small  bobsleds  with  canvas  covers  and  small 
stoves  inside  to  keep  warm. 

After  World  War  II  jeeps  with  4-wheel  drive 
were  available  and  Hazen  and  John  each  purchased 
one  and  used  them  on  their  routes. 

We  operated  the  store  and  Post  Office  there 
until  1956  when  we  sold  it  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wallace 
Briggs,  and  we  moved  to  Fresno,  California.  They 
operated  it  then  for  a  few  years,  but  were  unable  to 
complete  the  purchase  of  it,  so  it  reverted  back  to  us. 
As  we  were  in  Califomia  then,  we  did  not  return  to 
operate  it  again.  The  store  and  Post  Office  were 
dosed.  Mail  was  sent  out  on  a  route  from  Ashton. 

A  few  years  later  the  building  was  destroyed 
by  fire. 


107 


Our  marriage  ended  in  divorce  in  1962.  In 
December  1965,  I  was  married  to  Cecil  Spraguc 
Copping  Jr.,  in  Fresno,  Califomia. 

By:  Vcnna  Powell  Copping 

2nd  gen:  FRANCIS  (FRANK)  BRATT 

and 

ISABELLA  PRISCILLA  HAWKES 

Francis  (Frank)  Bratt  was  born  June  23, 
1895,  at  Liverpool,  England,  a  son  of  Henry  Aaron 
Bratt  and  Jane  Povey  Bratt.  He  attended  Christ 
Church  Boys'  School,  and  was  a  soloist  in  the  choir. 
Frank  joined  the  First  Scaforth  Troop  of  Boy  Scouts  at 
the  age  of  12.  They  were  reviewed  by  Sir  Bayden 
Powell  in  the  fall  of  1908,  at  the  old  Hay  Market  in 
Liverpool.  (When  he  was  in  his  70's,  Frank  was 
honored  as  the  oldest  Boy  Scout  in  America.) 

After  leaving  school,  at  the  age  of  14,  he 
worked  for  a  sugar  brokerage  on  the  Liverpool 
waterfront  until  the  spring  of  1912,  when  his  family 
emigrated  to  the  United  States.  The  ship  they  were 
on  was  close  to  the  Titanic  when  it  was  lost  at  sea.  The 
family  lived  at  Weston,  Idaho,  before  coming  to 
Famum. 

Frank  worked  on  farms  in  the  Drummond 
area  until  he  enlisted  in  the  5th  Regular  Army 
Division  in  the  spring  of  1917  at  Ft.  Douglas,  Utah. 
He  served  with  General  Pershing's  1st  Army  in 
France.  After  the  war  ended,  he  served  in  the  Army  of 
Occupation  in  Germany,  until  the  fall  of  1919.  He 
was  discharged  from  the  service  at  Fort  D.A.  Russell, 
in  Wyoming,  and  later  became  a  United  States  citizen 
soon  after. 

When  Frank  returned  home,  he  married 
Isabella  Hawkes,  the  daughter  of  Lewis  J.  Hawkes  and 
Margaret  Murdoch,  on  January  24,  1920.  They  lived 
and  ftirmed  in  the  Famum  area,  purchasing  a  160  acre 
homestead  farm  on  October  16,  1935. 

There  were  two  boys  born  to  Frank  and 
Isabella  (Isabell)  Hawkes  Bratt.  Harold  was  born 
April  13,  1823,  at  Farnum,  Idaho,  and  Lawrence 
Henry,  bom  June  9,  1928,  at  Famum.  Lawrence  died 
shortiy  after  birth.  This  was  a  great  loss  to  Frank  and 
Isabell.  They  loved  and  enjoyed  Harold  as  he  grew  to 
maturity,  and  loved  and  enjoyed  Harold's  wife,  Mona. 

Frank  was  an  accomplished  violinist,  and 
played  for  many  dances  and  church  activities  in  the 
area.  He  worked  as  a  committeeman  for  American 
Agricultural  and  Production  Act,  which  is  now  the 
Agricultural  Stabilization  Conservation  Service,  for 
over  30  years,  until  he  retired  at  age  65.  He  helped 
organize  the  Fall  River  Electric  Cooperative  between 
1938-1940. 

Frank  loved  the  beautiful  country  where  he 
lived,  and  enjoyed  fishing,  hunting,  playing  golf,  and 
playing  his  violin.  He  died  at  Ashton,  Idaho  on 
Febmary  13,  1981. 

Compiled  By:  Mona  Howard  Bratt  and 
Linda  Bratt  Bogctti 


ISABELLA  PRISCILLA  HAWKES 

Isabell,  or  Bell,  as  she  was  known,  was  bom 
April  7,  1896,  in  Heber  City,  Utah.  She  was  the  third 
child  of  Lewis  Joshua  and  Margaret  Ann  Murdoch 
Hawkes. 

The  family  moved  from  Heber  to  the  small 
community  of  Teton,  Idaho  in  1899.  Despite  the 
harsh  winters  and  Margaret's  failing  health,  the  family 
made  their  home  in  Teton  while  L.  J.  was 
constructing  a  home  at  Lillian,  near  Drummond. 
Margaret  died  in  childbirth  before  the  new  home  was 
completed,  and  Isabell,  at  the  age  of  7,  returned  to 
Heber  City  to  live  with  an  aunt  and  uncle  until  her 
father  remarried  and  could  gather  his  family  back 
together  again. 

Isabell  was  16  when  she  moved  back  to 
Lillian,  where  she  later  met  and  married  Francis 
(Frank)  Bratt,  who  had  come  to  this  country  from 
England.  Frank  and  Isabell  were  married  on  January 
24,  1920  in  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho.  They  spent  61  years 
together,  farming  in  the  Famum  area.  A  son,  Harold 
Francis,  was  born  there,  and  they  lost  a  second  son, 
Lawrence  Henry,  at  birth. 

Isabell  was  known  for  her  kindness,  and  the 
door  of  their  home  was  always  open  to  friends  and 
family.  There  was  always  a  hot  meal  for  any  visitor, 
even  when  times  were  hard.  The  sounds  of  laughter, 
Frank's  violin,  and  voices  enjoying  "good  visiting" 
were  indications  of  the  love  in  their  home. 

Bell  was  a  wonderful  cook,  who  excelled  at 
treats  such  as  dnnamon  rolls,  hot  rolls,  and  oatmeal 
cookies.  She  never  used  a  recipe,  and  claimed  that 
nothing  ever  came  out  the  same  way  twice,  but  they 
did;  they  were  always  good. 

Isabell  and  Frank  enjoyed  living  on  the  farm, 
where  they  raised  cows,  pigs,  chickens  and  a  garden. 
They  enjoyed  hunting,  fishing,  and  visiting 
Yellowstone  Park.  They  loved  the  beauty  of  the  land 
around  them,  and  never  took  the  view  for  granted. 
The  Tetons  were  a  constant  source  of  pleasure  for 
them. 

In  her  later  years.  Bell  became  crippled  with 
arthritis,  but  she  kept  busy  with  beautiful  embroidery, 
crocheting,  and  quilt  blocks,  which  she  gave  away  as 
gifts.  She  loved  TV,  and  enjoyed  news  of  any  kind. 
Frank  often  read  stories  to  Bell  and  their 
granddaughter,  Linda. 

After  Frank's  death,  failing  health  caused  Bell 
to  move  to  the  Ashton  Nursing  Home,  where  she 
died  December  17,  1986. 

Compiled  by  Mona  Howard  Brart 


Isabella  Hawkes  Bratt.  He  was  bom  on  the  Johnny 
Wade  farm,  where  Walter  and  Vera  Bratt  later  lived. 
He  was  delivered  by  Dr.  Hargis,  who  drove  out  from 
Ashton  in  a  horse  drawn  cutter. 

Harold  grew  up  living  on  the  farm  and 
playing  with  various  cousins.  He  attended  grades  one 
through  seven  at  Farnum  (the  old  school  is  still 
standing).  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bryan  Bean  were  the 
instmctors. 

During  his  eighth  grade,  he  attended  school 
during  the  winter  in  St.  Anthony.  During  his 
freshman  year,  he  lived  with  the  Jim  Slater  family  in 
St.  Anthony.  When  he  was  a  sophomore,  he  and  his 
cousin,  Emery  Hawkes,  lived  in  the  Ashton  Hotel 
while  attending  school.  The  next  year,  a  school  bus 
began  making  the  run  to  Drummond. 

Harold  worked  on  the  farm  helping  his  father 
during  his  growing  years.  At  age  12,  he  helped  to 
farm  with  horses.  When  they  changed  to  mechanized 
farming,  he  ran  the  farm  totally,  because  his  father, 
Frank,  had  never  learned  how  to  drive  a  tractor. 

He  graduated  from  Ashton  High  School  in 
1942,  and  continued  to  work  on  the  farm  until  he 
went  into  the  Army  Air  Force  in  1944.  He  was 
honorably  discharged  from  the  service  in  the  spring  of 
1946. 

On  June  24,  1946,  Harold  married  Mona 
Beth  Howard  of  Chester,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  S. 
and  Veneda  M.  Munro  Howard.  After  their  marriage, 
they  lived  with  Frank  and  Isabell  while  building  their 
home,  with  the  help  of  Frank,  Bell,  Wilf  and  Floy.  On 
January  8,  1949,  their  daughter,  Linda  Jean,  was  bom 
and  they  moved  into  their  new  home  when  Linda  was 
2  1/2  months  old. 

The  family  has  lived  on  and  operated  the  farm 
until  Harold's  retirement;  he  then  rented  the  property 
to  Loosli  Farms.  Harold  and  Mona  are  now  enjoying 
retirement,  hunting,  fishing,  golfing,  and  enjoying 
their  grandchildren.  They  hope  to  enjoy  many  more 
years  in  Famum. 

Compiled  by  Mona  Howard 
Brart 

2nd  Gen:  MARIAN  EVELYN  BRATT 

and 

GEORGE  HENRY  WHITE 

Marian  Evelyn  Bratt  was  bom  in  England  in 
1901  and  came  to  the  Unites  States  with  her  parents 
Henry  Aaron  Bratt  and  Jane  Povey  Bratt,  and  her  five 
brothers. 

The  remainder  of  her  history  is  included  in 
the  George  White  history. 


3rd  Gen:  HAROLD  FRANCIS  BRATT 

and 

MONA  BETH  HOWARD 


2nd  Gen:  WILFORD  ARNOLD  BRATT 

and 
VELMA  FLOY  PLANT 


Harold  Francis  Bratt  was  born  April  13, 
1923,  at  Famum,  Idaho.  He  is  the  son  of  Francis  and 


108 


Wilfred  Arnold  Bratt  b-  January  19,  1906. 
(Birth  Certificate  Information)  has  been  duly 


WWfnd  Arnold  and  Floy  Plant  Bratt 

registered  by  me  at  entry  #324  of  my  Register  Book  # 
40.  Witness  my  hand  this  first  day  of  March  1906.  J. 
Mison  Registrar  of  Births  and  Deaths,  West  Derby 
District,  Cosby  sub  district,  (near  Liverpool), 
Moorelane,  Eng-land. 

Wilfred  Arnold  Bratt  was  born  January  19, 
1906,  Liverpool,  England,  the  son  of  Henry  Aaron 
and  Jane  Povey  Bratt.  He  came  with  his  parents  fi-om 
England  on  the  ship  S.  S.  Corsica,  5  April  1912. 
They  were  in  the  same  ice  fields  as  the  Titanic.  They 
hit  an  iceberg  that  caused  Wilf  to  fall  fi-om  his  bunk. 
He  remembers  that  well,  but  at  six  years  of  age 
doesn't  remember  much  about  England. 

He  has  lived  on  the  farm  at  Famum  most  of 
his  life  after  coming  to  America.  The  family  arrived  in 
Weston,  Idaho  in  1912.  Wilfred  and  the  family  came 
on  to  Lillian  after  spending  a  couple  of  weeks  with  his 
grandparents,  Henry  and  Jane  Bratt.  It  had  been 
about  ten  years  since  the  family  had  seen  the 
Grandparents.  His  father  went  to  work  as  assistant 
Post  Master  and  took  over  the  store.  Wilfred,  Marian, 
Harold  and  Wilford  attended  school  at  Lillian  for 
about  three  years.  When  they  moved  to  Famum,  his 
father  went  back  to  his  former  career  as  an  interior 
decorator,  a  paper  hanger,  painter,  carpenter,  and 
concrete  work.  Wilfred,  Marian  and  Harold  attended 
school  at  Famum  district  #64. 

Wilf  s  mother  helped  Simon  Saunders  at  the 
time  his  wife  died  Jan  1913  and  she  took  his  little  son 
Robert  and  cared  for  him  for  four  years.  He  gave  her 
2  acres  of  land  west  of  the  Famum  church,  for  caring 
for  his  little  boy.  His  father  built  a  two  story  four 
room  house  on  that  land.  They  had  to  haul  water  at 
this  place.  After  Wilf  bought  80,  acres  his  mother 
wanted  him  to  move  the  Saunders  home  north  of  this 
house  and  the  Bratt  house  moved  to  it's  present 
location  because  of  the  well  at  this  place.  Wilf  and 
Floy  still  live  on  this  place.  He  took  care  of  his 
mother  after  his  fathers  death  in  1927. 


Wilf  s  fether  helped  build  the  house  they  live 
in  now. 
He  married  Velma  Floy  Plant,  1  July  1943. 

In  the  summer  of  1987  he  was  happily 
surprised  by  a  visit  from  a  former  Famum  friend  Virgil 
Hendrickson,  from  Richmond,  Utah.    Wilf  enjoys 
reading,  yard  work,  hunting,  fishing,  and  traveling. 
No  Children. 

FLOY  PLANT  CHRISTENSEN  BRATT 

My  father's  family: 

Father:  Lewis  Webster  Plant       b-  Jul  14-  1838    d- 

1910 

Mother:  Jennie  Reynolds  Plant    b-  Aug    2-  1848    d- 

1914 

Md:  Oct  5, 1865  Como.,  Illinois 

From  Rockfells,  Illinois  to  Howard  Nebraska. 


Children: 

(1)  Nellie  May             b- 1866 

d- 

1951 

md-      Brockman 

(2)  Fred  Lewis             b-  1868 

d- 

1899 

md- 

(3)*Jay  Arnold             b- 1870 

d- 

1950 

md-  Gabrielle  Needham 

(4)EddLee                 b- 1872 

d- 

1959 

(5)BudBlan                b- 1875 

d- 

1923 

md- 

child 


109 


My  Mother's  family: 

Father:  John  Sample  Needham      b-  Mar   1-  1845   d- 

1930 

Mother:  Ella  Viantha  Hiddleson    b-  Nov  7-1850  d- 

1940 

Md:  Dec  25,  1872  Austin,  Nebraska,  near  Loup  City. 

Children: 

(1)  Gabrielle  b-   1873    d-  1962 

md-  Jay  Arnold  Plant 

(2)  Charlie  b-   1875    d-  1876 

(3)  Pearle  Emmeret     b-   1882    d-  1978 

md-    —  Brodock 

(4)  Byrdcc  Myrtle        b-   1886    d-  1976 

(5)  JohnA.  Bmce        b-   1889    d- 1983 

Floy's  Family:  Mother  and  Father 
Father:  Jay  Amold  Plant  b-  May    6-  1870    d 

1950 

Mother:  Gabrielle  (Gay)  Needham    b-  Oct  17-  1873 
d-1962 

Md:  Dec  16,  1896 
Children: 

(l)Iri  Clinton  b- 1900 

md-  Carrie  Maud  Williams 

(2)  Clora  Ethel  b-  1902 

md-  Orville  Grcsha  Weir 

(3)  Veme  Needham     b-  1909 

md-  Jessie  Sheets 
(4)VclmaFloy  b-  1913 

md-1  Jesse  Anton  Christensen 
md-2  Wilfred  Amold  Bratt 


In  1864  my  grandfiithcr  John  Nccdham  and 
his  brother  Ed  of  Needham  Dane  County,  Wisconsin, 
joined  a  train  of  freighters  at  Madison  going  to 
Montana  gold  fields.  The  caravan  was  led  by  John 
Jacob's  and  comprised  of  218  men,  4  women,  2 
children,  (  Uncle  Eb's  child  died  on  this  trip).  They 
were  from  March  1  to  July  10,  driving  teams  to 
Virginia  City,  Montana.  The  caravan  followed  the  old 
California  trail  to  Galletin  Valley,  whence  they  blazed 
a  new  way  through  Virginia  City,  Montana.  He 
returned  home  to  Wisconsin  1866  and  drove 
Government  freight  from  Omaha  to  Ft.  Laramie. 
Later  he  went  to  Black  Hills  (South  Dakota)  in  1877 
with  J.P.  and  Ruflis  Hiddleson  (Grandma's  brother's). 

My  dad  built  the  sod  house  we  lived  in  (it  is 
still  a  resi-dence  with  additions.  I  was  there  last  year 
(1989).  It  is  located  in  Arthur  County,  Nebraska.  I 
rode  horseback  3  miles  to  a  one  room  sod  school  for 
eight  years.  Then  brother  Verne  and  I  rode  8  miles  to 
high  school  at  Arthur,  Nebraska  his  last  year  of  high 
school. 

In  the  fall  of  1927  my  grandparents  invited 
me  to  stay  with  them  and  attend  Loup  City  High 
School  my  3  remaining  years,  returning  to  Arthur,  to 
the  farm,  to  help  with  the  summer  work. 

May  1930  I  was  graduated  from  Loup  City 
High  School  (Normal  Training  School),  1930-31  I 
taught  7  grades  in  a  1  room  school  near  Ashton, 
Nebraska  for  $75.00  a  month  for  9  months. 

From  1931  to  1935,  I  attended  and  was 
graduated  from  Kearney  State  Teachers  College,  at 
Kearney,  Nebraska,  with  a  BA  degree.  While  there,  I 
remember  the  dust  "Bowl".  One  warm  day  while  in 
class  the  wind  circulated  the  choking  air  into  our  class 
rooms,  After  classes  we  returned  to  the  dorm, 
(windows  left  open)  where  our  four  bed  living  room, 
hall,  kitchen  had  collected  enough  dust  to  fill  a  5 
gallon  bucket.  Hard  to  believe  but  true. 

Most  memories  were  pleasant.  My  name  is 
unusual,  named  after  Mom's  friend.  One  college 
instructor  was  named  Floy  Carrol. 

The  cost  to  attend  Kearney  State  Teacher's 
College  was  approximately  $1000.00  per  year.  1935- 
36  I  taught  grades  7-10  in  a  two  room  school  near 
Walback,  Nebraska,  with  kitchen  and  bedroom  also 
provided.  My  salary  was  $28.00  for  four  months.  It 
was  raised  to  $32.00  after  proving  myself  qualified. 

I  married  Jesse  Anton  Christensen  Feb  19, 
1937.  I  taught  in  a  one  room  school  near  Pomeroy, 
Washington  1937-38,  returned  to  Loup  City, 
Nebraska  1938,  where  Jesse  was  with  construction.  In 
September  Jesse  was  sent  to  the  hospital  with 
perforated  ulcers  of  the  stomach.  He  was  sent  to  the 
Loup  City  Hospital  where  28  days  later  he  died  fi-om 
peritonitis  and  embolism  of  the  lung. 

My  aunt  and  Uncle  invited  me  to  live  with 
them  and  attend  the  Lewis  Clark  Normal  School.  The 
teacher's  agency  notified  me  of  an  opening  at  the 
Lincoln  1st  grade  in  Montpelier  Idaho. 
I  was  accepted.   Auntie  read  in  the  Lewiston  Tribune 


that  Virginia  Dole  had  accepted  a  position  at 
Montpelier.  Virginia  answered  Auntie's  call  by  saying 
she  would  meet  me  at  the  train  because  she  was  to  be 
there  a  day  before  I  would  arrive.  In  the  short  time 
she  and  Marian  White,  who  had  accepted  a  position  in 
the  4th  grade  at  lincoln,  met  and  both  met  the  train. 
The  three  of  us  enjoyed  our  board  and  rooms  there 
with  Jeanne  Laveme  Miller.  Aiter  a  time  Marian  said, 
"I  have  an  Uncle  I  would  like  you  to  meet".  She 
invited  me  to  her  home  in  Famum.  I  met  "Uncle" 
and  here  I  am,  I  decided  to  quit  teaching,  but  Joyce 
Hendrickson  was  teaching  at  Dnimmond  (all  eight 
grades).  For  some  reason  she  needed  to  go  else-whc  x 
and  told  the  school  board  I  would  take  her  job.  I 
didn't  know  her.  She  was  in  the  middle  of  a 
Christmas  program.  A  diff^erent  experience  for  me. 
After  a  few  years  the  school  board  adopted  a  new 
system  now  they  would  have  grade  1-4  taught  by  Idris 
Egbert  Hebdon,  5-8  taught  by  me.  Later  I  taught  1st 
grade  in  Ashton  until  p)oor  health  made  me  decide  to 
retire  after  24  1/2  years  of  teaching. 

While  on  our  homestead  in  Arthur  County, 
Nebraska,  I  told  Mom  I  would  like  to  live  on  a  farm, 
where  I  could  see  the  mountains  and  be  close  to 
Yellowstone  Park. 

Our  section  of  land  there  was  mosdy  rolling 
sand  hills  with  no  trees.  As  fuel  we  used  com  cobs, 
cow  chips  and  coal  hauled  from  Ogallala. 

When    we    took    Mom    through    these 
timbered  areas  and  Yellow-stone  Park  she  just  shook 
her  head  and  said,  "How  I  wish  we  could 
have  had  some  of  this  waste  timber  for  fuel  back 
home." 

By:  Floy  Plant  Bratt 

THOMAS  J.  BROWN 

and 

ANNIE  CHRISTINE  ANDERSON 

Thomas  J.  Brown  I,  (my  great  grandfather) 
crossed  the  plains  with  the  early  pioneers.  The 
Campbells  and  Cliffords  came  in  1850,  and  through 
these  two  pioneers  came,  Thomas  Brown  III  who  was 
bom  at  Eden,  Utah,  on  October  3,  1883.  He  was  the 
son  of  Thomas  Brown  II  and  Lavina  Henrietta 
Clifford  Brown,  my  grandparents. 

The  family  lived  at  Eden,  Utah  about  a  year 
after  Tom  was  born  at  which  time  they  moved  to 
Idaho,  settling  first  at  Teton.  The  family  lived  here 
until  Thomas  was  about  four  when  they  moved  to  Fall 
River,  which  is  now  known  as  Chester,  Idaho.  It  was 
here  in  Chester  that  Tom  was  baptized  a  member  of 
the  L.D.S.  church  on  May  31,  1892  and  where  he 
received  his  formal  schooling  in  a  little  one-room 
school  house.  Here  in  Chester,  Tom's  father 
homesteaded  ground  and  when  Tom  was  old  enough 
he  also  learned  the  fundamentals  of  farming  and  of 
feeding  the  family. 

When  Tom  was  about  fifteen,  the  family 
^YQ    moved  to  Rigby,  Idaho.    However,  after  a  period  of 


three  years  they  once  again  moved  to  above  Chester 
where  they  engaged  in  farming. 

On  February  23,  1906,  at  the  age  of  23  Tom 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Annie  Christine  Anderson 
at  Famum,  Idaho.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Peter  Olaf 
Anderson,  a  native  of  Sweden  and  Marie  Peterson  of 
Swedish  decent.  He  had  a  homestead  around 
Drummond.  It  was  in  Chester  that  their  first  four 
children  were  born.  A  son,  Raymond  Thomas  was 
bom  January  14,  1907;  a  daughter,  Virginia  Henrietta 
in  1908;  and  another  son  Dewey  William  in  1910. 
The  infants  Virginia  and  Dewey  were  not  to  spend 
much  time  with  the  family,  and  were  called  home 
while  still  young  in  months.  Not  long  after  the 
passing  of  Dewey,  the  family  was  blessed  with  another 
daughter,  Anna  Marie  Brown  Condor,  who  was  bom 
February  22,  1911.  In  about  1912  this  small  family 
of  four  moved  to  Highland  where  a  total  of  five  other 
children  were  born:  Earl  A.  Brown,  April  1,  1913; 
Delores  Geneva  Brown  McMinn  August  6,  1914; 
Beatrice  Brown  Johnson  June  11,  1916;  Thelma 
Brown  McColley  October  12,  1918;  and  Neomi 
Blanche  Brown  Gau  July  23,  1920.  In  about  1928, 
they  moved  to  Drummond  where  Betty  Mae  Brown 
Swensen  was  bom  on  April  5,  1929.  Tom  picked  up 
the  mail  and  took  it  to  the  Post  Office,  he  sometimes 
delivered  the  mail.  When  Betty  was  3  or  4  years  old, 
they  moved  to  Parker,  Idaho  where  they  made  their 
home.  Annie  died  in  1941  on  the  19th  of  August. 

Tom,  his  son  Raymond  and  his  wife  Laura, 
and  their  daughters  Verla  and  Betty,  traveled  some 
and  lived  in  Oregon  for  a  number  of  years.  Later  they 
moved  to  St.  Anthony  where  Tom  lived  until  his 
death  on  February  28,  1957.  He  was  survived  by 
brothers  William,  Joseph,  and  Hyram,  and  three 
sisters  Lavina  Lauder,  Margretta  McWilliams,  and 
Argenta  Brower  besides  his  eight  children,  40 
grandchildren,  and  9  great  grandchildren.  So,  today, 
we  pay  our  respects  to  a  grand  man  who  loved  his 
children  and  has  filled  his  place  in  our  world  of  today 
with  a  great  posterity. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Raymond                   b- 

1907 

md-  Taura  Tanner 

(2)  Virginia  Henrietta     b- 

1908 

d-  baby 

(3)  Dewey  William          b- 

1910 

d-  baby 

(4)  Anna  Maria                b- 

1911 

md-  Emerson  Wilcox 

2nd  Ben  Condor 

(5)  Karl  A.                       b- 

1913 

md-  Estella  Willies 

(6)  Delores  Geneva         b- 

1914 

md-  Oral    McMinn 

(7)  Beatrice                      b- 

1916 

md-ElmerLudlow 

2nd  T  CO  Johnson 

(8)  Thelma  b-  1918 

md-  William  McColley 

(9)  Neomi  Blanche         b- 

1920 

md-  Thomas  Gau 
(10)  Betty  Mae  b- 1929 

md-  Andrew  Swensen 

Submited  By  Betty  Swensen  (dau.) 

THOMAS  WALLACE  BROWN 

and 

MARY  STRACHEN 


111 


Thomas  Wallace  and  Mary  Stxackcn  Brown 


The  family  of  Thomas  Wallace  Brown  and 
Mary  Strachan  originated  in  Scotland.  They  were 
married  in  Kilmarnock,  Scotland.  They  were  the 
parents  of  eight  children.  Two  of  their  children, 
Annie  and  Hugh,  were  born  in  Scotland.  They 
emigrated  to  America  around  1870.  They  settled  in 
Westmoreland,  County,Pennsylvania.  They  lived  at 
Elisabeth  Town,  Mount  Pleasant,  and  Donegal.  Peter 
was  the  first  born  child  in  America  followed  by 
William,  James,  Thomas,  Mary  and  John. 

In  the  1880's,  they  moved  from  Pennsylvania 
to  the  San  Luis  Valley  Costilla  County,  Colorado. 

Thomas  and  Mary  and  their  children;  James 
and  Thomas  were  baptized  into  the  Church  of  Latter- 
Day  Saints  in  1886;  followed  by  Mary  in  1888  and 
John  in  1890. 

The  family  moved  from  Colorado  in  1908  to 
Idaho.  Three  of  the  children  came  with  them;  James, 
Mary  and  John.  They  rented  two  train  boxcars  for 
their  move  to  Idaho.  They  settled  at  Lillian; 
homesteading  a  ranch.  They  lived  the  remainder  of 
their  lives  on  the  ranch,  and  upon  their  deaths,  were 
buried  in  the  Drummond  (Famum),  Idaho  Cemetery. 

Mary  Brown  married  Jesse  Ferrin.  Their  early 
marriage  was  spent  in  Ashton.  They  were  the  parents 
of  five  children.  She  spent  the  latter  part  of  her  life  in 
Hagerman,  Idaho  close  to  her  children,  Bertha  and 
Irean. 

James  lived  with  his  parents,  never  marrying. 
He  later  lived  with  his  brother  John  and  his  wife  Ella. 
Jim  (as  the  family  knew  him)  was  a  shy  man,  never 
having  much  to  say.  He  treated  John's  step-children 
as  his  own.  He  gave  Lcland  money  once  in  a  while  to 
go  to  a  picture  show.  He  aKso  bought  him  a  bicycle. 
He  was  a  good  cook  and  Lcland  still  remembers  the 
wonderful  plum  puddings  he  made  at  Christmas  time 


James  and  John  Brown 

and  the  good  pies  he  made  the  year  around.  Jim 
retired  in  1945.  He  along  with  John  and  his  wife, 
bought  a  home  in  Marysville,  Idaho.  They  still  milked 
a  few  cows  and  kept  a  few  chickens.  Jim  always  raised 
a  big  garden.  It  was  one  of  the  things  he  really 
enjoyed.  Later  they  moved  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 
Jim  died  in  1958.  He  is  buried  in  the  Dnimmond 
(Famum),  Idaho  Cemetery. 


Ella  Carlson  and  John  Brown 

John  lived  with  his  parents  for  the  remainder 
of  their  lives.  Lcland  remembers  helping  John  farm 
with  horses.  John  tried  using  a  steam  powered  tractor 
to  break  up  the  sage  brush,  etc.  Said  it  took  an  acre  to 
turn  it  around.  When  he  was  32  years  old  he  went  on 
a  mission  for  the  Latter  Day  Saint  Church.  He  was 
called  to  the  Southern  States  mission.  He  spent  most 
of  his  time  in  Georgia,  enjoying  it  very  much.  He 
often  told  stories  about  his  experiences.  Upon 
returning  home,  he  took  up  his  life  again  on  the 
ranch.  He  corresponded  v^dth  some  of  his  former 
companions,  one  in  particular.  John  had  a  real  desire 
to  be  married.  He  became  quite  discouraged  at  times. 
When  he  despaired  of  ever  finding  a  mate  his  former 
companion  would  write  him  letters  of  encouragement. 
In  the  1920's  a  man  from  Wyoming,  looking  for 
work,  met  the  Brown  brothers,  Jim  and  John.  He 
worked  for  them  and  was  made  aware  of  John's  dream 
to  be  married.  Perry  Bowlsly  (the  man's  name)  had  a 
widowed  sister-in-law  living  in  Nebraska  whom  he 


thought  would  be  a  good  mate  for  John.  In  the 
spring  of  1930  he  went  to  Nebraska,  got  his  sister-in- 
law  and  brought  her  to  Idaho.  She  worked  for  the 
Browns,  cooking,  etc.  all  summer  and  fall.  Perry  then 
took  her  back  to  Nebraska.  He  moved  her  and  her 
three  youngest  sons  to  Idaho.  The  rest  of  the  children 
stayed  in  Nebraska.  However,  at  a  later  date  her  son 
Albert  and  his  family  moved  to  Idaho  living  across  the 
road  from  the  Browns.  John  and  Ella  Thompson 
Carlson  were  married  in  April  1931.  She  also  joined 
the  Latter  Day  Saint  Church.  She  and  John  had  many 
years  of  happiness.  She  loved  her  family  and  was 
always  interested  in  them. 

John  and  Ella  spent  their  remaining  years 
together  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  It  was  a  sad  day  for 
John  when  she  passed  away.  He  no  longer  had  a  desire 
to  live.  He  and  Jim  were  together  for  four  more  years 
then  Jim  passed  away. 

John  later  had  a  stroke  and  wasn't  well  for  the 
rest  of  his  life.  Lcland  took  him  into  his  home  when 
he  was  released  from  the  hospital  but  because  of  small 
children  being  underfoot,  John  couldn't  adjust.  So 
Leland  took  him  back  to  his  home  in  St.  Anthony 
where  he  and  Ernest  took  care  of  him  as  best  they 
could  until  his  health  deteriorated  and  he  couldn't  be 
left  alone. They  decided  they  would  take  turns  keeping 
him  in  their  homes.  They  took  him  to  Ashton  for  a 
Doctor's  check-up  and  the  doctor,  knowing  the 
families,  said  it  would  be  better  for  John  to  go  to  a 
nursing  home.  He  made  the  arrangements  and  John 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  a  nursing  home  in 
Rigby,  Idaho.  He  died  at  Rigby,Idaho  1964.  He  is 
buried  beside  James  and  his  beloved  wife  Ella  in  the 
Drummond,  Famum  Cemetery. 

By:  Leland  Carlson  son  of  Ella  Carlson  Brown 
Thomas  W.  Brown  b  1842  Sctlnd  d-  1915 
Mary  Strachen    b  1844  Sctlnd  d-  1907 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Annie  H.       b  1867,  Sctlnd    d- 1893, 

md-  George  Bills 

(2)  Hugh  F.       b  1869    Sctlnd 

md-  Mary  Patton 

(3)  Peter  J.  b  1871    Penn. 
(4)WiUiam  b  1873  Penn. 

(5)  James  S.         b  1875    Penn. 

never  married 

(6)  Thomas         b  1877 

md-  Myrtle  Kelly 

(7)  Mary  S.  b  1879 

md-  Jesse  Ferrin 

(8)  John  b  1882    Penn.    d-  1964 

md-  Ella  Thompson  Carlson 

Sources: 

(1)  (007,455)  Famum  Ward  records. 

(2)  Lcland  Carlson  son  of  Ella  Carlson  Browm. 

(3)  1910  Census  Upland  precina,  Fremont  county, 
Idaho. 


d- 


d-  1874  child 
d-  1958 


Penn.  d-  1951 


Penn. 


112 


ALBERT  CARLSON 

and 

GEORGIA  HARRIET  CARLSON 

Albert  Carlson  was  bom  April  14,  1908  at 
Ewing,  Nebraska,  son  of  Carl  Oscar  Walter  and  Esther 
Ellen  Thompson  Carlson.  He  spent  his  childhood  at 
Park  center  and  Clearwater,  Antelope  County, 
Nebraska.  He  married  Georgia  Harriet  McKenna  at 
Harrington,  Nebraska,  December  13,  1937.  They 
lived  in  Neligh,  Nebraska,  until  1942,  when  they 
made  their  home  in  Ashton  area. 

For  the  past  twenty  years  he  worked  on  the 
R.I. Rankin  farm  and  hved  with  his  family  in  Squirrel, 
Farnum,  and  the  past  several  years  in  Marysville. 
Albert  and  Georgia  had  two  sons  Albert  L.,  and 
Ernest  Leland  and  three  daughters,  Jean  Ann,  Dona 
Ellen  and  Nancy  Jo.,  Mr.  Carlson  died  19  May  1971. 
History  of  Marysville,  Idaho  pg  232 

ALBERT  (ALLIE)  A.  BURKHALTER 

and 

LILLIAN  MAY  REESE 

Albert  (Allie)  A.  Burkhalter  was  bom  May  10, 
1868,  near  Taylorsvillc,  Muskingum  County,  Ohio. 
His  father,  Peter  Burkhalter,  was  born  in  1834  at 
Strasborg,  France,  and  brought  by  his  parents  to  Ohio 
in  1836.  Peter  grew  up  and  married  in  Ohio.  Then 
moved  with  his  family  to  White  Cloud,  Doniphan 
County,  Kansas,  in  1870,  when  AlHe  was  two  years 
old. 

Allie's  mother,  Elizabeth  Fisher,  bom  1838, 
in  Logan  Co.,  Ohio,  the  daughter  of  George  Fisher, 
born  in  Baden,  Germany,  and  Elizabeth  Eberling, 
born  at  Saxon,  Germany.  The  first  five  children  of 
Peter  and  Elizabeth  were  bom  near  Taylorsville,  Ohio; 
(1)  George  in  1858,  (2)  Lily  in  1862,  (3)  Charles  in 
1865,  (5)  Francis  in  1867  and  (6)  Albert  (Allie)  in 
1868.  Their  last  child,  (7)  Blanch,  was  bom  in  1876 
at  White  Cloud. 

Allie  helped  his  father,  Peter,  in  the  butcher 
shop  in  White  Cloud.  He  learned  the  trade  well 
enough  that  he  was  knovm  for  his  skill  as  a  butcher. 
He  went  through  grade  school  in  White  Cloud  and 
may  have  gone  further  like  his  brothers,  for  his  letters 
and  farm  records  suggest  that  he  was  better  educated 
than  many  of  his  peers.  Allie  went  to  work  for  his 
brother,  Charles,  on  the  Fontenelle  Ranch  in  Lincoln 
County,  Wyoming  about  1895  and  remained  until  the 
early  1900's. 

In  1899,  Allie's  brother,  George,  went  to 
Wyoming  and  purchased  the  Opal  Supply  Company  at 
Opal,  and  Allie  soon  went  to  work  for  George  as  a 
clerk  in  his  store. 

At  Opal  one  day,  an  ambitious  young  man 
from  Philadelphia  came  seeking  work.  He  found  a  job 
with  George  Burkhalter,  working  in  the  store's 
warehouse.  The  young  man  was  Charles  Burrall  who 
became  Allie's  lifelong  friend.    About  1910,  Charles,     ,,2 


then  married,  moved  to  Fremont  County,  Idaho. 
Near  Squirrel,  he  bought  the  Warnkee  Store. 
Wamkee  was  evidendy  a  family  acquaintance. 

Allie  was  soon  to  follow  Charles,  as  had 
another  Opal  neighbor,  Malcolm  (Mai)  Anderson. 
Allie  and  Mai  each  bought  from  the  Highland  Ranch 
Company  160  acres  of  excellent  dry-farm  wheat  land  a 
mile  east  of  the  crossroads  where  the  Squirrel  Store 
and  Post  Office  was  soon  to  be  built. 

At  first,  Allie  made  his  home  on  the  west  side 
of  Squirrel  Creek  about  a  half-mile  from  the  Silas 
Orme  place.  His  "head-quarters"  consisted  of  a  low, 
two-room  log  cabin,  a  one-story  log  barn,  a  small 
granary  of  sawed  planks,  a  chicken  house  and  a  corral. 
A  couple  of  years  later,  he  bought  the  place  where  he 
and  his  wife,  Lillian,  made  their  home  for  almost  30 
years. 

In  May  1915,  Allie  married  Lillian  May  Reese 
in  Pocatello.  Lill  was  bom  in  Troy,  Kansas,  25  July 
1876,  the  first  child  of  James  and  Mary  Lilly  Cash 
Reese.  She  went  to  school  in  Troy  and  then  attended 
business  college  to  leam  clerical  work.  About  1895, 
she  began  working  at  the  Doniphan  County  Court 
House  as  a  clerk.  She  stayed  with  the  County  until 
she  married  Allie.  She  and  Allie  had  known  each 
other  for  a  long  time.  As  he  had  moved  to  Wyoming 
and  then  Idaho,  their  courtship  must  have  been 
carried  on  by  mail  and  on  occasionsal  visits  to  his 
home  in  White  Cloud. 

It  was  something  of  a  shock  to  Lillian,  a 
thirty-nine  year  old  town-raised  woman,  to  move  to 
Allie's  humble  farm.  Several  of  the  local  women, 
including  Josephine  Burrall,  went  to  Allie's  place  and 
cleaned  it  before  he  retumed  with  his  bride.  Their 
kindness  surely  helped.  It  soon  became  beautiful  in 
her  eyes  and  heart. 

Until  World  War  II,  nearly  everyone  farmed 
with  horses  in  the  Squirrel  country.  Allie  had  four  big 
draft  horses  and  a  retired  buggy  horse.  The  four  draft 
animals  drew  the  plow,  disk,  harrow,  weedcr,  mowing 
machine,  rake,  binder,  stacker,  wagons,  and,  in  the 
winter,  the  sled.  All  the  hay  and  grain  for  the  horses 
were  grown  at  home  so  there  was  no  cash  outlay  for 
the  energy  they  furnished.  Allie  also  had  one  of  the 
few  tractors  in  the  country  then,  an  iron-wheeled,  gas- 
powered  Holt,  but  it  was  used  only  to  move  and  drive 
his  Ideal  Case  separator  which  threshed  his  grain  and 
that  of  his  neighbors  for  several  miles  around. 

Like  most  other  families,  Lill  and  Allie  had  a 
garden,  a  couple  of  milk  cows,  a  steer  for  beef;  pigs  for 
bacon,  ham  and  lard;  and  chickens  for  eggs  and 
Sunday  dinners. 

They  canned  fruits  and  vegetables,  cured 
meat,  put  down  potatoes  and  turnips  in  the  cave, 
made  sauerkraut,  preserved  eggs  in  waterglass  and 
home-churned  butter  in  brine,  and  stored  blocks  of 
ice  in  sawdust  for  use  during  the  summers.  Allie  made 
the  laundry  soap,  scented  with  stick  cinnamon.  Lill 
baked  bread,  pies,  cakes,  and  cookies,  prepared  all  the 
meals  and  kept  house.   Together  they  did  the  laundry 


in  a  hand-operated  washer  and  Lill  hung  the  clothes 
on  lines  between  the  house  and  the  road.  There  was 
neither  plumbing  or  electricity  on  the  farm,  but  they 
had  a  telephone  which  was  far  more  important  to  life 
in  the  country. 

In  a  year  or  two,  lill  was  more  at  home  there 
than  anywhere  she'd  ever  been.  She  even  enjoyed  the 
long  winters  in  spite  of  the  isolation  and  the  time  it 
took  to  go  by  sled  to  the  litde  town  of  Ashton.  On 
long  winter  evenings,  Allie  read  the  Denver  Post  and 
novels  by  Zane  Gray,  while  Lill  knitted,  embroidered 
or  wrote  letters  home.  Just  as  Allie  had  become  a 
farmer,  Lill  became  a  farmer's  wife.  Everyone  was 
their  friend,  and  there  was  little  opportunity  for 
loneliness  or  the  lack  of  something  to  do. 

Like  everyone  in  the  Squirrel  country,  Allie 
took  great  pride  in  his  farm.  His  place  was  neat  and 
orderly;  his  machinery  and  farm  equipment  well- 
maintained  and  stored  in  sheds;  his  animals  were 
properly  fed  and  housed.  He  was  cautious  and  frugal 
almost  to  a  fault.  He  kept  good  accounts  and  records, 
and  paid  his  debts  prompdy.  He  helped  his  neighbors 
and  did  not  hesitate  to  ask  for  their  help  when  it  was 
needed.  In  most  respects,  he  was  "Old  Country"  in 
the  manner  in  which  he  cared  for  his  land,  his  animals, 
his  family  and  friends. 

During  the  summer  lull,  Allie  took  a  team  and 
wagon  and  hauled  from  the  forest  several  wagon  loads 
of  bug-killed  pine  logs  which  were  piled  near  the 
woodshed.  Then,  on  quiet  winter  days,  he  would 
hand-saw  the  logs  into  blocks  and  split  the  blocks  into 
fuel  for  the  cook  stove  and  the  heater.  The  Burkhalter 
place  was  a  mile  long,  east  to  west,  and  a  quarter- mile 
wide,  embracing  160  acres,  all  tillable  except  the 
farmstead  and  two  small  thickets  of  Aspen.  Of  the 
cropland,  about  5  acres  were  in  alfalfa  and  of  the 
balance  half  was  in  grain  each  year  and  half  was 
summer- fallowed.  Allie's  threshing  records  for  1922, 
show  that  he  produced  2737  bushels  of  wheat  and 
492  bushels  of  oats,  a  yield  of  40  bushels  per  acre,  a 
good  crop  for  a  dry  farm  in  the  days  before  fertil-izcrs 
and  pesticides. 

Like  all  farmers,  Allie's  summer  days  began  at 
dawn.  He'd  start  a  breakfast  fire  in  the  kitchen  stove 
for  Lill,  then  he'd  do  the  milking,  feed  and  harness  the 
horses.  Have  his  breakfast  then  to  the  field  with  a 
canteen  of  water,  for  plodding  laps  with  the  plow,  the 
disc,  the  harrow  or  what  other  machine  was  needed 
for  the  task  at  hand.  At  noon,  he'd  come  for  lunch, 
and  while  the  horses  ate  their  grain  and  hay  and 
rested,  Allie,  too,  would  rest,  stretched  out  on  an  old 
black  leather  couch  in  the  living  room  beneath  a 
hatrack  of  polished  cow  horns.  At  two  o'clock,  he 
went  back  to  the  field  for  another  four  or  five  hours 
behind  the  team.  The  countiess  hours  he,  and  others 
like  him,  spent  in  the  fields  in  those  days  before 
mechanized  farming,  is  incredible  to  reflect  on  now. 
But  his  day  was  not  yet  over  for  there  were  still  the 
evening  chores;  cows  to  milk,  animals  to  feed,  wood 
and  water  to  bring  into  the  house.    Is  it  any  wonder 


that  after  supper  he  went  to  bed  as  soon  as  he'd 
glanced  through  the  Denver  Post  and  heard  the  nine 
o'clock  news  from  KOA?  Eight  hours  later  another 
day  of  work  would  begin. 

Allie  had  a  good  "Sunday"  suit  and  Lill  a 
few  pretty  dresses.  They  looked  quite  handsome  when 
they  "went  out".  But  around  the  farm  Lill  wore 
housedresses  and  aprons,  and  Allie  an  old  hat,  rough 
pants  or  bib  overalls,  cotton  shirts  and  long  underwear 
that  covered  him  from  wrist  to  ankle — light  cotton  for 
summer,  heavy  wool  for  winter.  His  face  below  his 
hat,  and  his  hands,  were  deeply  tanned.  If  Allie  had 
any  religious  beliefs,  he  kept  them  to  himself. 
Politically,  he  was  anti-government  and  sometimes 
fretted  about  President  Roosevelt's  Depression  Era 
programs.  He  was  always  his  own  man,  though,  and 
was  not  easily  swayed.  He  was  kind  and  good  to 
Lillian,  though  sometimes  she  would  try  his  patience 
with  her  need  to  keep  everything  spic  and  span. 

The  hard  times  of  the  1930's  took  their  toll 
on  Allie.  They  robbed  him  of  much  of  his  enthusiasm 
for  a  farmer's  life.  It  was  rather  assumed  that  I  would 
take  over  when  he  and  Aunt  Lill  decided  to  quit.  But, 
one  day  in  the  summer  of  1934,  as  we  sat  on  the  steps 
of  the  woodshed,  he  told  me  that  he  did  not  want  to 
see  me  farming.  The  work  was  too  hard  and  the 
rewards  too  small.  I  should  go  back  to  school  and  get 
into  the  Forest  Service  if  that  was  what  I  wanted. 
That  was  the  last  of  a  dream  the  three  of  us  had 
vaguely  shared. 

When  tiiey  sold  to  the  Harrigfelds,  we  tried  to 
get  them  to  come  to  California  and  get  a  couple  of 
acres  in  the  country.  But  they  went  to  Ashton  instead, 
and  later  moved  back  to  White  Cloud  where  they  lived 
out  their  days.  Allie  died  in  1958  and  Lill  on  30  June 
1961.  They  are  buried  in  White  Cloud. 

By:  Jack  Reveal 

CHARLES  LORENZO  BURRALL 

and 

JOSEPHINE  CARLSON 

Charles  Lorenzo  Burrall  was  born  in 
Connecticut  and  then  moved  West  to  Wyoming. 
While  working  in  Opal,  Wyoming,  Charles  met  and 
married  Josephine  Carlson,  an  orphan.  He  also  had 
met  Josephine's  brother,  John.  Soon  after  the  birth  of 
their  first  child,  Florence,  in  1906,  they  moved  to 
Diamondville,  near  Kemmerer,  where  Charles  went  to 
work  for  the  Mountain  Supply  Company.  Their 
daughter,  Nellie,  was  bom  there  in  1908.  About  a 
year  later,  they  moved  to  Squirrel  where  Charles 
bought  the  Wamkee  Store,  now  a  small  warehouse  on 
the  Fred  Lenz  place  two  miles  east  of  the  Squirrel 
Cemetery.  When  travel  on  the  Reclamation  Road  fell 
off  in  1912,  Charles  borrowed  from  Mai  Anderson  the 
money  to  build  a  store  and  post  office  at  the  Squirrel 
crossroads.  The  Burrall's  last  child,  Charles  Junior  was 
bom  the  following  year. 

Soon,  Charles  was  able  to  help  his  brother-in- 
114    ^^^'  J°^"  Carlson,  buy  a  store  in  Drummond,  a 


thriving  young  village  four  miles  to  the  south  on  the 
Oregon  Short  Line  Railroad.  There  the  tragic 
influenza  epidemic  of  1918  took  the  lives  of  John 
Carlson,  his  wife  and  son,  and  the  life  of  Charles'  wife, 
Josephine  Burrall. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  Charles  sold 
the  Squirrel  Store  to  Axel  Johnson  and  moved  to 
Ashton  with  his  three  children  where  he  bought  the 
Warnkee  &  Schroll  Mercantile.  Needing  help,  he 
employed  a  young  woman  who  was  a  clerk  for 
Warnkee.  Her  name  was  Nell  Williams,  whose  father 
had  come  to  Ashton  from  Nebraska  to  work  as  a 
carpenter.  Nell  became  his  assistant  and  bookkeeper. 
In  1920,  when  she  was  31  years  old,  she  and  Charles 
were  married.  Over  the  next  25  years,  she  helped  raise 
his  family  and  run  the  store.  To  his  children  and 
almost  everyone  she  was  "Aunt  Nell."  Charles'  home 
and  business  could  not  have  functioned  without  her 
help  and  guidance. 

In  1946,  the  Burralls  sold  the  Ashton  store 
and  a  few  years  later  Charles  died.  Aunt  Nell,  tall, 
slender  and  active,  bought  a  motel  and  remained  in 
Ashton.  I  visited  her  there  for  the  last  time  in  1978. 
By  then,  the  daughter  Nellie  had  died  and  Charles 
Junior  was  living  in  Philadelphia.  Florence  had 
married  a  man  named  Skinner  and  lived  at  1619  South 
Palm,  Alhambra,  California.  In  January,  1984,  Nell 
herself  died  at  age  85.  The  old  Burrall  Mercantile  had 
burned  some  years  before.  It  stands  today,  an  empty 
shell  of  red  brick — a  monument  to  better  days  and 
proud  people. 

By:  Jack  L.  Reveal 

CHARLES  ANDREW  BURT 

and 

GRACE  FLORENCE  GODFREY 


Charles  and  Grace  Godfrey  Burt 

Charles  Andrew  Burt  and  Grace  Florence 
Godfrey  were  married  1  June  1911  in  the  L.D.S. 
Temple  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  The  first  year  of  their 
married  life  was  spent  in  Chester,  Idaho  and  in  the 
Spring  of  1912  they  rented  160  acres  of  dry  farm  from 
Arthur  West  and  moved  to  Drummond,  with  their 
newborn  son,  Glenn.  While  in  Drummond,  their  first 


daughter,  Hazel,  was  bom.  After  three  years  farming 
in  Drummond,  they  moved  out  on  a  homestead  in  the 
sands  and  sagebrush  north  of  St.  Anthony,  Idaho  and 
built  a  four  room  bungalow.  The  hot  winds  blew 
their  crop  of  wheat  away,  with  all  the  top  soil,  so  that 
fall  Charles  went  back  to  Drummond  and  worked  for 
Claude  Dedman  to  cam  a  "grub  stake"  to  get  them 
through  the  winter. 

After  proving  up  on  the  homestead,  Charles 
and  Grace  sold  it  and  in  1923  moved  to  the  western 
part  of  Idaho  where  they  lived  in  Central  Cove, 
Emmett  and  Fruitvale. 

Charl  (as  he  was  called)  was  an  excellent  man 
with  horses  and  always  had  a  good  team.  He  spent 
most  of  his  life  farming  and  working  for  the  railroad. 
Charl  and  Grace  were  active  in  the  L.D.S.  Church  and 
helped  constmct  a  log  church  house  in  Fruitvale  and 
helped  form  an  active  branch  of  the  Weiser  Ward. 

Charl  and  Grace  raised  a  family  of  eight 
children,  four  boys  and  four  girls.  Charl  died  11 
March  1961.  His  wife,  Grace,  married  his  brother, 
Harry  Burt,  and  moved  back  to  Chester,  Idaho,  where 
she  lived  the  rest  of  her  life. 

CHILDREN: 

(l)Glen  b- 1912 

md-  Billie  Irene  Thompson  27  Feb  1937 
(2)  Hazel  b-  1914 

md- Walter  Harp  29  May  1933 


By:  Cyril  Burt 


A.  C.  CAMPELL 


A.  C.  Campell  lived  in  Squirrel  where  Ada 
Carlson  lives  now.  His  sons  were  A.  C.  Campell,  Jr., 
William  L.,  Howard  and  a  daughter  Gladys.  Howard 
had  the  store  and  later  sold  to  Felix  Burgess. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  104 

JOHNIE  CARLSON 

and 

ADA  SELLERS 


115 


Ada  Sellers  and  John  Carlson 


The  Carlson  ranch  in  Squirrel  was  originally 
established  in  1907  by  the  Campbell  Brothers  of  the 
Highland  Ranch,  who  also  homesteaded  it  in  1907. 
Tom  Osmond  purchased  it  from  the  Campbells  and 
later  sold  it  to  Johnie  Carlson. 

In  the  Spring  of  1929,  one-fourth  mile  east  of 
the  Squirrel  Store,  Johnie  and  Ada  Sellers  Carlson  and 
two  daughters,  Alma  (Anderegg)  and  Josie  (Kniep), 
moved  to  the  old  log  house  known  then  as  the  Barker 
place,  but  purchased  from  Tom  Osmond. 

Johnie  and  Ada  were  married  in  Idaho  Falls, 
Idaho,  April  3,  1922,  and  moved  to  the  old  Clay 
Harshbarger  place  on  lower  Squirrel  Creek.  The  place 
belonged  then  to  Axel  and  Cynthia  Johnson,  and 
Johnie  and  Ada  leased  the  property  for  seven  years. 

Johnie  was  born  in  Sataryd,  Langaryd, 
Sweden,  and  immigrated  from  Smoland,  Sweden  in 
1912,  coming  first  to  the  Malcolm  Anderson  ranch  in 
Opal,  Wyoming.  When  the  Andersons  bought 
property  at  Squirrel,  Johnie  and  many  other  Swedish 
boys  moved  with  the  Anderson  family. 

He  first  began  farming  and  lived  at  the  golf 
course  property  known  as  Aspen  Acres,  where  he 
leased  land  from  Mai  Anderson. 


Clara  and  Oscar  Sellers 

He  met  Ada  Sellers  and  her  sister,  Alta 
(Dickason),  at  the  Squirrel  dance  hall.  Ada's  family 
had  moved  to  Squirrel  in  1914.  Oscar  and  Clara 
Sellers  bought  Carl  &  Lena  Sheets'  property  near  the 
Dave  Clouse  property  on  upper  Squirrel  Creek. 

Her  three  sisters,  Alta  Dickason,  Mildred 
Lenz,  and  Ruby  Carlson,  all  settled  in  the  Squirrel 
area.  Alta  married  Vic  Dickason  and  their  only  son. 
Gene  Dickason,  now  farms  at  Squirrel  and  lives  in 
Ashton.  Mildred  married  August  Lenz,  Jr.  They  had 
two  children;  their  deceased  son,  Lyle,  and  Wilma 
Threet,  who  lives  in  Idaho  Falls.  Her  mother,  living 
at  90  years  of  age,  is  in  a  local  nursing  home.  Ruby 
married  an  immigrant  from  northern  Sweden,  John 
Carlson  (no  relationship  to  Johnie  Carlson).  Both  are 
deceased. 

After  moving  to  the  Squirrel  homestead, 
Delores  (Mrs.  Wally  Bums)  was  born,  in  1930,  and 
Ada  lives  at  her  farm  home  each  summer  in  the  house 
she  and  Johnie  built  in  1937.    She  has  spent  the 


winters  in  Idaho  Falls  since  Johnie's  death  in 
December  14, 1943. 

Johnie  Carlson  was  a  progressive  agriculturist 
per  se.,  in  today's  word.  He  raised  rotated  crops,  and 
was  a  lover  of  the  good  earth.  He  was  a  good  caring 
stockman,  and  his  deepest  love  was  his  family  first,  and 
the  horses  next.  His  horses  were  always  well-fed  and 
groomed.  Today  their  family,  grandchildren  and  great 
grandchildren,  can  come  "home"  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
their  labor,  and  Grandma  Ada  welcomes  them  all  with 
open  arms.  She  has  preserved  what  Johnie  started  back 
in  the  Twenties. 

Her  children  will  always  remember  the  long 
strenuous  hours  of  forming  with  horses,  milking  cows, 
the  "Big"  Depression,  World  War  II,  and  many  years 
of  struggling  to  keep  the  heritage,  as  of  1990,  for  her 
three  daughters,  eleven  grandchildren,  and  twenty-six 
great  grandchildren. 

1st  gen.  BENJAMIN  CAZIER 

and 

1st  wife  OLIVE  SHAW 


Elmo,  Allan,  Benjamin  our  Dad,  Earl  Cazicr 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Frederick  b- 1850 

md-  Henriett  Clifford 

(2)  OUve  Ann  b-  1852 

md-  Abraham  Caldwell 

(3)  Viola  b-  1853 

md-  Richard  Jones 

(4)  Clestia  b-  1855 

(5)  Pamela  b-  1857 

(6)  Benjamin  Jr.        b-  1859 

md-  Emily  Matilda  Hathaway 

(7)  Pleasant  Polly     b-  1861      d-  1861 


d-  1922 

d-  1940 

d-  1884 

d-  1872  17  years  old 
d-  1880 
d-  1950 


child 


3rd  gen.  ELMO  CAZIER 


116 


My  memories  of  Famum  date  back  over  70 
years,  when  I  was  a  young  boy.  My  father  Benjamin 
Cazier  Jr.  and  mother  Emily  Matilda  Hathaway  had 
an  80  acre  dry  farm  in  Famum.  (We  Lived  in  Famum 
during  the  summer  months  and  Wilford  during  the 
winter  so  the  children  could  attend  school.)  Twice  a 
year,  first  in  the  spring,  and  then  in  the  fall  and  at 
harvest  time  my  Father  and  my  two  older  brothers, 


Earl  and  Allen  would  go  to  the  dry  farm  to  plant  and 
harvest  the  crops.  While  they  were  working,  I  would 
spend  most  of  the  day  in  a  one  room  shanty.  I 
remember  well  the  wind  houling  through  the  cracks 
in  the  walls.  Some  of  them  were  wide  enough  to 
almost  put  a  finger  through.  I  sometimes  carried 
drinking  water  fi-om  a  near-by  cistern  fisr  them,  as  a 
child  I  enjoyed  those  carefi^ee  days. 

Another  thing  I  remember  so  plainly,  my 
brother-in-law,  Montell  wickham  had  a  farm  adjacent 
to  dads.  He  had  a  grain  harvester  pulled  by  twelve 
horses,  I  sometimes  would  ride  the  harvester.  He 
had  one  or  two  horses  in  the  bunch  that  were  lazy. 
He  carried  a  BB  gun,  and  when  he  would  speak  to  the 
lazy  ones  he  sometimes  would  shoot  them  with  the 
bb  gim  and  they  would  soon  learn  to  pull  their  share. 

The  cistern  was  on  Montell's  place  and  I 
recall  many  times  riding  on  the  water  wagon  to 
replace  the  water  in  the  cistern.  That  dstem  was  a  big 
hole  in  the  ground,  lined  with  cement.  It  had  a  hand 
pump  on  top  used  to  pump  water  to  carry  for 
household  use. 

Elmo  grew  up  in  the  Famum,  TwinGroves, 
area  and  attended  schoolat  twin  Groves.  He  attended 
High  School  at  St  Anthony,  he  married  Rula  Miller. 

2nd  wife  Isabell  Montgomery 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  William  Robert  b-  1863 
md-  Delia  Jane  Alvord 

(2)  Mary  Elizabeth  b- 1865 
md-  Charles  Card 

(3)  Deserett  b-  1867 
md-  George  Storey 

(4)  Joseph  Smith  b-  1869 
md-  Edna  Moselle  Wade 


d-  1909 
d-  1936 
d-  1937 
d-  18 


WILLIAM  ROBERT  CAZIER 

and 

DELIA  JANE  ALVORD 


Delia  J.  Alvord  and  William  Robert  Cazicr 

William  Robert  Cazicr  was  bom  in  1863.  He 
died  1909.  His  father  was  Benjamin  Cazicr,  Sr.  and 
his  mother  was  Isabell  Montgomery.  He  lived  in 
North  Ogden  during  his  youth  and  was  a  member  of 
a  winning  North  Ogden  baseball  team.    We  know 


that  he  made  many  trips  to  the  mountains  after 
timber  with  his  brothers. 

He  married  in  1885  to  Delia  Jane  Alvord. 
They  had  known  each  other  all  through  their  school 
days  and  lived  across  the  road  from  each  other  in 
North  ogden. 

In  May  1887  William  and  his  brothers  went 
to  work  in  Colorado,  building  three  miles  of  railroad 
between  Grand  Junction  and  Denver  Colorado.  In 
July,  Delia  and  their  baby  Vernon  went  to  Colorado 
also  and  Delia  was  hired  as  a  cook  for  the  men  for 
$25  a  month.  In  October  they  came  home  in  their 
wagon,  traveling  over  part  of  the  pioneer  trail. 

After  returning  to  Utah,  they  lived  on  the  old 
Cazier  farm  which  is  now  the  old  Ben  Lomond  Stake 
ferm.  Seven  children  were  bom  here.  They  joined  a 
drama  group  and  went  to  the  various  wards  to 
perform.  He  was  a  mail  carrier  and  played  second 
base  on  the  baseball  team  that  was  organized  in  1893. 

After  visiting  Yellowstone  Park  National  Park, 
he  filed  on  a  homestead  in  Famum,  Fremont  Covmty, 
Idaho.  The  family  moved  to  Famum  on  April  10, 
1906.  This  is  where  the  last  child  was  bom.  in  1908. 

This  story  was  told  by  their  daughter,  Lorena 
Cazier  Davenport:  I  was  sent  to  the  hollow  to  get  the 
butter  for  dinner.  We  had  buried  a  box  down  in  the 
hollow  under  the  aspen  trees  to  keep  some  of  our 
food  to  cool.  I  had  started  back  up  the  hill  with  the 
butter  when  a  big  wind  came  up  and  blew  me  down, 
getting  the  butter  dirty.  It  blew  the  tent  house  down 
also  and  Mother  was  upset.  Lawrence  said,  "Don't 
cry  Mother,  we'll  move  the  tent  down  in  the  hollow, 
so  the  wind  can't  hit  it  so  hard.  That  night  after  dark, 
when  Papa  (Pupa)  and  the  other  boys  got  home  from 
hauling  logs  they  couldn't  find  the  tent  for  a  while. 

I  remember  riding  with  my  father  on  the 
plow  one  day  and  we  were  finishing  when  a  little 
rabbit  ran  out  in  front  of  us.  It  made  me  laugh  and 
Papa  teasingly  said,  "Don't  you  know  a  little  rabbit 
always  come  out  on  the  last  furrows?".  It  was  quite  a 
while  before  she  realized  he  was  joking. 

Papa  (Pupa),  brought  his  favorite  horses  from 
Utah,  Morg  and  Monty.  He  called  the  one  Morg 
because  he  was  going  to  be  the  mortgage  lifter,  but 
he  saved  them  to  pull  his  white-top  buggy.  One  year 
we  took  the  buggy  and  went  on  a  vacation  to  the 
Yellowstone  Park.  While  we  were  there  I  had  my  4th 
birthday  and  I  was  told  I  cried  because  I  couldn't 
have  a  birthday  cake  with  whipped  cream.  One  night 
a  bear  came  into  our  camp  and  I  remember  my  father 
showing  me  the  bear  tracks  the  next  moming. 

I  remember  the  spring  of  1908  when  my 
sister  Inez  was  bom.  Josie  and  I  were  sent  down  to 
Uncle  Joe's  to  stay  all  night.  It  was  a  treat  to  go  there 
so  we  didn't  ask  why.  In  the  moming,  walking  home, 
wc  met  Uncle  Joe.  He  had  been  up  to  our  place 
watering  his  horses  in  the  pond  as  he  always  did.  He 
told  us  we  had  a  baby  sister  Inez.  I  told  him  I  didn't 
believe  him  but  when  we  got  home  one  of  the  older 
]^][7    boys  said  to  me,  Who's  the  baby  now.*",  I  staned  to 


cry  and  papa  (pupa)  held  out  his  arms  and  said,  You'll 
always  be  my  baby."  I  remember  him  of  always  being 
a  kind  and  loving  father. 

In  1908  William  and  Joe  bought  a  thresher 
and  went  over  all  the  country  doing  custom  threshing 
for  people.  So  they  were  away  most  of  the  summer. 
In  1909  they  went  threshing  again  but  before  they 
were  finished,  William  had  to  come  home  suffering 
from  an  abscesses.  One  below  his  eye  and  one  under 
his  arm.  Dr.  Hargis  from  Ashton  doctored  him  for  a 
while  and  then  sent  him  to  Salt  Lake  City.  Joe  went 
with  him  on  the  train  and  Delia  was  to  follow  in  the 
next  day  or  two,  but  before  she  got  there  he  died. 
That  was  the  11th  of  November  1909.  He  was  buried 
in  North  Ogden,  Utah,  where  he  had  grown  up  . 
Information  on  William  Robert  Cazier 

furnished  by  daughter, 
Lorena  Cazier  Davenport 

DELIA  JANE  ALVORD  CAZIER 

I  was  born  on  the  25th  of  March  1865  at 
North  Ogden,  Weber  County,  Utah.  My  birthplace 
was  a  log  house  with  a  dirt  roof.  At  that  time  the 
snow  covered  the  fence  posts.  My  parents  were 
Joseph  Bonaparte  Alvord  and  Lcnora  Hyatt  Bcrrctt. 
They  had  crossed  the  plains  in  the  George  A.  Smith 
Company  in  1849.  My  mother  came  from  Wiltshire, 
England  with  her  parents.  My  father  was  born  in 
Water-ford,  Michigan.  After  their  marriage  they  lived 
in  Springville,  Utah  returning  to  North  Ogden  before 
I  was  bom.  I  had  an  adopted  brother,  Melvin  Ray, 
who  was  fourteen  years  younger  than  I  was.  He  died 
at  the  age  of  19  years. 

My  father  and  mother  separated,  my  mother 
taking  back  her  maiden  name  of  Berrett. 

My  schooling  commenced  at  North  Ogden 
when  I  was  about  7  years  old.  It  was  not  a  graded 
school  and  my  teachers  were  Edward  Wade  and  Julia 
Ellis,  whom  he  later  married.  My  next  teacher  was 
Lorenzo  Waldram. 

On  January  21,  1885  I  was  married  to 
William  Robert  Cazier  in  the  Logan  L.D.S.  Temple. 
He  was  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Isabel  Montgomery 
Cazier.  We  had  known  each  other  all  during  our 
school  days. 

In  2vlay  1887  my  husband  went  to  Colorado 
to  work  for  his  uncle  on  the  railroad.  In  July  of  the 
same  year  I  joined  him  with  our  oldest  child,  Vernon. 
I  worked  as  a  cook  for  three  months  getting  S25.00  a 
month. 

About  the  1st  of  October  we  came  back  to 
Utah,  traveling  in  covered  wagons  over  some  of  the 
pioneer  trails.  We  saw  many  graves  along  the  way.  In 
one  field,  there  were  seven,  under  a  pine  tree  there 
was  one  lone  grave. 

After  a  visit  to  Yellowstone  National  Park, 
which  was  made  in  white  top  buggies,  my  husband 
decided  to  take  up  a  homestead  in  Idaho.    This  was 


located  in  the  south  eastern  part  of  the  State  in  what 
was  then  known  as  Famum  in  Fremont  County.  We 
moved  there  April  10th  1906.  At  that  time  there  was 
just  a  presiding  Elder  James  Green.  We  held  our 
meetings  in  a  littie  log  schoolhouse.  Later  in  1908  a 
church  house  was  built  on  the  road  that  leads  to 
Dnimmond  and  Teton  Basin.  John  E.  Morrison  was 
our  first  bishop.  At  that  time  I  served  as  a  Relief 
Society  teacher,  Sunday  School  teacher  and  also 
worked  in  the  Primary. 

My  youngest  child,  a  girl,  was  born  May 
1908  and  in  1909  my  husband  was  taken  to  the 
L.D.S.  Hospital  in  Salt  Lake,  Utah  where  he  died  of 
blood  poisoning  on  the  11th  of  November  1909  at 
the  age  of  46  years. 

My  children  and  I  continued  to  live  on  the 
farm  until  1916.  I  then  proved  up  on  it  and  sold  it 
and  bought  a  house  and  three  lots  in  west  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho  what  was  then  known  as  the  Island. 
It  was  so  called  because  it  was  situated  between  the 
Egjn  and  Independent  Canals.  There  was  only  one 
ward  in  St.  Anthony  at  that  time  and  when  the  ward 
was  divided,  the  north  side  of  the  river  became  the 
First  Ward.  This  river  was  the  north  fork  of  the  Snake 
River. 

I  am  the  mother  of  eight  children,  three  of 
whom  have  passed  away.  At  the  time  of  this  writing  I 
have  20  grandchildren  and  one  great-grandchild. 
One  of  my  daughters,  Josie,  died  leaving  a  baby  gjrl, 
five  months  old,  whom  I  have  raised. 

Mother  Lenora  Hyatt  Berrett  died  January 
27,  1948  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.    She  was  buried 
February  2,  1948  in  the  North  Ogden  Cemetery. 
Journal  information  furnished  by  daughter, 

Inez  Cazier  Farr. 


CHILDREN: 

1)  William  Vernon  b- 1885 
md-  Myrtie  Abbie  Garrett 

2)  Hubert  Benjamin       b-  1888 
md-  Marian  P.  Davenport 

3)  Joseph  Lawrence        b-  1889 
md-  Never  married 

4)  Bemeice  Adelia  b-  1894 
md-  Willie  James  Lcdell 

5)  Isabcll  Elaine  b-  1896 
md-  Never  married 

6)  Josephine  b-  1899 
md-  John  Andrew  Davenport 

7)  Grace  Lorene  b-  1901 
md-  Vernon  C.  Davenport 

8)  Inez  Viola  b-  1908 
md-  Lorin  Farr 


d-  1978 

d- 

d- 

d- 

d- 

d- 

d- 

d- 


118 


WILLIAM  VERNON  CAZIER 

and 
MYRTLE  ABBIE  GARRETT 

William  Vernon  Cazier  1st  child  and  son  of 
William  Robert  Cazier  and  Delia  Jane  Alvord. 


Vernon  was  born  25  September  1885  at  North 
Ogdcn,  Utah.  When  Vcm  was  1  1/2  years  old  his 
parents  moved  to  Colorado  to  work  for  the  raikoad. 
They  went  by  covered  wagon  over  the  old  Pioneer 
trail.  They  lived  there  five  months  and  returned  to 
North  Ogden. 

They  lived  on  the  old  Cazier  place  where  the 
Ben  Lomond  Stake  farm  is  now  located.  He  was 
blessed  with  two  brothers,  Hubert  Benjamin  bom  in 
1888,  and  Joseph  Lawrence  bom  in  1889  and  four 
sisters;  Bemice  Adelia  bom  1894,  Isabell  Elaine  bom 
1896,  Josephine  born  1899,  Grace  Lorene  born 
1901,  all  bom  in  North  Ogden. 

His  parents  went  on  a  trip  to  Yellowstone 
Park,  traveling  by  horse  and  a  white  top  buggy.  Later 
they  homesteaded  in  the  Famum  area.  The  family 
moved  there  on  10  April  1906.  This  is  where  Vem's 
youngest  sister  Inez  Viola  was  bom  in  1908. 

Vern  as  he  was  called,  was  attracted  to  a 
lovely  happy  girl  named  Abbie  Garrett.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  George  and  Alvina  Park  Garrett.  She  was 
bom  April  28,  1891,  in  Murray,  Utah.  In  the  early 
1900's  the  Garrett  family  bought  a  farm  across  Fall 
River  directly  north  of  the  Brig  Murdoch  homestead. 
The  William  Robert  Cazier  family  lived  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river  but  not  very  far  away.  William 
Vernon  Cazier  became  acquainted  with  the  young 
people  in  the  area  and  met  Abbie  Garrett,  they  were 
married  November  11,  1914. 

William  Keith  Cazier  was  the  first  child  bom 
to  the  couple.  He  was  bom  October  4,  1915  in  a  log 
cabin  in  Farnum.  A  couple  years  later  his  parents 
moved  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  Two  other  children 
were  born  in  St.  Anthony.  Ivan  G.  Cazier  born 
September  23,  1917,and  Robert  Lawrence  Cazier 
bom,  24  Dec  1919. 

In  St.  Anthony,  Vem  and  Abbie  settled  in  a  small 
three  room  house  newly  built  by  the  Mayo  family  and 
rented  to  the  Cazier  family.  There  was  no  water  in 
the  house  at  first.  The  water  for  all  the  family  needs 
came  from  a  pump  next  door.  The  pump  belonged 
to  the  Millwards.  Mr.  Millward  was  a  local  barber. 

The  house  was  situated  on  half  an  acre  of 
very  rocky  ground  it  had  been  an  old  river  bed  many 
years  ago.  Abbie  managed  to  have  a  fine  garden  each 
year,  despite  the  rocks. 

Vern  obtained  a  job  as  a  clerk  in  the  post 
office,  while  Abbie  worked  part  time  at  the  local  seed 
house,  picking  peas.  It  was  a  very  tedious  job,  but  it 
did  supplement  part  of  the  family  income. 

Abbie  was  active  in  the  church  as  a  Primary 
teacher.  Vem  played  in  the  city  band  and  baseball 
with  the  local  team.  Vem  had  also  pbyed  ball  with 
the  Famum  team. 

In  1932  the  family  moved  to  Los  Angeles, 
Califomia  where  Vem  had  gone  to  receive  training  as 
an  electrician.  Family  problems  developed,  and  Vem 
and  Abbie  obtained  a  divorce  several  years  later  and 
went  their  separate  ways. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  William  Keith  b- 1915  d- 
md-  Irene  Josephine  Dalby 

(2)  Ivan  George  b-  1917 
md-  Katherine  Louise  Dull 

(3)  Robert  Lawrence        b-  1920 
md-(l)  Clara  Olson 

(2)  Grace  Porter  by:  Ivan  Cazier 

JOSEPH  SMITH  CAZIER 

I  was  bom  in  North  Ogden,  Weber  County, 
Utah  on  April  12,  1869,  the  year  that  the  Southem 
Pacific-Continental  line  was  finished  across  the 
continent.  I  was  raised  to  manhood  without  much 
event.  I  had  never  had  much  schooling.  I  went  to 
school  two  or  three  months  in  the  winter  time  until  I 
was  probably  15  years  old,  when  I  discontinued 
school.  I  really  never  completed  a  school  education, 
though  I  had  accomplished  reading  and  writing  quite 
well.  A  school  education  was  not  compulsory  in  those 
days.  In  fact  the  parents  had  to  pay  tuition  for  their 
children  then.  I  did  attend  school  at  the  age  of  28  at 
the  Weber  State  Academy  at  Ogden.  At  one  time  in 
my  school  days  I  had  trouble  with  one  of  my  teachers 
and  broke  and  ran  for  the  door.  I  declared  to  my 
mother  I  would  never  go  back,  but  mother  took  me 
back  the  next  morning  and  shoved  me  in  the  door. 
The  school  master  Mr.  Lorenzo  Waldron,  said  he 
would  tend  to  me  later,  but  never  did  take  any  action. 
I  did  tell  my  father  and  mother,  (Benjamin  and 
Isabell  Montgomery  Cazier,)  I  would  rather  stay  out 
of  school  and  work  on  the  farm,  and  they  let  me  do 
that  after  Christmas.  My  chief  occupation  was 
working  on  the  form.  My  father  was  a  merchant  from 
the  time  I  was  13  years,  I  would  do  the  farming  while 
my  brothers  freighted  on  the  Montana  Railroad. 

My  mother  was  bom  in  Canada,  later  living 
in  Farmington,  Iowa,  and  migrated  to  Utah  across  the 
plains  as  a  girl  of  13  in  1850.  Her  family  joined  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  I  think  in 
Canada.  Her  mother  had  a  small  baby  which  she  had 
to  tend  and  my  mother  did  the  cooking  for  a  large 
family  at  the  time  they  were  crossing  the  plains.  Later 
when  they  arrived  in  Utah,  they  settled  in  North 
Ogdcn. 

An  event  I  remember,  Bill  Montgomery 
telling  of  going  with  his  father,  Robert  Montgomery, 
to  drive  the  Indians  off  his  meadow  land  where  there 
was  a  large  encampment.  Uncle  Bill  went  with  him 
and  Grandfather  and  ordered  them  off  his  land,  and 
they  just  laughed  at  him.  Finally  he  went  to  kicking 
fires  out  and  the  Indians  yelled  at  him  "Stout  heap, 
Stout  Man".  Finally  the  old  Chief  said  to  them,  "You 
say  this  land  your  land.  Whose  land  was  this  before 
white  man  come?  All  this  land,  these  mountains,  these 
waters,  all  belong  to  us  Injuns.  No  so  you  say-you  lie, 
you  cheat,  you  kill  Injun!"  Grandfather  Montgomery 
hung  his  head  and  walked  slowly  away.  The  Indians 
j]^9    those  days  were  not  dangerous,  but  there  were  a  lot  of 


Indian  raids  south  of  there  and  there  was  Httle  talk 
that  they  might  attack  some  day,  although  one  never 
did  occur.  I  think  my  father's  first  wife  died  at  the 
youngest  son's  (Benjamin)  birth.  Some  three  years 
after  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  he  married  my  mother, 
Isabclle  Montgomery,  and  she  raised  his  first  family, 
besides  her  own  children,  namely,  William,  Mary, 
Deserett,  Joseph,  Alexander,  besides  two,  Alma  and 
Grace,  who  died  when  they  were  babies. 

By:  Joseph  Smith  Cazier 

JOSEPH  SMITH  CAZIER 

and 
EDNA  MOZELLE  WADE 

Joseph  Smith  Cazier  and  Edna  Mozelle  Wade 
were  married  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple  in  1902.  Their 
eldest  daughter,  Florence,  was  a  few  months  old  when 
they  moved  to  the  Famum  community  in  1903. 

Farnum  was  a  newly  settled  community  and 
people  were  very  sociable.  At  first  they  met  together 
in  the  old  log  school  which  was  later  replaced  by  a 
cement  block  church  house.  My  father  was  somewhat 
of  a  natural  actor  and  poet  during  his  earlier  years  at 
Famum. 

My  father  always  said  that  Famum  was  settled 
by  poor  men,  and  he  was,  without  much  money  to 
build  a  home.  As  a  result,  many  people  built  log 
houses  and  covered  the  roof  with  dirt  instead  of 
shingles.  Through  inexperience  they  used  the  top  soil 
instead  of  getting  clay  dirt  which  will  shed  the  water. 
As  a  result,  the  water  would  run  through  the  dirt  and 
they  would  have  to  place  dish  pans,  and  whatever  else 
they  could  find  on  their  beds  and  around  their  houses 
to  catch  the  drips.  With  a  sense  of  humor  my  father 
composed  the  following  poem: 


LIVING  ON  A  DRY  FARM  IN  A  LEAKY  HOUSE 
by  Joseph  Smith  Cazier 

Living  on  a  dry  farm  in  a  leaky  house 
I  can  tell  you  ain't  much  fun; 
You  want  it  to  rain  and  still  you 
don't  want  it  to 
You're  almost  glad  when  it's  done. 

Your  wife  will  cry  and  say 

"Now  if  you  don't  shingle  this  house  before  it 

comes  another  rain, 

You  can  take  me  to  town,  and  I'll  leave  her  in 

the  train; 

I'll  go  back  home  —  that's  what  I'll  do 

And  live  with  Pa  and  Ma." 

And  if  you  say  a  word  to  tantalize  her. 

She'll  swing  the  dishrag  on  your  jaw. 

She'll  say  —  "You  promised  when  we  moved 
into  this  old  shack 

You'd  build  another  house  as  soon  as  you  got 

able; 

Put  a  shingle  roof  on  it. 

—  and  use  this  pbce  for  a  stable." 

"But  we've  lived  here  for  3  years  now — 

3  years  this  coming  fall; 

And  I  don't  believe  you  meant  to  build 

another  house 

When  you  said  you  would,  at  all! 

A  feller  gets  up  and  goes  out  of  the  house 
A-feeling  awfully  blue 
Because  he  realizes  that  his  wife's  charges 
— are  partly  true. 


b.r.  Ruth,  Mark,  Bob,  Dan,  Elaine,  f.r.  Helen,  Phyllis,  Edna,  Joseph,  Isabell  Cazier 

120 


He  goes  and  looks  at  his  grain 

It's  still  alooking  awful  dry; 

And  he  feels  just  like  he  could  throw  up 

everything 

And  sit  right  down  and  cry. 

Then  he  looks  at  the  coming  clouds 

And  he  thinks,  "Gosh,  if  it  would  only  rain  all 

night  tonight, 

I'd  have  a  splendid  crop." 

And  then  he  thinks  of  his  leaking  house 

—  and  his  crying  wife  — 

and  his  feelings  take  another  drop. 

"But  I  think  we  better  stay  here, 

—  and  tough  it  out  another  year  or  two  — 

I  can  tell  you,  them  that  does  is  going  to  get 

'well-to-do'. 

The  railroad's  comin'  up  through  here  next 

summer, 

And  we're  going  to  build  a  big  canal." 

And  then  a  feller  can  look  at  his  wife,  and 

grin,  and  say 

"Well,  — ^what  do  you  think  of  me  now,  old 

Gal?!!" 

After  the  family  lost  the  farm.  Dad  had  a  few 
head  of  cattle  left  and  belonged  to  the  Cattle 
Association.  In  1924  and  1925  he  was  hired  by  the 
Association  to  oversee  the  cattle  on  the  Association's 
division  of  the  range  in  the  Forest  Reserve. 

In  spite  of  the  hardships  the  family  went 
through,  we  had  many  wonderful  memories.  The 
family  would  go  up  to  the  mountains  in  the  summer 
time.  We  would  gather  around  the  bonfires  at  night 
and  sing  and  tell  stories. 

Sister  Florence  says  of  our  father  that  he  was 
protective  of  his  children  and  insisted  on  early  curfews 
as  well  as  being  informed  of  their  whereabouts  when 
away  from  home. 

As  I  remember  back,  our  house  wasn't  too 
overly  big  but  by  the  time  we  younger  children  were 
getting  old  enough  to  go  to  school  the  older  sisters 
had  finished  the  first  8  grades  and  were  boarded  out 
to  go  to  the  High  School  in  Ashton. 

I,  (Phyllis,)  attended  the  Famum  School  for  1 
year  before  moving  to  St.  Anthony.  During  the  fill 
months  we  would  either  walk  to  school  or  ride  a 
horse.  When  winter  set  in  our  father  drove  us  to 
school  in  a  covered  sled  and  picked  up  other 
neighborhood  children  as  well.  If  the  weather  was  too 
severe  we  missed  school.  As  I  remember  the  school 
house  it  had  only  2  rooms.  The  one  room  took  in  the 
first  four  grades  and  the  other  room  grades  five 
through  eight.  I  had  a  few  turns  at  standing  in  the 
comer  for  misbehaving  in  class  so  evidendy  I  was  not 
an  ideal  student  at  times. 

I  think  one  of  the  most  traumatic  incidents 
that  occurred  for  me  was  during  a  thunder  and 
lighming  storm  when  a  large  bolt  of  lighming  went 


through  the  house  catching  fire  in  my  folks  bedroom. 
It  was  soon  discovered  and  the  family  formed  a  bucket 
brigade  and  put  the  fire  out  before  it  did  too  much 
damage. 

Even  though  we  had  a  rather  rough  time 
financially,  we  had  wonderful  times  having  Sunday 
dinners  with  our  neighbors  and  fHends  during  the 
years  in  Famum.  Mother  always  raised  a  big  garden 
and  canned  fruit  and  vegetables  so  we  didn't  go 
hungry.  We  also  milked  a  cow  or  two  and  had 
chickens  ft>r  our  egg  supply.  When  we  had  excess  of 
eggs  and  milk  mother  would  take  them  to  Ashton  to 
exchange  them  for  items  that  could  not  be  raised  on 
the  farm.  Mother  was  a  seamstress  as  well  and  made 
all  our  clothing. 

Among  the  many  families  we  associated  with 
in  those  early  years  were  the  Hawkes,  the  Meyricks, 
the  Merricks,  the  Murdochs,  the  Schofields,  the 
Benjamin  Cazier  Jr.s,  the  Montel  Wickhams,  the 
Bratts,  my  father's  brother,  William  Cazier  and  family, 
mother's  older  brother,  Samuel  Wade  and  I'm  sure 
many  others  that  I  don't  recall  their  names  after  all 
these  years. 

My  sisters  Isabelle  and  Ruth  moved  to 
California,  where  mother's  sister  Myrtle  lived,  soon 
after  the  family  moved  to  St.  Anthony.  At  the  urging 
of  my  Aunt  and  sisters  the  remainder  of  the  family 
moved  to  California  in  1929.  My  sister  Florence  had 
married  Don  Carlos  Schofield  in  1926  and  they 
remained  in  Famum  farming  with  his  brothers  until 
1936,  when  they  moved  to  California  also. 

Our  memories  surface  every  so  often  as  we 
look  back  at  our  early  years  in  Famum. 

History  compiled  by  daughter 
Phyllis  Cazier  Gunkcl 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Florence  Edna  b-  1903 
md-  Don  Carlos  Schofield 

2)  Isabelle  Ann  b-  1904 
md-  Adolph  Phillip  Galli 

3)  Ruth  Lavenia  b-  1906 
md-  Earl  W.  Hamilton 
Frank  Yadow 

4)  Joseph  Daniel  b-  1908 

5)  Grace  Elaine  b-  1910 
md-  Joseph  Samuel  Hammer 

6)  Helen  Naoma  b-  1912 
md-  Wiley  Moss  Norton 

7)  Benjamin  Wade  b-  1915 


d-  1978 


8)  Phyllis  Irene  b- 1916 

md-  Edward  Clement  Gunkcl 
9)Marcus  Montgomery  b-  1919 
10)Robcrt  Grant  b-  1921 


d-  1981 
d-  1988 

d-  1984 

d-  1915 
Infant 


never  married 
never  married 


121 


SOME  MEMORIES  OF  EARLY  DAYS  IN 
FARNUM,  IDAHO 

By:  Florence  Cazier  Schofield  wife  of  Don  Carlos 

Schofield 

My  parents,  Joseph  S.  and  Edna  Wade  Cazier, 
moved  from  Twin  Groves,  Fremont  County,  Idaho,  to 
their  homestead  in  Famum,  a  distance  of  about  16 
miles,  in  1903.  Their  one-room  frame  cabin  was 
located  at  the  division  line  of  the  Cazier  and  Gene 
Higginbotham  farm,  but  they  later  moved  it  nearer 
the  center  of  their  property,  added  another  room  and 
then  later  two  more  rooms.  A  few  years  later,  the 
Higginbotham  farm  was  sold  to  the  Dr.  E.  L.  Hargis 
family. 

There  was  a  big  ravine  running  zig  zag 
through  our  commun-ity,  dividing  it,  and  I  guess  it 
wasn't  quite  as  deep  as  it  seemed  when  I  was  a  child. 
It  had  big  rocky  diffe  on  its  north  side  and  quaking 
aspen  groves  on  the  south  side.  It  also  divided  our 
farm. 

I  remember  the  homesteader's  on  the  south 
side  of  the  valley;  besides  my  dad's  family  there  were 
his  brother,  William  Cazier  and  wife  Delia  Jane 
Alvord,  Samuel  and  Janetta  Wade,  Arson  and  Vivian 
Miller  Dimmick,  Duvals,  Rogers,  Arthur  and  Lucy 
Lidell  Day,  Earl  and  Lilc  Hill  Day,  Wadsworth's, 
Daniel  McArthur,  who  later  sold  to  William  R.  and 
Eliza  Schofield,  William  Henry  and  Amanda  Schofield, 
Fred  and  Dicy  Thompson,  Dan  and  May  Gibson, 
John  and  Harriet  Watson,  Ether  and  Matilda  Staker, 
Johnny  and  Hettie  Johnson,  Eric  Johnson,  Wickhams, 
Gene  and  Hattie  Higginbotham  and  Gene's  mother, 
and  all  their  families.  I  remember  most  of  the  settlers 
on  the  north  side  of  the  "Big  Hollow". 

The  north  side  of  Farnum  had  irrigation 
water,  for  at  least  part  of  their  acreage,  as  far  back  as  I 
can  remember,  but  although  some  of  the  south  side 
settlers  owned  shares,  or  water  rights  in  the  canal 
system,  they  were  not  able  to  get  the  water  to  their 
land  on  the  south  side. 

Most  of  our  winters  were  really  severe  with  a 
lot  of  snow  and  plenty  of  wind  to  pile  up  huge  snow 
drifts.  Some  winters  were  worse  than  others  and  the 
one  I  remember  the  most  came  in  1934  or  1935. 
Roads  were  completely  obliterated  and  men  and 
horses  would  have  to  spend  many  long  tiring  hours 
breaking  them  out  after  each  storm. 

The  first  church  building  I  can  remember 
attending  was  a  little  one-room  log  cabin  located  at 
the  back  end  of  my  great  Uncle  Francis  Fcrrin's 
homestead  bordering  on  Conant  Creek.  I  think  it  was 
only  a  temporary  meeting  house  until  a  regular  L.  D.  S. 
chapel  could  be  built.  Many  people  referred  to  it  as 
the  "old  log  church"  for  years  after  it  was  being  used 
as  a  granary.  1  was  still  very  young  when  our  new 
church  was  built  out  on  the  main  road.  This  one  was 
made  of  cement  blocks,  with  one  long  large  room 
over  a  full  basement  which  was  divided  into  three 
rooms  plus  a  small  coal  room.    There  was  no 


122 


electricity  running  water  or  plumbing  in  those  days. 
Heat  on  the  upper  floor  was  furnished  by  an  extra 
large  coal  heater,  located  next  to  the  stage  at  the  north 
end  of  the  room.  The  basement  used  smaller  heaters 
in  each  room. 

Bishop  Morrison  was  the  first  Famum  Bishop 
and  I  remember  that  he  left  there  and  moved  to  the 
Boise  valley  not  too  long  after  the  new  church  was 
completed. 

Most  of  the  early  day  entertainment  of 
Famum  centered  around  the  church.  Simon  Saunders 
gave  the  Ward  a  plot  of  ground  which  bordered  the 
church  yard  on  the  east  for  a  ball  diamond. 

The  school  always  gave  a  Christmas  party  at 
the  church  a  few  nights  before  Christmas.  New 
Year's,  the  17th  of  March,  the  4th  of  July  and  the 
24th  of  July  were  always  all-day  celebrations  with  all 
the  community  participating. 

These  special  days  always  started  with  a 
program  at  10:00  a.m.,  usually  with  a  guest  speaker, 
singing  numbers,  redting,  skits  and  the  whole  works. 
Bishop  Spiers'  from  St.  Anthony  was  always  a  favorite 
and  he  seemed  to  like  us  or  else  he  thought  we  needed 
him  most  because  he  came  quite  often.  At  noon  came 
the  big  pot  luck  dinner.  There  was  always  a  children's 
dance  in  the  afternoon  with  the  parents  trying  to  teach 
their  children  to  waltz,  two-step,  polka,  Virginia  reel 
and  square  dance.  After  supper,  there  would  be  an 
adult  dance  and  at  a  late  hour,  it  would  be  time  for 
the  men  to  hitch  up  the  horses,  load  up  the  sleeping 
youngsters  and  head  for  home,  many  of  them  having 
to  do  their  chores  after  they  arrived  there. 

In  the  winter  time,  a  group  of  would-be 
thespians  would  get  together  and  put  on  a  few  rather 
deep  dramas  that  tumed  out  so  well  that  they  were 
often  requested  to  do  their  plays  in  neighboring 
towns.  It  really  took  a  lot  of  dedication  for  the  players 
to  wallow  through  the  snow,  night  after  night  during 
the  six  weeks  or  so  of  rehearsals  it  took  to  prepare 
most  of  the  shows.  I  think  every  home  in  Famum  was 
raided  for  keepsake  clothing  treasures  to  use  as 
costumes.  I  know  my  mother's  wedding  dress,  my 
grandfather's  major  coat  and  my  father's  long  tailed 
black  missionary  coat  clothed  many  a  heroine  and 
hero. 

Sometimes  there  would  be  a  parade.  The 
outstanding  one  I  can  remember  was  when  my  father 
got  the  assignment  of  putting  together  a  parade  for 
that  year's  24th  of  July  pioneer  celebration.  He 
worked  at  it  for  days  and  when  the  big  day  came,  his 
performers  were  ready.  The  first  thing  the  people 
gathered  at  the  church  knew,  a  team  of  horses  pulling 
a  covered  wagon  came  into  view  on  a  fast  run, 
followed  by  several  other  pioneer  outfits  with  their 
families.  Before  they  could  reach  the  church,  a  band 
of  Indians,  dad  in  brown  burlap  buckskins  and  riding 
swift  horses,  surrounded  the  pioneers,  took  one 
captive  from  one  of  the  wagons,  left  the  women  and 
children  screaming  when  they  put  the  captive  on  a 
pony  and  rushed  out  to  the  baseball  field,  where  they 


*»i0tmi«»k,mm»'< 


' -^t*'^^--^:  •■■•■ 


already  had  a  pole  set  up  with  straw  piled  up  around 
the  base.  It  didn't  take  them  long  to  string  the 
captive,  a  man-sized  stuffed  rag  doll,  up  the  pole  and 
set  fire  to  the  straw.  All  went  well  for  the  Indians  that 
were  doing  the  burning  until  one  man  from  the  crowd 
remembered  that  the  dummy  was  wearing  his  best  hat 
and  with  a  yell  he  made  a  dash  for  the  fire,  but  it  was 
too  late  to  rescue  his  hat. 

Baseball  was  always  a  favorite  pastime  sport 
and  the  first  Famum  baseball  team  I  can  remember 
was  a  group  of  ranchers.  Later,  another  team  was 
organized  from  the  population  in  the  south  part  of 
Famum,  who  named  themselves  "The  Tater  Ridgers" 
and  I  well  remember  some  of  the  hot  contests 
between  our  two  teams.  The  whole  community 
would  turn  out  on  many  a  Saturday  afternoon  to  root 
for  their  favorite  team  and  it  was  a  lot  of  fun.  I  think 
those  games  made  avid  baseball  fans  for  life  of  most  of 
the  kids,  like  myself,  that  were  around  in  those  days  of 
the  early  nineteen  hundreds. 

SCHOOL 

It  seems  to  me  that  school  was  held  for  awhile 
in  the  old  log  church  on  the  creek,  but  I  think  a 
schoolhouse  was  built  about  the  time  the  new  church 
was.  It  was  located  just  a  mile  west  of  the  church  and 
was  built  with  the  same  kind  of  cement  blocks.  I 
guess  the  people  who  planned  the  townsitc  of  Famum 
expected  plenty  of  growth.  The  store-post-office  was 
about  1  1/2  miles  north  of  the  school  house  on  Fall 
River.  There  was  only  one  house  about  a  block  from 
the  church  on  that  whole  open  road.  Much  later, 
another  house  was  built  across  the  street. 

My  cousins,  Lorena  and  Josie  Cazicr,  took  me 
to  visit  school  once.    It  was  the  one- room  cabin  and 


123 


Mac  Higginbothom  (Gene's  sister)  was  the  teacher  at 
that  time,  and  she  taught  eight  grades.  She  later 
married  Acil  Hawkes  and  they  made  their  home  in 
Farnum  for  many  years.  When  I  finally  entered 
school,  there  had  been  another  room  added.  Mr.  Laie 
taught  one  room  and  Mr.  Beecher  the  other.  During 
this  period,  we  seemed  to  have  sufficient  school  books 
but  there  were  not  many  novels  -  not  nearly  enough 
for  an  avid  reader.  Gene  Stratton  Porter  and  Zanc 
Grey  were  popular  authors,  among  others.  I 
remember  one  time  the  upper  room  teacher  (Mr. 
Beecher,  I  think)  was  reading  Zane  Grey's  book 
entided  "Riders  of  the  Purple  Sage"  to  his  students. 
He  would  read  a  few  pages  each  day  when  all  at  once 
the  book  mysteriously  disappeared,  presumably  taken 
by  someone  who  couldn't  wait  to  hear  the  end.  That 
caused  a  big  uproar  among  the  students  as  well  as  the 
teacher.  I  was  just  as  upset  as  the  upper  room 
students,  because  my  cousin  had  been  keeping  me  up- 
to-date  on  how  the  story  was  progressing  each 
afternoon  on  the  way  home.  Years  later,  a  copy  of 
"Riders  of  the  Purple  Sage"  was  found  under  the  floor 
boards  of  an  old  deserted  homestead  cabin. 

Gene  Higginbotham  sold  his  homestead  to 
Dr.  E.  L.  Hargis  (our  Ashton  doctor);  his  parents,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Sam  Hargis,  his  brother.  Doss,  and  sister 
Frances.  Miss  Frances  Hargis  taught  the  advanced 
four  grades  in  the  new  room  and  Miss  Rachel  Roop,  a 
friend  of  Miss  Hargis'  from  the  East,  taught  the 
younger  four  grades.  The  next  year,  Miss  Hargis 
taught  the  upper  class  and  Miss  Valera  Fillmore  the 
lower.  The  next  year.  Miss  Helen  Emery  taught  the 
lower  class  and  Mr.  Neely  the  upper.  They  both 
taught  for  two  years.  Along  about  that  time.  Miss 
Emery  married  Hazen  Hawkes.  Miss  Nellie  Keefer 
came  to  teach  the  upper  grades  and  her  sister  the 


lower.  Mrs.  Helen  Emery  Hawkcs  came  back  to  teach 
the  upper  room  when  a  Mr.  Rice  quit  in  mid-term, 
and  Mrs.  Pete  Madison  was  teaching  the  first  four 
grades. 

My  folks  chose  to  build  on  the  south  side  of 
the  Big  Hollow,  although  their  land  crossed  to  both 
sides,  but  it  did  help  to  keep  us  kids  in  line  as  we  were 
really  afraid  to  cross  it  on  foot  after  dark.  Both  the 
school  and  church  were  located  on  the  north  side,  as 
were  many  of  our  playmates.  We  almost  always 
walked  to  school  and  would  attend  Primary  or  religion 
class  at  the  church  after  school,  in  dry  weather.  The 
walking  to  school  was  no  problem  early  in  the 
mornings  when  it  was  daylight,  but  there  was  always 
that  desire  to  stay  around  the  church  house  after  our 
meetings  to  play  with  our  friends,  even  though  we 
knew  from  experience  that  it  would  get  dark  before 
we  got  to  the  "Big  Hollow." 

One  time,  I  especially  remember  my  cousin 
Lorcna,  my  sister  Isabelle  and  I  made  the  mistake  of 
staying  to  play  after  Primary  and  dark  descended  on  us 
well  before  we  arrived  at  the  hollow.  Dreading  the 
crossing  more  than  usual,  we  stopped  to  consider  how 
we  could  get  across  safely,  not  having  wings  to  fly 
over.  Lorena  thought  the  best  solution  would  be  to 
pray,  which  we  did.  We  had  no  more  than  gotten  up 
from  our  knees,  filled  with  all  the  courage  in  the 
world,  when  we  heard  the  dop-clop  of  horse  hooves 
coming  up  the  hill.  What  a  relief  when  we  found  out 
it  was  my  father,  who  had  come  looking  for  us.  He 
asked  why  we  had  stayed  so  late  and  weren't  we  afraid 
in  the  dark?  Isabelle  was  the  first  to  answer,  "Oh,  no, 
Papa!  We  knelt  down  and  prayed."  Father  answered, 
"Well,  that  was  a  good  thing  to  do,  but  next  time,  get 
home  in  the  daylight." 

As  I  look  back,  I  think  the  only  animals 
around  there  were  harmless  rabbits,  squirrels, 
rockchucks,  badgers  and  a  few  coyotes  that  wouldn't 
harm  a  flea.  Once  in  awhile  an  owl  would  hoot  or  a 
frog  croak,  which  was  all  it  took  to  curdle  our  blood 
in  the  dark.  I  went  back  over  the  old  road  about  ten 
years  ago  and  OH,  MY!  how  the  "Big  Hollow"  had 
shrunk! 

Inside  games  were  either  sit  around  and  look 
bored  or  join  a  game  of  marbles,  hide  the  thimble, 
mumble  peg  or  charades.  There  were  more  games  for 
the  smaller  students,  such  as  ring  around  the  rosy, 
drop  the  handkerchief,  Lx)ndon  Bridge  is  Falling 
Down,  play  house,  musical  chairs.  Do  as  I  Do  and  Say 
as  I  Say,  etc. 

Outside  games  included  steal  sticks,  stink 
base,  pomp-pomp-pull-away,  run  sheep  run,  hide  and 
go  seek,  jump  rope,  hop  scotch,  tag  and  good  old 
baseball,  when  the  ground  was  bare  and  dry.  We  girls 
soon  found  out  that  it  was  more  ftm  to  play  at  baseball 
with  the  boys  than  to  stick  to  playing  house.  Our 
baseball  equipment  was  scarce  and  it  was  hard  to  keep 
a  usable  ball  on  hand.  The  bats  were  easier  to  obtain 
as  we  used  small  poles  or  pieces  of  flat,  smooth  board. 
I  always  chose  the  board  as  that  was  the  only  way  I 


could  hit  the  ball.  We  made  most  of  our  balls  with 
unravelled  men's  socks  yam  by  tightly  winding  it 
around  a  hard  core  center  imtil  it  was  the  right  size 
and  then  weave  a  cord  string  netting  around  it  to 
lengthen  the  life  of  the  ball.  Even  then,  they  didn't 
last  very  long,  but  they  were  better  than  the  rubber 
balls  that  were  being  sold  at  that  time,  as  these  were 
only  made  for  bouncing  and  would  split  open  when 
batted.  Rocks  would  have  made  better  balls,  but  they 
were  not  too  popular. 

Farnum  residents  took  their  politics  very 
seriously,  from  the  election  of  our  district  school 
trustees  clear  up  the  line  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  County  candidates  had  no  way  to 
advertise  their  views  except  through  the  weekly 
newspaper,  "The  Fremont  County  News"  or  through 
personal  appearances,  so  they  would  organize  a  rally 
and  barnstorm  the  county.  These  were  very 
entertaining  with  all  the  talent  their  political  party 
could  round  up.  I  liked  the  peppy  songs  of  the 
quartets,  the  solos,  skits,  etc.  but  some  of  the  political 
speeches  were  too  deep  for  my  young  mind  to 
comprehend.  We  school  children  also  looked  forward 
to  election  time,  as  it  always  meant  a  holiday  for  us 
because  the  school  house  was  used  for  the  Farnum 
precinct  balloting  place. 

PRIMARY  GIRLS  CAMP-OUT 

One  nice  late  summer  morning,  in  the  hard 
times  of  the  early  thirties,  I  hitched  up  a  team  of  mules 
to  a  home-made  rubber-tired  wagon  and,  after 
loading  camp  gear  and  food,  I  gave  our  car  a  resentful 
look,  which  was  just  sitting  there  because  we  could 
not  afford  to  run  it  that  summer.  I  was  a  little 
reluctant  to  leave  my  three  young  children  behind,  but 
they  were  perfectly  happy  to  stay  with  my  sister-in-law 
because  she  and  her  teenage  daughters  gave  them  a  lot 
of  attention.  After  all,  I  had  only  promised  the  girls 
three  days  out  of  the  six  they  had  hoped  for. 

Gathering  up  my  class  of  Primary  Seagull 
(girls)  we  headed  for  Conant  Creek  and  a  cozy  little 
green  meadow,  edged  on  one  side  by  the  creek,  trees 
and  a  hill  on  the  other  three.  After  tethering  the 
mules.  Jack  and  Jule,  we  built  a  small  fire  and  cooked 
our  lunch.  The  afternoon  passed  quickly,  playing  in 
the  water,  exploring  the  trees  for  special  leaves  to 
press,  looking  for  wild  berries  and  hoping  they'd  be 
ripe.  It  was  almost  dark  when  we  finished  our  evening 
chores,  including  tying  the  mules  to  the  wagon  and 
feeding  them  hay.  The  girls  got  a  little  nervous  when 
the  night  sounds  started,  so  we  decided  to  pool  our 
bed  rolls  into  one  very  wide  bed,  family  style.  All 
went  well  for  about  three  days  and  I  decided  that 
evening  that  we  would  go  home  the  next  day.  Much 
to  my  surprise,  that  plan  was  soon  changed  the  next 
morning,  when  I  discovered  the  mules  had  broken 
loose  and  left  the  vicinity.  Needless  to  say,  I  was 
getting  pretty  worried  when  the  second  day  after  the 
]^24    escape  of  the  mules  passed  without  any  word  or  sign 


from  the  outside  world  to  let  us  know  if  the  mules  had 
made  it  home  to  spread  the  word  that  we  were 
stranded.  They  surely  took  their  merry  time  in  getting 
there,  but  my  husband  guessed  in  minutes  what  had 
happened  and  didn't  lose  any  time  in  coming  to  our 
rescue. 

One  time,  in  the  winter  of  the  early  1920's, 
while  there  was  still  plenty  of  deep  snow  in  the  fields, 
our  town  of  Ashton  got  the  great  honor  of  being  the 
locale  for  the  filming  of  a  movie.  I  think  it  was  to  be 
titled,  "Siberia.**  Some  of  our  Farnum  residents 
flocked  into  town  with  high  expectations  when  the 
company  advertised  for  enough  men  to  make  up  a  one 
hundred  man  mob  scene.  They  also  wished  to  hire  a 
good  fast  team  of  sleigh  horses  to  pull  a  small  Siberian 
cutter  in  one  of  the  snow  scenes.  A  pert  little  dark 
brown  team  named  Nig  and  Neal,  belonging  to  Jake 
Schofield,  were  seleaed  to  do  the  performance. 

When  the  picture  was  released  a  good  many 
Famumites  drove  to  St.  Anthony  to  see  the  film,  but  it 
was  a  big  disappointment  to  all  the  locals  as  all  their 
scenes,  wallowing  through  deep  snow  in  a  long 
Siberian  chain  gang,  being  prodded  along  by  mean 
Siberian  uniformed  guards,  were  deleted  in  the 
editing.  Even  the  hero  and  guards,  actors,  they  had 
brought  with  them,  were  left  out  of  that  part  of  the 
show;  but  Nig  and  Neal,  who  really  did  themselves 
proud  radng  through  the  slippery  snow,  were  left  in. 

Compiled  by:  Florence  Cazier  Schofield  and 

Memories  of  Isabelle  Ann  Cazier  Galli 

FRANKLIN  ERVIN  CHRISTENSEN 

and 

ELIZABETH  JANE  MEYRICK 

Franklin  Ervin  Christenscn  was  the  youngest 
of  six  children  born  to  James  and  Anna  Christina 
Johnson  Christensen.  Frank,  weighing  twelve  pounds, 
was  brought  into  the  world  by  a  midwife  on  May  1, 
1875,  in  Mt.  Pleasant,  San  Pete  Co.,  Utah. 

Frank's  parents  were  pioneers  to  America, 
James  being  from  Denmark  and  Anna  from  Norway. 
Frank  had  a  sister  Christina,  and  two  brothers,  James 
C,  who  married  Elizabeth  Cox,  and  Chris,  who 
married  Anna  Margaret  (Maggie)  Brotherson. 

During  his  childhood,  Frank  worked  in  a 
shingle  mill  and  a  blacksmith  shop  which  his  father 
owned.  He  also  herded  sheep  and  worked  in  the  coal 
mines. 

He  met  Elizabeth  Jane  (Jennie)  Meyrick,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Jemima  Hutchinson  Meyrick, 
and  courted  her  for  seven  years.  They  were  married 
Sept.  4,  1901,  in  Manti,  Utah.  They  made  their  home 
in  Mt.  Pleasant.  To  this  union  was  born  three 
daughters:  Jamima  (Geneva)  in  1903,  Anna  Laura  in 
1904,  and  a  still  bom  baby  girl  in  the  spring  of  1906. 

In  1906,  Frank  took  up  a  homestead  of  160 
acres  in  Drummond,  and  then  sent  for  his  family  to 
join  him.  The  first  year  they  lived  with  Frank's  older 
brother,  Chris,  who  had  homesteaded  in  1902,  about 


four  miles  cast  of  Frank's  claim.  Another  brother, 
James  (Tim),  had  a  homestead  in  between. 

Frank  and  Jennie  built  a  one  room  log  cabin 
16X24  ft.  in  the  valley  next  to  Conant  Creek.  They 
later  added  three  more  rooms.  After  building  other 
log  buildings  they  pulled  and  burned  the  sagebrush 
and  began  breaking  up  the  sod  groimd. 

Chris,  who  was  a  bachelor,  lived  with  Frank 
and  his  family  every  winter  until  he  married  Anna 
Margaret  (Maggie)  Brotherson  on  December  25, 
1916.  Chris  lived  on  Ada  Carlson's  place. 

While  Frank's  mother  was  staying  with  them, 
she  passed  away  with  pneumonia,  April  1,  1913.  He 
took  her  back  to  Mt.  Pleasant  by  train  to  be  buried. 

In  1908,  they  temporarily  moved  to  the 
Highland  Ranch  at  Squirrel,  where  Frank  put  up  hay 
on  contract  and  Jennie  cooked  in  a  large  tent  for  the 
hired  men.  They  used  the  money  earned  to  improve 
their  own  homestead. 

Because  Frank  was  working  all  four  horses  in 
the  fields,  Jennie  had  no  way  to  go  to  town,  so  she 
walked  to  Squirrel,  a  distance  of  about  four  miles, 
carrying  eggs  and  butter  to  pay  for  groceries  which  she 
needed.  In  the  spring  when  the  water  was  so  high 
from  the  snow  run-off  she  could  not  get  across 
Conant  Creek.  Frank  put  a  log  over  the  Creek  and 
strung  a  wire  across.  By  holding  her  parcels  in  one 
hand  and  holding  onto  the  wire  with  the  other,  Jennie 
could  balance  on  the  log  and  cross  the  creek  to  go  and 
do  her  shopping. 

In  the  winter  of  1909,  Frank  freighted  to 
Jackson  Hole  hauling  material  for  the  dam  at  Moran. 
Jennie  and  her  two  sm.all  daughters  stayed  at  the 
homestead  while  he  was  away. 

Frank  had  custom  threshers  come  in  to  thresh 
his  grain,  but  when  times  got  better  he  bought  one  of 
the  first  combines  in  the  country.  This  combine, 
pulled  by  eight  horses,  didn't  prove  successftil,  so  he 
went  back  to  using  a  binder  and  purchased  a  steam 
threshing  machine  in  1918.  One  of  the  familiar 
sounds  at  threshing  time  was  the  old  thresher  whisde; 
three  short  blasts  to  tell  the  water  wagon  to  hurry 
because  the  engine  was  out  of  water,  two  short  blasts 
telling  the  men  out  in  the  fields  gathering  bundles 
that  they  were  out  of  bundles  at  the  thresher,  and  one 
long  blast  (the  one  that  sounded  the  best  to  tired 
men)  was  given  to  say  it  was  quitting  time. 

At  harvest  time  Frank  put  grain  in  a  granary, 
then  later  he  would  haul  the  grain  to  Ashton  where 
the  nearest  elevator  was  located.  Each  trip  to  the 
elevator  took  all  day  and  sometimes  part  of  the  night; 
it  being  twenty-eight  miles  round  trip.  When  Frank 
was  late  in  returning,  Jennie  would  take  a  lantern  up 
to  the  canal  bridge  about  the  time  she  thought  he 
should  be  there.  Sometimes  she  would  wait  almost  an 
hour  for  him  to  come,  but  she  wanted  to  be  there 
with  a  light  to  show  the  way  across  the  narrow  bridge. 

During  the  flu  epidemic  in  1918  and  1919, 

he  rode  his  horse  from  place  to  place  helping  to  care 

125    ^^^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^"^  ^^  dead.  The  Drummond  school 


house,  built  in  1913,  was  used  for  those  stricken  with 
the  flu. 

During  the  depression,  Frank  helped  those  in 
need  and  was  always  willing  to  donate  wheat,  eggs, 
butter,  money,  or  anything  he  had  to  those  who  could 
use  it.  Part  of  his  donations  were  given  through  the 
Famum  Ward  of  the  L.D.S.  Church. 

A  few  years  later,  Frank  drove  a  three-seated 
buggy  for  the  Yellowstone  Park  Stage  Co.  taking  eight 
tourists  at  a  time  through  the  park. 

The  litde  town  of  Drummond  was  started  in 
1912,  this  being  a  couple  of  years  before  the  railroad 
went  through  from  Ashton  to  Victor.  This  section  of 
railroad  took  about  two  years  to  construrt.  One  crew 
camped  above  Frank  and  Jennie's  house,  living  in 
tents  the  year  around  with  their  families. 

In  1918,  Frank  and  Jennie  bought  one  of  the 
first  cars  in  the  country — a  seven  passenger  Willis 
Knight.  They  were  proud  of  it! 

In  1922  they  built  a  nice  5  room  frame  house 
on  the  homestead  and  later  added  360  acres  to  the 
original  160,  some  of  the  land  being  his  brother  Jim's 
homestead.  Frank  had  bought  a  homestead  from 
Dwight  Beltz  on  Conant  Creek. 

On  Oct.  4,  1935,  Frank  held  a  public  auction 
sale  and  sold  everything  with  the  exception  of  the 
land,  which  he  rented  to  his  two  daughters  and  their 
husbands. 

Frank  passed  away  with  pneumonia  while  on  a 
trip  to  Arizona,  on  Nov.  5,  1935.  He  was  returned 
and  buried  in  the  Pineview  Cemetery  near  Ashton. 

Jennie  passed  away  Dec.  15,  1950,  and  was 
laid  to  rest  beside  her  husband,  with  whom  she  had 
shared  her  life. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Jamima  (Geneva)       b-  1903 

md-  Chester  French 

(2)  Anna  Laura  b-  1904 

md-  Charles  Garver 
md-  Homer  Jones 

(3)  Baby  girl  b-  1906 

still  bom 


d-  1989 
d-  1987 

d-  1906 


JAMES  C.  CHRISTENSEN  (brother  of  Frank  E.) 

and 
ELIZABETH  COX 

CHILDREN: 

(l)Auraul  James  b- Sept.  1895 

(2)  Cera  Levera  b-  May  8,  1897 

md-  Lester  C.  Hendrickson 

(3)  Wanda  Maria  b-  Feb  12,1899 

md-  Mr.  Hickenlooper 
(Juanita)       md-  Mr.  Jensen 
(4)GeneJahue  b- Dec  30,1911 

(007,455)  Famum  Ward  Membership  Records 
Snake  River  Echoes  pg  104 


FRANIOJN  ERVIN  CHRISTENSEN 

and 

JENNIE  MEYRICK 

Franklin  Ervin  Christensen  son  of  James  and 
Anna  c.  Johnson  Christensen  was  bom  May  1,  1875, 
Mt.  PLeasant,  Sanpete  County  Utah.  As  a  young  boy 
he  worked  with  sheep  until  he  was  25  years  old.  He 
married  Jemima  Hutchinson  Meyrick  September  4, 
1901.  He  then  accepted  a  position  in  a  mine  at  Alta, 
Utah  where  he  worked  for  four  years.  In  May  1906 
the  family  moved  from  Mt.  Pleasant,  Utah  to 
Highland  where  they  worked  on  the  Highland  Ranch 
from  about  1908-1910.  He  worked  in  the  haying  and 
she  cooked  for  hay  men.  Food  was  cooked  and  served 
in  a  tent.  Frank  bought  a  homestead  from  Dwight 
Beltz  on  Conant  creek  Frank  had  two  brothers  James 
and  Chris  that  came  to  Squirrel  in  about  1905.  Chris 
lived  on  Ada  Carlson  place.at  Dnmimond  where  he 
later  took  up  360  Acres.  Two  daughters  were  bom  to 
them. 
He  died  at  Salt  Lake  6  November. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Geneva          b  1903 

md-  Chester  French 

(2)  Anna             b  1904 

md  Homer  Jones. 

d-  1989 

d- 

C.  VAN  CLARK 

and 

RUBY  NELL  GARVER 

Van  Clark  was  bom  in  1890.  He  moved  to 
this  area  from  Kansas  with  his  sister,  Olive,  (Mrs.  Earl 
Harshbargcr)  in  about  1909. 

He  married  Ruby  Nell  Garver  who  was  bom 
at  Mound  City,  Missouri,  March  8,  1891.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  Jacob  Allen  &  Mary  Ellen  Butler 
Garver  who  moved  to  this  area  in  1903. 

Van  &  Ruby  farmed  in  this  area  for  a  while. 
They  also  operated  a  mercantile  store  in  Dmmmond 
in  the  early  1920's.  It  was  located  just  north  of  the 
George  Baum  Store  on  the  east  side  of  the  road. 

They  later  moved  to  Ashton  where  he  was 
elected,  and  served  as  Fremont  County  Sheriff  from 
1934  to  1938. 

In  1939,  they  moved  to  Boise,  Idaho,  where 
Van  served  as  Idaho  State  Land  Commissioner. 

In  1941,  Van  was  appointed  as  warden  of  the 
Idaho  State  Penitentiary  where  he  served  for  two  or 
three  years.  While  serving  in  this  position,  his  wife, 
Nell,  passed  away  suddenly  with  a  cerebral 
hemorrhage  in  1941.  She  was  buried  at  the  Ashton, 
Idaho,  Pineview  Cemetery  by  the  side  of  her  son, 
Richard,  who  had  passed  away  several  years  before. 

Van  died  at  the  age  of  75  years. 


126 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Richard         b-  1912  d-  1939 

md-  Rhea  Johnson 

(2)  Donald  md-  Beth  Porter 

(3)  Emery  md-  Betty  Chance 

(4)  Marene  md-  Harry  Foster,  md-  Mr,  Fisher 

(5)  Virginia         b-  1921 

md-  Gerald  Johnson 

(6)  Jcne  md-  Lynn  Scott 

(7)  Gordon         md-  Opal 

WALTER  RAYMOND  CLARK 

and 

RHEA  SKINNER 


b.r.  Bonnie,  Rhea,  Vcm,  Karen,  Delton,  Beth 
f.r.  Leon,  Colleen,  Dale,  Walter  Clark 


Walter  was  born  May  19,  1909,  the  son  of 
Arthur  Raymond  Clark  and  Ida  Emma  Weber.  Rhea 
was  bom  May  16,  1914,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Alma 
Skinner  Jr.  &  Anna  Fluckiger.  They  were  married 
Nov.  8,  1934  in  the  Logan  Temple.  They  made  their 
first  home  in  Etna,  Wyoming.  Rhea  came  from 
nearby  Bedford,  while  Walter's  home  had  been  in 
Etna,  both  towns  were  in  Star  Valley. 

They  rented  form  ground  in  Star  Valley  for 
several  years,  accumulating  the  machinery  necessary 
for  a  successful  farming  operation. 

By  1940  the  Railroad  Ranch  at  Island  Park 
contacted  Walter  to  come  over  to  their  ranch  and  bale 
some  hay.  It  was  the  first  hay  they  had  ever  tried  to 
get  baled  as  they  had  put  it  up  loose  in  stacks  in  the 
years  past.  Walter  took  his  baler,  his  wife  and  several 
children  and  lived  in  a  sheep  camp  trailer  while  he 
baled  730  tons  of  hay  at  the  Railroad  Ranch. 

During  the  next  winter  back  in  Star  Valley  he 
had  time  to  remember  the  fine  rolling  farmland  he  had 
crossed  the  summer  before  on  his  way  to  Island  Park. 
They  decided  to  go  to  Idaho  Falls  and  inquire  into 
perhaps  renting  some  ground  over  in  this  area.  The 
real  estate  salesman  took  them  up  into  the  Squirrel 
county  and  made  a  deal  with  them  to  buy  about  1000 
acres  that  lay  east  of  Dan  Thomas's  place,  to 
Mardsen's  on  the  east,  to  Albertson's  on  the  south. 


They  moved  to  Squirrel  in  1941,  living  in  the 
bunkhouse  of  the  Dan  Thomas  place  for  two  years 
while  they  built  their  home  on  this  new  farm.  To 
build  the  new  house  and  buildings  they  went  to  the 
timber  and  cut  out  logs  fiDr  lumber.  They  hauled  the 
logs  to  the  Dixon  sawmill  west  of  Ashton  where  they 
were  sawed  into  the  right  size  boards.  After  they  had 
dried  sufifidendy  they  were  taken  to  a  planing  mill. 
Finally  they  were  used  to  build  the  home.  A  sawed 
log  machine  shed  and  granary  was  their  first  building 
which  sits  on  the  north  near  the  road.  After  the  house 
came  a  cinderblock  shop  and  later  a  huge  grain 
storage  facility  with  an  elevator  and  unloading  pit. 

Much  of  the  gravel  for  this  construction  was 
hauled  fi-om  Conant  Creek  near  the  Albertson  place. 
A  four-wheeled  trailer  was  backed  into  the  waters  edge 
while  the  hired  men,  (Blaine  Skinner,  Joseph  A. 
Skinner,  &  Blaine  Hawkes)  loaded  it  up.  Then  the  D- 
4  Cat.  tractor  pulled  it  up  out  of  the  creek.  Next  the 
wheel  tractor  was  hooked  on  the  trailer  to  transport  it 
to  the  building  site. 

Soon  a  garden  and  grass  surrounded  the 
house  and  it  became  a  very  beautiful  home  site  sitting 
on  high  ground  with  a  good  view  of  the  surrounding 
countryside. 

Walter  brought  a  new  variety  of  barley  into 
this  part  of  the  country  called  White  Sumema.  It  was 
a  hardy,  fast  growing,  high  yielding  (60  to  70  bu.  per 
acre)  barley.  To  many  of  his  fiiends  Walter  became 
know  as  "Barley  Clark".  Soon  this  and  other 
improved  varieties  of  barley  became  the  major  crop 
grown  in  this  area. 

Wild  grass  hay  was  cut  from  the  big  draws  in 
the  farm  providing  feed  for  several  cows  and  a  horse  or 
two.  Much  of  the  waste  land  was  fenced  to  provide 
pasture  for  beef  cattie. 

Walter,  Rhea,  and  family  did  not  live  on  the 
ranch  in  the  winter  but  moved  to  a  home  they 
purchased  in  Idaho  Falls,  taking  with  them  the  hay 
and  livestock  from  the  ranch  each  year.  He  worked  as 
an  officiator  in  the  Idaho  Falls  Temple  for  32  years. 

In  1945  Walter  was  sustained  as  Bishop  of  the 
Famum  Ward  where  he  served  until  1948  when  the 
ward  was  discontinued  and  became  part  of  the 
Marysville  Ward. 

In  July  1953  Walter  was  sustained  as  Bishop 
of  the  Marysville  Ward  and  served  until  Feb  1958. 
With  this  latest  assignment  it  became  necessary  for 
their  faunily  to  sell  their  home  in  Idaho  Falls  and  build 
their  present  residence  in  Ashton. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  during  this  time  of 
transition,  Rhea  was  able  in  a  matter  of  a  few  hours  to 
draw  the  floor  plans  for  their  new  home  as  it  now 
stands.  She  felt  inspired  to  draw  it  as  it  now  is  and  it  is 
a  very  comfortable  beautiful  home. 

Walter  and  Rhea  are  retired  and  their  son, 
Dale  &  his  wife  Kathy  and  children,  operate  the 
ranch. 

At  the  writing  of  this  book  they  have  52 
127    grandchildren  &  14  great-grandchildren  with  more 


on  the  way.    Following  is  list  of  their  children  and 
spouses  and  the  number  of  children  in  each  family: 

Delton  &  Kay  Jo  Terry  (divorced),  six 
children 
&        Annetta  Aileene  Kepler  McPherron 
Beth  &  Lyman  Sibbett,  nine  children 
Bonnie  &  Tito  Paredes,  ten  children 
Karen  &  Dave  Palmer,  five  children 
Vem  &  Sharon  Whealdon,  four  children 
Colleen  &  Sheldon  Kidd,  six  children 
Dale  &  Kathy  Wynn,  six  children 
Leon  &  Sylvia  Bishop,  six  children 

DAVID  REPLOGLE  CLOUSE 

and 

CLABA  ETTA  LAHM 


Clara  Etta  and  David  R.  Clousc 

(Property,  1911-1945,  160  acres  NE  of  Squirrel  Store, 
presendy  owned  by  Hal  Harrigfcld) 

David  Replogle  Clouse  was  born  in 
Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania,  in  1878,  of  second 
generation  German  (Hessen  and  Baden)  and  Alsatian 
parentage.  His  parents  were  William  and  Sarah 
Replogle  Clouse.  Clara  Etta  Lahm  was  bom  in  Canal 
Dover,  Ohio,  in  1882,  of  second  generation  German 
(Rhein-Pfalz)  parentage.  Her  parents  were  Jacob  and 
Anna  Gieb  Lahm.  David  and  Clara  were  each  the 
eldest  of  eight  children. 

They  met  after  their  families  moved  to 
Dawson  County,  Nebraska,  in  the  late  1880's  and 
were  married  Jan.  2,  1900.  Two  children,  Jessie  and 
Arthur  (Bud),  were  born  in  Nebraska;  Charles  and 
Melvin  were  bom  in  Idaho. 

Upon  arrival  in  Idaho  in  March,  1908,  fi-om 
Sumner,  Nebraska,  for  employment  at  the  Mai 
Anderson  ranch  (Art  Anderson's  father),  the  family 
lived  for  a  time  with  the  Charles  Burralls  at  the 
Squirrel  Store.  They  operated  the  farm  with  20  or  30 
horses,  and  with  as  many  as  22  men  coming  at  harvest 
time  to  help  with  the  threshing  of  the  grain  crops. 

In  1911,  Dave  and  Clara  bought  the  160-acre 
Hardwick  homestead  on  Squirrel  Creek,  and  the 


femily  moved  into  the  log  cabins.  One  was  shingle- 
roofed,  the  other  dirt-roofed  and  adjoined  by  a  shed 
open  to  the  cast. 

The  north  80  acres  was  under  cultivation,  also 
the  portion  south  to  the  top  of  the  valley.  The 
acreage  south  of  the  creek  was  left  in  sage  for  pasture. 
There  was  a  small  grove  of  aspens  in  the  southeast 
comer. 

The  cabins  were  on  the  flat  along  the  creek 
directly  below  the  existing  house.  As  was  common  in 
those  days,  household  water  was  carried  or  hauled 
from  the  creek  in  barrels  on  a  stone- boat.  Fuel  was 
pine  from  the  forest,  some  six  miles  to  the  east. 

Dave  Clouse  was  a  carpenter  and  built  a  horse 
bam,  a  large  chicken  house,  and  a  root  cellar  on  the 
hillside  above  the  cabins.  Later,  he  built  a  round- 
roofed  cow  bam  and  a  two-story  house  on  top  of  the 
hill  to  the  north.  The  new  house  was  completed  and 
occupied  about  1920,  and  has  since  been  remodeled 
and  expanded  by  Hal  Harrigfeld. 

Until  a  well  was  drilled  in  1929,  household 
water  continued  to  be  hauled  from  the  creek  or  canal. 
In  winter,  the  supply  was  melted  snow.  Stock  took 
water  from  the  creek,  and  ice  was  chopped  to  keep  the 
hole  open  in  the  winter.  Electricity  wasn't  available  in 
the  area  until  after  the  place  was  sold.  Water  was 
pumped  and  wood  sawn  by  hand.  Kerosene  lamps 
and  lanterns  were  replaced  by  Colemans  in  the  late 
1920's.  Ice  cut  fi-om  a  pond  in  the  creek  and  packed 
in  sawdust  in  one  of  the  old  cabins  lasted  well  into  the 
summer.  A  small  amount  of  coal  was  bought  to 
supplement  the  pine  fuel  and  keep  heat  through  the 
winter  nights. 

A  telephone  was  installed  about  1931.  Until 
then  the  nearest  phones  were  at  the  George  Waddell 
house  (presently  Evan  Lcnz's)  about  three-fourths 
mile  east,  and  at  the  Squirrel  Store  (two  miles  by 
road). 

The  fields  were  for  the  most  part  share- 
farmed.  Art  Lenz  participating  for  many  years.  Except 
for  steam — and  later  gas — tractors  to  power  threshing 
machines,  all  work  was  done  with  horses.  Dave 
bought  his  first  car — a  used  1925  Model  "T"  Coupe, 
and  learned  to  drive  at  age  fifty  (Clara  never  had  an 
interest  in  leaming  to  drive). 

Grade  school  was  across  the  road  fi-om  the 
Squirrel  Store,  and  mail  was  picked  up  at  Box  No.  1  in 
the  store  post  office.  Children  boarded  in  Ashton 
during  the  winter  months  to  attend  high  school. 

Many  of  the  structures  built  by  Dave  in  the 
area  still  stand.  Among  these  are  bams  owned  by  the 
Andersons  at  Aspen  Acres,  Jack  Niendorf  (originally 
built  for  Raymond  Kidwell)  in  Drummond,  Glan 
Sharp  in  Squirrel,  and  houses  built  for  Ada  Carlson, 
W.  L.  Sharp,  Glan  Sharp  in  the  Squirrel  vicinity,  and 
Myron  Cordingley  in  Marysville. 

Clara  raised  poultry  and  had  a  ready  market  in 

Ashton  for  dressed  chicken  and  butter  which  she 

delivered  by  team  and  buggy  in  the  summer  and  sled 

128    i"  ^c  winter.    McGinn's  roadhouse  at  Henry's  Lake 


picked  up  deliveries  in  Ashton  during  the  tourist 
season.  Fruit  and  vegetables  from  the  garden  were 
canned,  and  cabbage,  beets,  potatoes,  and  carrots  were 
stored  in  the  root  house.  She  enjoyed  fishing  in 
Squirrel  Creek  and  always  used  bullhead  (sculpin)  bait, 
except  when  trout  flies  were  in  season. 

After  selling  the  property,  they  moved  to 
Ashton  and  later  to  Idaho  Falls.  Dave  remained  active 
in  light  carpentry  until  his  mid  70's,  and  passed  away 
in  1957.  Clara  worked  full-time  in  Idaho  Falls 
hospitals,  kept  a  large  garden  until  her  mid-80 's,  and 
passed  away  in  1970. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Jessie  b- 1901 
md-  Randall  C.  Howe 

(2)  Arthur  (Bud)  b-  1902 
md-  Mae  Harrigfeld 

(3)  Charles  b-  1912 

(4)  Melvin  (Mel)  b- 1917 
md-  Phyllis  McArdlc 

Jessie  and  Randall  Howe  lived  in  Ashton  and 
ran  the  Howe  Lumber  Company. 

Arthur  (Bud)  and  Mae  Clousc  formed  in  the 
Squirrel  area  for  a  while  and  then  moved  to  Ashton. 

Melvin  and 
Phyllis  went  away  and 
worked  for  the 
Consolidated  Vultec 
Aircraft  (Convair) 
Company,  in  San 
Diego  and  Forth 
Worth.  He  filled 
various  positions  in 
aviation  from  1938  to 
1975  and  retired  from 
the  company  after  32 
years  of  service. 
Author's  Note:  We 
have  a  comprehensive 
resume'  listing  the  excellent  service  Mel  gave  during 
these  years  as  a  Flight  Engineer,  Field  Service 
Engineer,  and  investigator  of  flight  crashes  in  different 
parts  of  the  world. 

The  above  family  history  was  written  from 
notes  from  Jessie  Howe,  and  her  brother  Melvin 
Clousc  on  March  23, 1991,  his  74di  birthday! 

JESSIE  CLOUSE 

and 

RANDALL  C.  HOWE 

Jessie  Clouse  was  bom  in  a  sod  house  Nov. 
18,  1901,  the  daughter  of  David  R.  Clousc  and  Clara 
Lahm  of  Sumner,  Nebraska. 

In  1908  she  came  with  her  parents  to  live  on 
the  Anderson  farm  in  Squirrel,  Idaho.  She  had  three 
brothers;  Arthur  (Bud),  Charles,  and  Melvin.  Her 
father  was  foreman  on  the  Mai  Anderson  ranch 
(Aspen  Acres  now). 


Mdvin  Qousc 


129 


b.r.  Jessie  Clousc  and  Randall  C.  Howe 
f.r.  Margaret,  Randall,  Marilyn  Howe 

Jessie  completed  grade  school  at  Squirrel, 
then  went  to  Ashton,  working  for  board  and  room 
until  1920  when  she  graduated  from  high  school 
there. 

In  1921  she  went  to  Omaha  and  enrolled  in 
nurse's  training  and  graduated  from  Nickolas  Senn 
Hospital  in  1923  with  an  R.  N.  degree.  She  also 
completed  physical  therapy  training  in  Omaha, 
Nebraska.  Through  the  years  she  worked  as  a  part- 
time  nurse  for  Dr.  Krueger  and  others. 

In  1924  she  married  Randall  C.  Howe.  They 
went  into  business  in  the  Howe  Lumber  Company, 
serving  the  community  well  for  some  40  years.  Jessie 
worked  in  the  store  for  many  years  helping  out  during 
her  husband's  time  of  illness. 

They  had  three  children;  Randall,  Marilyn,  & 
Margaret. 

Randall  passed  away  with  heart  trouble  in 
1974. 

Jessie  lives  in  their  home  in  Ashton  at  the 
present  time  with  her  daughter  Margaret  who  teaches 
high  school  in  Ashton. 

ARTHUR  CONANT 

and 

DOLLY  SHEETZ 

Arthur  Conant,  from  New  York  State,  came 
to  Squirrel,  Idaho  about  1908-09  and  worked  on  the 
threshing  machine  of  Tom  Sheetz.  Arthur 
homesteaded  what  is  now  the  Sharp  country  home 
and  ranch.  The  original  two- room  house  may  still  be 
standing.  He  married  Dolly  Sheetz.  They  had  three 
children.  Two  Hve  in  Alberta,  Canada.  The  other 
passed  away  at  Bliss,  Idaho. 

Mr.  Conant  went  after  a  load  of  wood  for 
their  winter  fuel.  The  load  of  wood  tipped  over  and 
pinned  him  underneath.  Just  one  shoulder  was 
caught.  He  was  unable  to  dig  out  with  his  one  bare 
hand.  He  froze  to  death  in  the  water  of  the  creek  that 
bears  his  name.  Thclma  Sheetz  was  three  years  old 
when  this  tragic  happening  took  place  and  the  above 
account  is  what  she  remembers  her  mother  saying 
later. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  105 


THOMAS  H.  CONLIN 

and 
KATHERINE  KEOUGH 

Thomas  H.  Conlin  came  to  Lamont  in  1909. 
He  married  Katherine  Keough,  in  1890  at  Fort 
Dodge,  Iowa.  She  was  born  in  1867  in  Isheming, 
Michigan  to  Cornelius  and  Mary  Buder  Keough. 

They  were  the  parents  of  five  children:  two 
sons,  Thomas  Jr.  and  John;  and  three  daughters,  one 
of  which  was  Mrs.  L.  G.  McGrath. 

ELIAS  COOK,  SR. 

and 
SARAH  STEWART 


Elias  Cook  and  Sarah  Cook 


Children  of  Elias  Cook  Elias,  Cleave,  Hilda,  Joseph 

Elias  Cook,  Sr.,  son  of  Joseph  Wood  and 
Martha  Barlow  Cook  was  born  August  8,  1860  at 
Pittsburg,  Allegheny  County,  Pennsy-  Ivania.  He 
married  Sarah  Eliza  Stewart  daughter  of  Uel  and 
Caroline  Mendenhall  Stewart  February  27,  1882, 
Springville,  Utah  County,  Utah.  She  was  born 
September  3,  1862  at  Springville,  Utah  County,  Utah. 

About  the  year  1900  Elias  Cook  Sr.  and  wife 
Sarah  and  four  children  (Elias  Jr.,  Cleve,  Hilda,  & 


130 


9-room  log  home  on  Conant  Creek  built  by  Elias  Cook 

Joseph)  moved  from  Spanish  Fork,  Utah,  to  the  upper 
Snake  River  Valley  in  Idaho  to  homestead  some  land 
to  farm.  They  got  some  land  in  Fremont  County  two 
miles  north  of  Lamont,  Idaho.  Conant  Creek  ran 
through  part  of  the  land  that  they  homesteaded.  They 
built  a  two-story  9-room  log  house  for  their  home  on 
the  land  near  the  creek. 

They  moved  to  Lamont  about  1907. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Elias,  Jr.  b-1882        d- 1948 
md-  Rebecca  Rosena  Beck 

(2)  Vel  Cleve  b-  1886        d-  1953 
md-  Juanita  June  Brown 

(3)  Hilda  b-  1890        d-  1949 
md-  Daniel  Jacob  Albertson 

(4)  Joseph  Wood        b-  1892        d-  1947 
md-  Lilhan  Lovisa  Etter 

Inf  by:  Mark  Albertson  and  Elias  Wilbur  Cook 

VEL  CLEVE  COOK 

and 

JUANITA  JUNE  BROWN 

Vel  Cleve  Cook  son  of  Elias  Cook  Sr.  and 
Martha  Barlow  was  bom  August  13  1886  Springville, 
Utah  County,  Utah  13  August  1886  died  November, 
1953.  He  married  Junetta  Brown,  November  25, 
1912. 
Children: 

Zona  Bell  b-  September  17,  1924  Highland,  Fremont, 
Idaho.  (007-455)  Famum  Ward  membership  records 

DANIEL  JACOB  ALBERTSON 

and 
HILDA  COOK 

It  was  about  this  same  time  a  young  man  by 
the  name  of  Daniel  Jacob  Albertson  quit  his  job  as 
fireman  on  the  railroad  in  Spanish  Fork,  Utah,  and 
came  to  this  area.  After  arriving  here  he  got  a  job 
driving  stage  in  Yellowstone  Park  for  a  while.  After 
leaving  that  job  he  got  work  as  a  fireman  at  the  Sugar 
City  Sugar  Faaory.  It  was  during  this  time  that  he 
met  Hilda  Cook.  After  a  time  they  were  married,  and 


Dan  Albcrtson  &  wife  Hilda  Ccx>k 

five  children  were  bom  to  this  marriage  (Thelma, 
Daniel  Eugene,  Joseph  Spencer,  Mark,  &  Sylvia). 

After  they  were  married  they  decided  to  try 
farming.  They  rented  a  small  parcel  of  land.  Their 
first  home  to  live  in  was  a  one-room  log  cabin  with  a 
dirt  floor  and  a  sod  roof.  The  next  place  they  lived  in 
was  a  two-room  house  on  dry  creek  one- half  mile 
north  of  my  grandparent's  home  They  then  purchased 
some  land  in  the  Lamont  area.  This  land  was  one  and 
one-half  mile  southeast  of  Lamont  next  to  the  Elmo 
Lamont  ranch.  Their  home  there  was  a  two-room 
granary  and  they  built  another  room  onto  it. 

MARK  ALBERTSON 

and 

BETTY  LOU  BROWER 

It  was  while  they  were  living  there  that  I 
(Mark  Albertson)  was  born.  I  was  born  at  my 
grandparcnt-s  home  (Elias  &  Sarah  Cook)  on  the 
24th  of  Feb.,  1924.  We  lived  at  Lamont  until  the 
spring  of  1930,  then  we  moved  to  a  farm  3/4  mile 
north  of  my  grandparent's  ranch.  That  fall  I  started 
school  at  Highland  school,  which  was  one  and  one- 


fourth  miles  north  of  where  we  lived.  My  two  older 
brothers,  Gene,  Spencer,  and  myself  went  to  school 
together.  My  oldest  sister,  Thelma,  had  graduated 
fi"om  the  Lamont  school  before  we  moved  away  from 
there.  My  youngest  sister,  Sylvia,  started  school  a  few 
years  later.  We  walked  to  school  most  of  the  time; 
even  in  the  winter.  At  times  in  the  winter,  if  the 
weather  looked  bad,  our  dad  would  let  us  take  one  of 
the  work  horses  to  ride,  but  always  cautioned  us  that  if 
there  was  a  blizzard  at  the  time  we  came  home,  not  to 
ride  the  horse,  but  hold  on  to  his  tail  and  follow.  The 
snow  being  deep  and  roads  built  up  high,  he  was 
afraid  the  horse  might  fell  off  the  track  and  throw  us 
while  trying  to  get  back  on  the  road,  and  trample  us. 
It  seemed  like  the  winters  were  always  severe,  great 
snow  depths  and  lots  of  wind.  Some  winters  the  snow 
was  so  deep  you  couldn't  see  the  tops  of  the  fence 
posts. 

At  that  time  it  was  customary  to  stack  the  hay 
in  the  fields,  and  when  the  grain  was  threshed  the 
straw  stacks  were  in  the  field,  so  we  spent  the  biggest 
share  of  our  time  in  the  winter  breaking  roads  and 
hauling  hay  and  straw  to  the  bam  and  feed  lot  for  the 
livestock.  However,  my  brother  and  I  tried  to  have 
some  fun  along  with  the  work.  We  would  get  a  rope 
and  tie  it  to  the  back  of  the  hayrack,  get  on  our  skis 
and  pull  behind  the  sleigh.  If  the  roads  were  good  the 
team  could  travel  at  a  good  speed.  We  had  lots  of  fun 
going  back  and  forth  across  the  road  and  cutting 
shines  on  our  skis. 

There  was  plenty  to  do  in  the  summertime  as 
there  always  is  on  a  farm.  I  remember  my  first  job  at 
working  in  the  field  was  driving  four  head  of  horses  on 
three  sections  of  harrow.  I  was  about  nine  years  old  at 
the  time  and  I  thought  that  I  was  really  doing 
something  great.  Then  I  graduated  to  a  point  that  I 
got  to  drive  the  horses  on  a  one -bottom  plow,  and 
then  to  a  two- bottom  plow. 

My  greatest  memories  of  the  farm  at  that  time 
was  at  threshing  time.    My  Grandpa  Cook  owned  a 


b.r.  WyatL,  Leslie,  Susan,  Monte,  Janalee,  Mark  Jancan,  Betty,  Darren  AJbertson 

131 


Case  steam  engine  and  a  Case  threshing  machine.  My 
Uncle  Cleve  Cook  ran  the  steam  engine  and  my  Dad 
tended  the  thresher.  That  machine  fascinated  me  and 
I  spent  all  the  time  that  I  could  after  school  and  on 
weekends  being  around  it  at  threshing  time. 

I'll  have  to  mention  here  of  a  pet  project  that 
my  Grandad  Cook  had.  As  there  was  about  an  acre  of 
land  between  the  house  and  creek,  he  decided  to  raise 
some  potatoes,  grain,  &  pasture  on  it.  He  got  the 
idea  that  he  could  irrigate  it.  So  he  got  two  big  pine 
logs  and  placed  them  across  the  creek  to  make  a  dam. 
This  dam  site  was  about  1/8  of  a  mile  up  the  creek 
from  the  house.  After  the  logs  were  placed  and 
anchored,  lots  of  willows  were  cut  and  placed  in 
vertically  behind  the  logs.  Straw  was  then  hauled  and 
trompcd  in  behind  the  willows,  then  rocks  placed  on 
top  of  the  straw  to  hold  it  down.  He  made  a  diversion 
ditch  along  the  bottom  of  the  hill  down  to  the  land  to 
be  watered;  it  worked,  but  that  was  not  all,  by  backing 
the  water  back  up  the  creek  it  made  the  best 
swimming  hole  in  the  country.  There  was  one  place 
that  the  water  was  about  8  ft.  deep  and  the 
community  got  together  and  built  a  diving  board  over 
that  spot.  The  word  got  around  about  this  great  place 
to  swim.  Folks  from  4  to  5  miles  around  came  there 
to  picnic  and  swim.  It  got  to  be  a  very  popular  place 
for  everyone  to  gather  in  the  summertime. 

In  the  spring  of  1936  my  Grandmother  Cook 
passed  away,  our  family  moved  in  with  my  Grandad  so 
we  could  take  care  of  him.  My  Uncle  Joe  Cook  was 
running  the  farm  for  him  at  that  time. 

In  the  year  of  1939  my  Grandad  Cook  passed 
away.  Uncle  Joe  decided  to  quit  farming,  so  we 
rented  the  land  from  the  Estate  and  farmed  it  in  with 
the  other  land  that  we  were  farming. 

I  was  drafted  into  the  military  in  March  1945. 
After  training  I  served  in  the  occupational  forces  in 
Okinawa  and  South  Korea  until  Nov.  1946.  After 
returning  home  I  continued  to  farm  with  my  two 
brothers. 

The  winter  of  1948-49  was  one  of  lots  of 
snow  and  wind.  The  railroad  from  Ashton  to  Victor 
was  blocked  by  heavy  drifting.  There  wasn't  any  train 
service  from  Ashton  to  Victor  for  28  days.  Some  of 
the  local  people  had  snowplanes  and  they  brought 
emergency  supplies  and  the  mail  from  Ashton  to 
Drummond  and  Lamont. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1948  I  met  and  later 
on  June  1,  1949,  married  Betty  Lou  Brower.  Our 
marriage  ceremony  was  performed  in  her  folk's 
(Earnest  &  Zila  Brown)  home  in  Ashton. 

Our  first  home  was  in  a  house  on  the  E.  L. 
Hargis  place.  (My  brothers  and  I  were  renting  land 
from  him  at  the  time.)  The  first  five  years  of  our 
marriage  we  lived  in  that  house  in  the  summer  and 
moved  over  east  of  Lamont  to  the  Tom  Conlon  ranch, 
which  was  owned  by  Floyd  Stohl,  and  spent  the  winter 
there.  It  was  1/4  mile  from  the  ranch  house  to  the 
main  road,  which  made  it  much  easier  to  get  out  in 
the  wintertime. 


Over  a  period  of  about  20  years  Betty  and  I 
had  seven  children  bom  to  us  (Susan,  Leslie,  Wyatt, 
Monte,  Janalee,  Darren,  &  Janean).  Needless  to  say, 
it  was  a  lot  of  hard  work  and  sacrifice  to  see  that  they 
were  fed,  clothed  and  got  at  least  a  high  school 
education,  but  on  the  other  hand  we  received  much 
joy  from  our  family. 

From  the  year  1955  to  1966  we  moved  with 
our  family  to  Ashton  each  winter  &  lived  in  Betty's 
fblk,s  basement  apartment. 

In  the  year  1967  we  got  a  chance  to  buy  our 
first  home.  Mrs.  Ida  Hawkes  had  decided  to  sell  her 
home  at  Famum.  We  bought  her  home  and  about  6 
acres  of  land  with  other  buildings  on  it.  We 
remodeled  the  house  and  moved  in  that  same  year. 
We  finally  had  a  place  where  we  could  live  the  year 
around. 

In  1975  after  farming  for  forty-three  years, 
our  farming  in  the  Lamont  area  ended.  Upon  the 
death  of  Dr.  E.  L.  Hargis  the  estate  assumed 
possession  of  the  land  we  were  renting.  Later  we 
purchased  the  acreage  around  our  home  from  Mrs. 
Hawkes  in  the  Famum  area.  Along  with  a  small  cattie 
herd  and  a  small  trucking  operation,  we  have 
continued  our  living. 

There  will  always  be  special  memories  and 
thankfulness  for  those  generations  of  hard  working 
ancestors  who  pioneered  and  homesteaded  in  the  areas 
that  we  have  lived  in. 

We  have  truly  enjoyed  the  past  23  years  living 
in  the  Farnum  area  with  good  neighbors  and  good 
country  living. 

Mark's  brothers  and  sisters  and  spouses: 
Thelma      md  Alfred  Wilson,  3  children 

Gene  md  Betty  French,  2  children 

Spencer     md  Carol  Miller,  3  children 

Sylvia         md  Frank  Erickson  (divDrced)     4  children. 

md  Earl  Clark 
Following  is  a  list  of  early  people  living  on  the  north 
side  of  Conant  Creek  that  were  neighbors  to  the 
Albertson  family:  Sam  &  Laura  Orme  and  children 
Alvin,  Ila,  Beth,  Milton,  &  Sarah  Marie;  Charles  & 
Mae  Hulse  and  son  Clyde;  George  Bell;  Joe,  Tom,  & 
Bill  Brown;  Jim  Jessen;  Claude  Waters;  George 
Johnston;  Jim  Allen  and  son  Earnest  Allen;  Ed  Payne; 
Dick  &  Muriel  Waddell  and  daughters,  Beth,  Barbara, 
Margaret,  &  Jeane;  Dan  and  Kate  (Jones)  Thomas; 
Kate  Thomas  (Lamont);  Bryant  &  Jaunita  Butier;  Don 
&  Shirley  Buder;  Wayne  &  Sylvia  Ingstrom  Butler; 
Jerry  Buder  (Mrs.  Glan  Sharp);  Leone  Butler  (Mrs. 
Oren  Martindale).  On  the  south  side  of  Conant 
Creek:  Lee  Gallagher;  Roland  &  Florence  Cobum  and 
children,  Howard  Clark,  Louise  and  Ruth  Coburn; 
Tom  Conlin;  Pat  Bailey;  Nellie  Snowberger  and  son, 
Donald  &  his  dog  Spike;  Nick  &  Pete  DePriest;  Philip 
Lerwill;  Paul  &  Don  Niendorf;  &  Harry  &  Elaine 
(Hill)  French,  &  their  children,  Mae,  Doug,  & 
Charlotte. 


132 


EPHRIAM  MARKING  DAVIDSON 


Hannah  Amelia  and  Ephriam  M.  Davidson 

Ephriam  Marning  Davidson,  seventh  child 
and  fourth  son  of  Hans  Christian  Davidson  and  Anna 
Maria  Jensen,  was  bom  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1866  in 
Mt.  Pleasant,  Sanpete  County,  Utah.  His  twin  sister, 
Sarah,  was  bom  minutes  after  he  was. 

He  spent  his  younger  years  in  Mt.  Pleasant, 
and  as  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  hire  out,  started 
working  for  other  families,  spending  much  of  his  time 
herding  sheep.  He  was  always  a  hard  worker  and 
expected  everyone  else  to  be.  He  also  worked  in  the 
coal  mines  as  a  young  boy. 

He  loved  to  dance  the  "two-step"  and  was  a 
practical  joker.  He  loved  to  do  card  tricks,  especially  to 
amuse  little  children. 

While  still  a  young  man,  he  went  to  Nevada 
and  worked  at  various  jobs  around  the  gold  mines. 
One  day  he  found  a  piece  of  gold  which  became  a  very 
cherished  possession  and  an  object  of  much 
conversation.  He  later  ran  a  water  wagon,  hauling 
water  to  families  who  neither  had  wells  or  access  to 
any  water. 

One  day  when  he  was  a  small  boy,  he  was  in 
Salt  Lake  City.  He  was  walking  down  the  street  when 
a  stranger  asked  him  to  run  an  errand.  Ephriam  did 
and  on  his  return  the  stranger  introduced  himself  as 
Brigham  Young  and  gave  him  a  penny.  Ephriam  kept 
the  penny  all  his  life  and  it  has  been  passed  on  to  his 
great-grandson,  Lowell  J.  Parkinson  of  Rexburg, 
Idaho. 

Ephriam  returned  to  Mt.  Pleasant  and  started 
to  work  at  a  sawmill.  There  he  met  Hannah  Amelia 
Hjort.  She  also  worked  there,  making  shingles. 
Ephriam  "called"  on  Hannah  for  a  short  time  and 
they  were  married  in  the  Manri  Temple  on  12  July 
1888. 

Hannah  was  the  daughter  of  William  Laurist 
Hjort  and  Matenia  Nielsen.    She  was  born  on  30 


133 


January  1870  in  Millville,  Cache  County,  Utah.  Her 
parents  were  bom  in  Dermiark  and  were  early  converts 
who  crossed  the  plains  with  the  Mormon  pioneers. 

Ephriam  and  his  young  bride  moved  to 
Fairview,  Utah  where  their  first  two  children  were 
bom:  Hannah  Arzctta  on  15  April  1889  and  Matenia 
Lowana  (Mattie)  on  12  March  1891. 

In  1892-93  Ephriam  moved  his  family,to 
Twin  Groves,  Idaho,  a  short  distance  northeast  of  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho.  While  living  there,  their  last  four 
children  were  bom:  Hans  William  (Bill)  on  19  April 
1893;  Ephriam  Harland  (Harl  or  Harley)  on  30 
October  1894;  Agatha  Clayana  on  12  December  1896 
and  Lorenzo  Guy  on  16  July  1898. 

In  1897  he  purchased  three  hundred  twenty 
and  three  fourths  acres  of  Desert  Lands  in  the 
Drummond  area. 

On  20  Oaobcr  1898,  Hannah  Amelia  died  of 
tuberculosis.  She  was  also  buried  in  the  Wilford 
Cemetery. 

Hannah's  parents  took  the  baby,  Lorenzo 
Guy  to  raise.  Ephriam  and  his  children  continued  to 
operate  the  farm  for  a  few  years  but  due  to  arthritis 
and  other  health  problems,  he  could  no  longer 
operate  the  farm,  so  he  rented  it  out  to  a  neighbor 
and  moved  his  family  back  to  Mt.  Pleasant.  He  spent 
the  next  several  years  working  for  other  people  and 
most  of  the  time  was  spent  herding  sheep.  As  a  result, 
he  left  his  family  alone  for  months  at  a  time.  During 
this  time,  he  acquired  several  sheep  of  his  own  as  well 
as  other  livestock  and  his  two  oldest  boys  spent  nearly 
all  of  their  time  taking  care  of  them. 

In  1912  he  sold  his  property  in  Twin  Groves 
and  Drummond  and  bought  another  farm  northeast 
of  Rupert,  Idaho.  He  moved  his  family  there  and  they 
took  with  them  fiimiture,  machinery,  sheep,  cows,  and 
many  other  items.  It  took  five  train  cars  to  move  all 
their  possessions  to  Rupert. 

Many  people  told  Ephriam  that  he  looked  like 
Teddy  Roosevelt  and  it  pleased  him  very  much.  He 
enjoyed  outdoor  sports  and  was  considered  a  very 
good  athlete  in  his  younger  days.  Ephriam  was  also  a 
good  boxer  and  had  boxed  in  Nevada.  He  gave  his 
boys  boxing  gloves  when  they  were  small. 

Ephriam  was  a  Sunday  School  Superintendent 
and  was  very  acrive  in  church,  however,  he  became 
inacrive  when  Harlan  came  back  from  the  war  and 
never  became  active  again. 

Along  with  the  farm  that  he  owned,  Ephriam 
also  homesteaded  some  land  and  expanded  his  sheep 
opcrarion.  He  owned  as  many  as  5000  sheep  and 
became  very  well-to-do.  He  was  very  capable  in 
handling  his  business  interests.  World  War  I  had 
started  and  wool  was  bringing  a  very  good  price. 

About  this  time  Ephriam  met  and  a  short 
time  later  married  Emeretta  Anderson  Olson  of 
Hyrum,  Utah.  She  had  two  daughters  from  her  first 
marriage.  They  were  named  Violet  and  Vivian. 

Ephriam  continued  to  do  very  well  in  the 
sheep  business  but  he  would  not  share  his  business 


interests  with  his  sons  or  anyone  else.  His  boys 
worked  for  him  but  understood  none  of  the  business 
transactions. 

World  War  I  ended  and  due  to  imports  of 
wool  from  Australia,  the  sheep  business  declined  very 
rapidly. 

One  day  during  this  time,  Ephriam  got  his 
arm  severely  mangled  in  a  hay  chopper  and  was 
hospitalized  in  Salt  Lake  City  for  an  extended  period 
of  time. 

He  lost  most  of  his  holdings  while  he  was  in 
the  hospital  and  his  wife  left  him  and  in  the  divorce 
proceedings  took  everything  else  he  had  left. 

Ephriam's  youngest  son,  Guy,  had  moved 
back  with  the  family  so  the  two  of  them  went  to 
Montana  and  worked  for  farmers  putting  up  hay  and 
herding  sheep. 

Ephriam  then  bought  a  small  farm  in 
Mountain  Home,  Idaho  and  he  farmed  it  for  a  few 
years,  but  because  of  failing  health,  he  moved  back  to 
Rupert  where  his  son,  Harley,  built  him  a  small  home 
on  Harley's  property.  He  lived  there  until  he  had  to 
be  moved  to  a  nursing  home. 

His  oldest  daughter,  Hannah  Arzctta 
Davidson  Parkinson,  came  to  Rupert  and  moved 
Ephriam  back  to  her  home  in  Rcxburg,  Idaho.  She 
took  care  of  him  until  his  death  on  24  May  1942. 

He  was  buried  on  27  May  1942  in  the 
Wilford  Cemetery  beside  his  first  wife,  Hannah 
Amelia,  and  their  daughter,  Agatha  Cleyaim. 

HANNAH  AMELIA  HJORT  DAVIDSON 

Amelia,  was  born  30  January  1870  at 
Millville,  Cache,  Utah.  She  was  the  second  child  and 
first  daughter  of  eleven  children  bom  to  William  Louis 
Hjort  and  Matena  Hansen  Nielsen.  When  she  was 
two  years  of  age,  her  parents  moved  to  Fairview, 
Sanpete,  Utah  where  Amelia  spent  her  childhood  and 
received  her  education. 

Amelia  was  an  obedient  child  and  she  enjoyed 
helping  her  mother  with  the  younger  children  and  also 
liked  helping  her  father  herd  his  two  bands  of  sheep 
on  her  Grandfather  Hjorth's  ranch  north  of  Fairview 
in  the  Indianola  Canyon. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  Amelia  secured 
employment  at  a  local  sawmill  where  she  cut  thin 
strips  of  wood  and  made  them  into  shingles  to  be  used 
on  rooftops.  While  working  at  the  mill,  she  met  and 
later  fell  in  love  with  a  young  man  from  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Utah  who  was  also  working  at  the  mill.  His  name  was 
Ephriam  Maming  Davidson.  Amelia  and  Eph  were 
married  on  the  12th  of  July  1888  in  the  Latter-Day 
Saint  Temple  at  Manti,  Utah.  They  made  their  first 
home  with  Amelia's  grandfather  and  grandmother 
Hjorth  who  were  living  in  a  rock  home  located  along 
Main  Street  in  Fairview,  Utah. 

While  living  with  her  grandparents,  Amelia 
gave  birth  to  her  and  Eph's  first  child,  a  daughter, 
Hanna  Arzctta,  bom  on  April  15,1889. 


Times  were  very  hard  in  Sanpete  Valley  and 
Amelia  and  Eph  made  a  decision  to  move  north  to 
Idaho  in  the  Spring  of  1892. 

Before  they  moved,  another  child  "Mattie 
blessed  their  home,the  March  12, 1891. 

Upon  arriving  at  Twin  Groves,  Fremont, 
Idaho,  Eph  and  Amelia  purchased  160  acres,  of  virgin 
soil  in  the  Drummond  area.  They  lived  on  the  dry 
form  in  the  summer  and  at  Twin  Groves  in  the  winter. 
Ephriam  was  able  to  produce  bcautifiil  bumper  crops 
of  hay,  grain,  and  sheep. 

Four  more  children  were  born  to  Eph  and 
Amelia  while  they  were  living  at  Twin  Groves,  Idaho. 
Hans  William  Davidson,  bom  19  April  1893;  Ephriam 
Harland  Davidson,  born  30  October  1894;  Agatha 
Cleyann  Davidson,  bom  12  December  1896  and  died 
1  July  1897;  Lorenzo  Guy  Davidson,  bom  16  July 
1898. 

Amelia  was  a  deeply  religious  woman  who 
involved  herself  in  activities  of  the  L.  D.  S.  Church 
and  who  instilled  faith  in  her  children.  Amelia,  like 
her  brothers,  Hyrum,  Charles,  and  George,  was  tall  in 
stature.  She  was  soft  spoken  and  feminine  in  her 
mannerism.  She  was  a  striking  woman  with  greenish- 
blue  eyes  that  enhanced  her  radiant  bright  red  hair. 
She  possessed  a  dear,  peaches  and  cream  complexion. 
She  was  an  accomplished  cook  and  seamstress,  who 
took  great  pride  in  making  fine  clothes  for  her 
husband  and  five  children. 

Amelia,  at  the  tender  age  of  twenty-six, 
contracted  tuberculosis  and  suffered  from  the  dreaded 
disease  for  two  years. 

In  her  twenty-eighth  year,  she  passed  away  on 
October  20,  1898.  She  was  hurried  in  the  Wilford 
Cemetery. 

WILLIAM  ALLEN  DEDMAN 

and 
EDNA  MIRIAM  SPRAGUE 

History  of  the  Dcdman  Family 


134 


Edna  Miriam  and  William  A.  Dcdman 

Claude  Neal  Dedman  was  bom  Feb.  6,  1875, 
son  of  William  Anderson  and  Lou  Thomas  Neal 
Dedman.    He  married  Clara  Elizabeth  Marlow  Feb., 


William  A.,  Ncal,  Keith,  Bill,  JoAnn,  Mihain  Dcdnum 

1895.  They  had  3  children:  Claude  Louis,  bom  Nov. 
1895  and  William  Allen,  bom  Feb.  1898,  and  Helen 
Ruth  bom  Nov.  1901. 

They  were  living  in  Illinois  at  this  time. 
Elizabeth  died  in  1902.  After  her  death  Claude 
married  her  cousin,  Viola  Elizabeth  Mannering.  They 
moved  to  Idaho  and  started  homesteading.  They  had 
a  son,  Neal  Frederick  in  1908.  Riley  Anderson  was 
bom  to  them  in  1911  and  Mary  Lou  in  1917. 

Claude  was  well  to  do  at  one  time,  owning  a 
lot  of  land  around  Drummond.  He  had  bad  crops 
which  caused  him  to  lose  part  of  his  land. 

His  son.  Bill,  married  Edna  Miriam  Sprague, 
daughter  of  Edwin  Elmer  and  Edna  Miriam  Lc  Baron 
Sprague  in  1922.  They  worked  for  Claude  in  the 
Drummond  area  where  he  was  homesteading.  A  son, 
Bill  Jr.,  was  bom  in  1923  on  the  Jim  Lupton  place 
south  of  Drummond. 

They  gave  up  farming  and  moved  to  Salt 
Lake.  Keith  was  bom  there  in  1924.  Bill  Sr.  worked 
as  a  laborer  for  Garfield  smelter  at  Kennecott.  Bill  lost 
his  job  in  1929.  Bill  and  Miriam  had  bought  a  car  and 
a  home  in  Salt  Lake.  They  lost  their  home  and  moved 
to  California.  They  worked  picking  oranges  for  a 
while  in  Lindsay,  California. 

In  1931  Bill  Sr.  worked  in  Las  Vegas  on  the 
Boulder  Dam  and  the  buildings  there.  The  name  of 
the  dam  was  later  changed  to  Hoover  Dam.  JoAnn 
was  bom  in  Las  Vegas  in  1931.  After  the  dam  was 
finished  in  1934  they  move  back  to  Idaho  for  a  short 
time.  Bill  and  Keith  were  in  the  fourth  grade  and  had 
Dorothy  Rogstead,  who  was  later  Dorothy  Baum,  as  a 
teacher.  Bill  Sr.  worked  on  the  section  in  the  summer. 
When  he  was  laid  off  they  went  back  to  Nevada. 

He  and  Carlyle,  Miriam's  brother  worked  in 
Mina,  Nevada  in  a  gold  mine.  They  each  rented  a 
house  and  they  lived  dose  by  one  another.  The  mine 
superintendent  took  the  money  for  operating  the 
mine,  so  Bill  was  out  of  work  again.  They  moved 
back  to  Utah  and  then  to  Yearington,  Nevada  in 
1935. 

They  moved  to  Sparks,  Nevada  in  1936  where 
Bill  worked  as  a  hod  carrier.  Miriam's  father  Edwin 
Sprague,  died  in  i^ril  1939. 


Bill's  eyes  were  bad  and  his  father  wanted 
them  to  come  back  to  Idaho  to  farm.  So  they  moved 
to  Drummond  in  1940.  Claude's  health  was  bad  as 
he  had  diabetes.  He  had  not  been  successful  farming. 
Miriam's  health  wasn't  very  good  either. 

Bill  and  Miriam  got  a  loan  and  bought  the 
farm.  They  were  farming  with  horses  when  they 
started.  They  worked  very  hard.  Miriam  raised  a  big 
garden  and  Bill  milked  cows. 

They  bought  a  home  in  Drummond  and 
continued  to  farm  with  the  help  of  their  second  son, 
Keith.  They  later  put  the  farm  into  the  government 
soil  bank  program  for  ten  years.  Then  their  son-in- 
law,  Gene  Dickason,  rented  their  land  for  a  few  years. 
It  was  later  sold  to  Bob  Parkinson. 

They  lived  in  their  home  at  Drummond 
until  Miriam's  death  in  1965.  Their  home  later 
burned. 

After  her  death,  Bill  moved  to  Reno,  Nevada 
where  he  married  Agnes,  his  second  wife.  They  were 
married  four  years  before  she  died. 

He  returned  to  Idaho  where  he  met  Zella 
Mains.  He  married  her  and  they  were  married  four 
years  when  he  died  in  St.  Anthony  in  1978. 

The  surviving  children  are:  Bill,  married  to 
Angeline,  living  at  Salt  Lake  (Sandy,  Utah).  Keith, 
married  to  Geneva,  living  at  Chester,  Idaho.  JoAnn, 
married  to  Gene  Dickason,  living  at  Ashton,  Idaho, 
and  Neal,  married  to  Barbara,  living  at  Wilford,  Idaho. 

CHILDREN  OF  CLAUDE  NEAL  &  CLARA 
ELLZABETH  MARLOW  DEDMAN 


135 


Claude  and  Clara  Elizabeth  Dcdxnan 

(1)  Claude  Louis  b- 1895 

md-  Alma  Anderson 

(2)  WiUiam  Allen  b-  1898  d-  1978 

md-  Edna  Miriam  Sprague 

(3)  Helen  Ruth  b-  1901 

md-  George  Daniel  Lunn 


CHILDREN  OF  CLAUDE  NEAL  &  VIOLA 
ELIZABETH  MANNERING  DEDMAN 


Viola  &  Claude  Dcdman 


(1)  Bcssc  b-  1905 

md-  Kenneth  Shores 

(2)  Neal  Fredrick  b-  1908 
md-  Elizabeth  Campbell 


(3)  Riley  Anderson           b- 1911 

md-  Bcs,sie  Nettles 

(4)  Edna                           b-  1913 

d-  1916 

(5)  Frank                          b-  1915 

d-  1915 

(6)  Mary  Lou                  b-  1917 

md-  Joseph  Shelton 

VICTOR  HUGO  DICKASON 

and 

ALTA  RUTH  SELLERS 


History  of  the  Dickason  Family 
Victor  Hugo  Dickason  was  born  June  2, 
1899,  at  Cambridge,  Coulcy  C,  Kansas,  son  of  James 
Howard  Dickason  and  Tabitha  Elizabeth  Williams. 
They  lived  in  the  state  of  Kansas  until  1905.  Two 
other  children  bom  to  James  and  Tabitha  in  Kansas 
were  Harold  M.  Dickason,  Dec.  12,  1893,  and 
Walter  J.  Dickason,  Oct.  7,  1896. 

In  1905  they  moved  to  Snowhomish,  Wn. 
where  James  worked  in  the  sawmill  and  logging. 

In  1915  they  moved  to  Squirrel,  Idaho, 
where  James  and  Vic  and  Walter  worked  for  wages  for 
Art  Campbell.  In  the  following  years  they  started 
renting  land  which  was  the  Cunningham  place  and 
part  of  the  Fbgg  ranch.  Vic  and  Walt  rented  land  for 
quite  a  few  years.  They  were  among  the  first  to  start 
raising  seed  potatoes  at  Grainville. 


Victor  and  Alta  Sclkre  Dickason 


b.r.  Viaor,  Harold,  Walter,  Glenn,  James,  Tabitha,  LuJa  Dickason 


136 


In  1927  Vic  married  Alta  Ruth  Seller, 
daughter  of  Oscar  and  Clara  Sellers,  of  Squirrel, 
Idaho.  In  1928  they  had  a  son  bom  to  them,  Gene. 
Vic  and  Walt  farmed  together.  .  Vic  lived  year-around 
in  Idaho  and  Walt  went  to  Washington  in  the  winter 
and  cooked  in  the  logging  camp  cook  houses. 
Harold  and  Glenn  moved  to  Washington  to  live. 

James,  their  father,  died  in  1937. 

Vic  &  Alta  and  Gene  lived  at  what  was  called 
the  "Johnson"  place  -  between  Drummond  and 
Squirrel  Creek.  Gene  went  to  school  at  Drummond 
for  8  years.  He  then  went  to  Ashton  &  Idaho  Falls 
high  schools. 

Walt  died  November,  1951. 

In  1952  Gene  married  JoAnn  Dedman, 
daughter  of  Wm.  A.  and  Miriam  Dedman  of 
Drummond. 

Gene  &  JoAnn  farmed  with  Vic  and  Alta  at 

Squirrel  and  Drummond.    They  bought  the  Del 

Jessen  farm  at  Squirrel  in  1942.  Also  they  bought  the 

George    Thorsted    and    Max    Franz    places    at 

Drummond. 

Gene  and  JoAnn  had  2  daughters,  Barbara 

Ann,  bom  Aug.  16,  1954  and  Janet  Ruth,  bom  June 

15, 1959. 

Alta  died  Nov.  11,  1975.  Vic  married 
Thelma  Peterson  of  Tucson,  Arizona  in  1979.  They 
lived  in  Ashton  until  Vic's  death  in  1986.  Thelma  still 
resides  in  Ashton. 

In  1982  Barbara  married  Wendell  D.  Gaston. 
They  are  helping  with  the  farming  and  live  on  the 
farm.  Gene  and  JoAnn's  other  daughter,  Janet, 
married  Wayne  Ingram  in  1979.  They  live  in 
Pocatello  where  Wayne  works  for  the  Idaho  State 
Journal. 

Barbara  and  Wendell  have  3  children:  Jacob, 
Kimberly  and  Molly.  Janet  and  Wayne  have  2  boys, 
Matthew  and  Cody. 

In  1952  Gene  and  JoAnn  moved  to  Ashton 
where  they  live  now. 


JoAnn  Dcdnun  and  Gene  Dickason 


137 


ARSON  O.  DIMICK 

and 

VIVIAN  GRACE  MILLER 

Arson  Dimick  the  son  of  Ephriam  and  Lilly 
Needs  Dimick,  was  born  April  27,  1882,  at 
Payson,Utah  County,  Utsih.  He  married  Vivian  Grace 
Miller.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Christian  Miller  and 
Martha  E.  Stakcr.  She  was  born  June  16,  1883  at 
Mount  Pleasant,  San  Pete  County,  Utah. 

They  were  from  Utopia,  Carbon  County, 
Utah  to  The  Farnum  area  sometime  between  1908 
and  1910.  There  son  Orlando  Ephriam  bom  July  19, 
1908  in  Utopia,  San  Pete  County,  Utah  and  their 
daughter  Grace  Evelyn  born  4  June,  1910,  Farnum 
Fremont,  Idaho. 

There  oldest  son  Vemon  was  bom  March  17, 
1906  at  Sunnyside,  Carbon  County,  Utah.  There  4th 
child,  Roy  Howard  was  born  October  11,  1912,  at 
Farnum,  Fremont  County,  Idaho. 
Sources: 

(1)  (007-445)  Famum  Ward  Records. 

(2)  1910  Census  Upland  Prednct. 

RICHARD  LEE  ENDICOTT 

and 

HILDA  WARSANY 

Richard  Lee  Endicott  came  from  Boise  in 
1929.  His  sister,  Mayme  Lunsford,  a  widow  came 
with  her  brothers  to  Squirrel.  She  married  John 
Larson  from  Nebraska. 

Richard  married  Hilda  Warsany.  They  then 
purchased  part  of  the  Highland  Ranch  and  farmed  for 
years.  They  still  live  in  their  farm  home. 

GEORGE  A-  FERNEY 

and 

LILLIAN  E.  GULLIFORD 

and 

BERNIECE  FLORENCE  KIMMEY 

George  A.  Femcy  wa^  bom  August  17,  1871, 
in  Independence,  Buchanan,  Iowa,  the  youngest  child 
of  Peter  Francis  Femey  and  Katherine  Anna  O'Brien. 
He  had  the  following  brothers:  Frank  Peter  who 
married  Luella  Downing  (they  had  7  children:  Mable 
Moore,  Ester  Snyder,  Edna  Sherwood,  Mae  Fahey, 
Florence  Jones,  Francis  Smith,  &  Raymond  Femcy),  a 
brother,  James  Femey,  and  a  sister  Catherine  Odiome, 
also  three  other  brothers  or  sisters,  making  a  total  of  7 
children  for  Peter  Francis  and  Katherine  Anna  O'Brien 
Ferney.  Peter  Francis  was  born  1832  in  France, 
immigrating  to  Iowa  in  the  1850's.  He  died  in  1895. 
Katherine  Anna  was  born  in  1831  in  England  and 
immigrated  to  Iowa.  She  passed  away  in  1897. 

George  A.  married  Lillian  E.  Gulliford  April 
27,  1896.  They  moved  from  Correctionville,  Iowa,  to 
St.  Anthony  in  1901.  He  purchased  land  and  farmed 
for  three  years  in  the  area.    He  was  also  in  the  real 


estate  business.  In  1907,  he  obtained  the  first  local 
car  dealership  (Studebaker),  in  St.  Anthony,  selling 
automobiles,  wagons,  etc.  She  passed  away  April  13, 
1908. 

He  married  Bemiece  Florence  Kimmcy,  after 
Lillian's  death,  on  August  17,  1912.  They  had  three 
children,  Ruth,  Barbara,  and  Richard  Kimmey  Femey. 
In  the  early  1920's  George  owned  the  store  at 
Lamont  and  a  ranch  near  Lamont.  All  the  brothers 
lived  there  for  some  time.  The  store  burned  down  in 
the  late  20's  or  early  30's.  Berniece  passed  away 
December  13,  1941,  and  George  A.,  on  August  17, 
1947. 

George  A.'s  fraternal  relations  are  represented 
by  his  membership  in  the  Masonic  order  and  the 
Modem  Woodmen  of  America,  both  of  St.  Anthony, 
and  the  Copus  and  Commerical  dubs. 

George  A.  and  Lillian  Femey  had  5  children: 
Merlin  George,  Clifford  Lynn,  Lyle  Carl,  Lcland 
Henry,  &  Lillian  Opal.  Lillian  married  Jess  Wort  who 
built  the  Wort  Hotel  in  Jackson,  Wyoming. 

Merlin,  bom  Sept.  26,  1898,  married  Lcona 
Atkinson,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Hymm  and  Mary 
Jane  Hales  Atkinson.  They  lived  on  the  ranch  at 
Lamont. 

Merlin  and  Leona  Femey  had  two  sons,  Dean 
Merlin,  and  Gail  David.  Gail  now  lives  at  Ft.  Collins, 
Colorado  and  owns  a  satellite  dealership. 

Dean  married  Jackie  Glover  in  1948  and  lived 
in  Ashton  for  about  two  years.  Then  moved  to 
Denver  for  another  two  years  and  were  happy  to  come 
back  to  Idaho  at  Blackfoot  to  work  at  the  AEC  site  for 
5  years.  They  then  bought  the  Credit  Bureau  in 
Rexburg,  Idaho  where  they  lived  up  to  1983.  They 
then  moved  to  Idaho  Falls.  They  have  two  boys  and 
one  daughter,  Curtis,  Brad,  and  Kris.  The  two  boys 
still  live  in  Rexburg  area  and  Kris  hves  in  Hailey, 
Idaho. 

Written  By  -  Dean  Femey 

GEORGE  A.  &  LILLIAN 
&  BERNIECE  FERNEY 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Merlin  George  b-  1898  d-  1948 

md-  Lcona  Atkinson 

2)  Clifford  Lynn  b-  1899  d-  1971 

md-  Iva  Tess  Hackworth 

3)  Lyle  Carl  b-  1901 

md-  Ruth  Johanna  Nyborg 

4)  Leland  Henry  b-  1905 

md-  Hazel  Ludwick 

5)  liUian  Opal  b-  1907 

md-  Jesse  Laurel  Wort 

6)  Ruth  b-  1914  d-  1942 

md-  Howard  L.  Cook 

7)  Barbara  b-  1918 

md-  Samuel  F.  Hansen 

8)  Richard  Kimmey        b-  1920 

md-  Tullie  Mestayer 

MERLIN  G.  FERNEY 


George  A.  and  Lillian  Fcmcy 


138 


f.r.  Merlin,  Lillian,  Clifford,  b.r.  Lcland,  Lyic  Fcmcy 

The  hearts  of  the  people  of  Ashton  were 
saddened  last  Thursday,  November  11,  1948,  to  leam 
of  the  sudden  passing  of  Merlin  Femey. 

Mr.  Femey,  in  company  with  his  son.  Dean, 
and  three  friends  had  gone  out  in  the  Teton  river 
country  for  a  few  hours  of  hunting,  a  sport  which  he 
greatly  enjoyed.  He  had  been  out  only  a  short  time 
when  he  quiedy  slipped  through  the  Open  Door  into 
that  "temple  not  made  with  hands — the  etemal  in  the 
heavens." 

Merlin  Femey  was  bom  at  Correctionalville, 
Iowa,  the  son  of  George  and  Lillian  Femey.  While 
still  a  small  child  he  moved  with  is  parents  to  St. 
Anthony.  Here  he  attended  school  and  graduated 
from  high  school.  Later  he  attended  business  college 
in  Idaho  Falls. 

In  1924,  Mr.  Femey  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Lcona  Atkinson.  To  this  union  two  sons  were 
bom.  Dean  N.  and  Gail  D. 

For  many  years,  Mr.  Femey  was  a  successful 
farmer  in  the  France  section.  Because  of  failing 
health,  he  was  forced  to  retire  from  farming  and 
purchased  a  home  in  Ashton.    For  some  time  he  had 


been  a  valued  employee  at  the  Compton  Motor 
Company  and  the  Ashton  Motor  Company. 

Merlin  Ferncy  was  active  in  civic  affairs. 
Always  ready  to  help  a  good  cause.  He  was  also  active 
in  the  Masonic  lodge,  having  held  office  at  the  time  of 
his  passing.  He  was  not  a  member  of  any  church  but 
to  follow  the  Golden  Rule  in  all  his  transactions  was 
his  creed. 

Funeral  services  were  held  at  the  L.D.S. 
chapel  on  Saturday,  November  13,  with  Rev.  Vernon 
Taylor  of  the  Community  Methodist  Church  in 
charge.  Assisted  by  Bishop  Thomas  Murdoch.  A  trio 
composed  of  Mrs.  J.  H.  Van  Deuscn,  Mrs.  George 
Phillips  and  Mrs.  Vernon  Taylor  sang  "God  is  My 
Strong  Salvation." 

Impressive  graveside  services  were  conducted 
by  the  local  Masonic  Lodge.  Those  serving  as  pall 
bearers  were  Dr.  E.  L.  Hargjs,  H.  J.  HoUingsworth,  J. 
H.  Van  Deusen,  Carl  Herre  and  H.  S.  Stewart.  The 
members  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  acted  as  honorary  pall 
bearers. 

Burial  was  in  the  Pine  View  Cemetery  under 
the  direction  of  the  Kiser  funeral  home. 

Besides  his  wife  and  two  sons,  Merlin  Femey 
leaves  the  following  brothers  and  sisters:  Mrs.  Jess 
Wort,  Jackson,  Wyoming;  Mrs.  Barbara  Hanson, 
Pocatello;  Cliford  Femey,  Idaho  Falls;  Lyle  Femey, 
Boise;  Leland  Ferney,  Richland,  Washington;  and 
Richard  Femey  with  the  air  corps  in  Japan. 

Mr.  Femey  also  leaves  a  host  of  friends  who 
will  miss  his  happy  smile  and  genial  manner. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Ehno  b-  1913  Lamont,  Idaho 
md-  Grace  Pavkov 

(2)  Bertha  A.  b-  1915  Lamont,  Idaho 
md-  Carl  T.  Peterson 

(3)  Marty  Irean  b-  1916  Lamont,  Idaho 
md- 

(4)  Thomas  L.  b-  1918  Ogden,  Utah 
md-  Netty  B.  Andreozzi 

(5)  Horace  E.  b-  1920  Rupert,  Idaho 
md-  Betty 

2nd  Gen.  FRANCIS  FERRIN 

and 

SARAH  ELIZABETH  BLANCHARD 


Frands  and  Sarah  Elizabeth  B.  Fcrrin 


1st  Gen.  SAMUEL  FERRIN 

and 

ANNA  PLANT 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Annie  b- 1862  d- 1918 
md-  Daniel  Davis  Wade 

(2)  Samuel  b-  1864  d-  1934 
md-  Emily  Jane  Swift  Gould 

(3)  Adna  b-  1866  d-  1954 
md-  1  Sarah  Lillian  Swift 

2  Ada  Packer 

(4)  Jesse  b-  1868  d-  1941 
md-  Mary  Smith  Brown 

(5)  Francis  b-  1871  d-  1937 
md-  Sarah  E.  Blanchard 

(6)  Philip  b-  1864  d-  1958 

md-  Viola  Ann  Jones 

2nd  Gen.  JESSE  FERRIN 

and 
MARY  SMITH  BROWN 

Jesse  was  the  4th  child  of  Samuel  and  Anna 
Plant  Ferrin.  He  was  born  novembcr  19,  1868  at 
Eden,  Weber  County,  Utah.  He  married  Mary  Smith 
Brown  the  daughter  of  Thomas  Wallace  and  Mary 
Stracken  Brown,  January  1,  1912. 


139 


I  Sarah  Elizabeth  Blanchard  was  born 
September  3,  1870  in  Springville,  Utah  County,  Utah. 
The  5th  child  of  Emma  Bocock  and  4th  child  of  Alma 
Moroni  Blanchard.  At  1  1/2  years  old  I  had  typhoid 
fever.  My  mother  died  when  I  was  2  1/2  years  old 
and  grandmother  Blanchard  took  Byron,  13  months 
old  and  helped  father  and  the  older  children  in  our 
motherless  home.  When  I  was  nine  years  old  my 
father  married  again  and  my  half  brother  Frank  took 
my  sister  Madora  and  myself  and  we  stayed  there  until 
I  was  13,  when  my  sister  married  Charles  H. 
Hickenlooper  and  I  went  to  her  home  to  live. 

I  attended  the  district  school  in  Pleasant 
View.  My  brother  Frank  paid  the  tuition  as  well  as 
fumishing  clothes  and  some  for  food.  I  used  to  pick 
berries  in  the  summertime  to  help  with  my  expenses. 
I  helped  my  sister  with  her  growing  family  and  when  I 
was  older  helped  others  with  housework  in  Pleasant 
View  and  Ogden. 

When  I  was  twenty  one  years  old  I  married 
Francis  Ferrin  in  the  Logan  Temple,  the  18  May 
1892.  He  is  the  son  of  Samuel  Ferrin  and  Anna  Plant. 
Our  first  child  Zella  was  born  February  11,  1892. 
When  we  had  been  married  about  a  year,  Francis  went 
to  Willow  Creek,  Idaho  to  homestead.  He  cleared 
land  and  cut  trees  in  the  mountains  miles  away  for 
building.  He  built  a  log  house  30  x  15  foot.  When 
the  house  was  near  done  and  the  baby  was  old  enough 


■BORt) 


for  mc  to  take  her,  he  sent  for  us.  We  went  to  Idaho 
Falls  on  the  train  and  our  home  was  9  miles  North  of 
there.  We  had  to  haul  all  the  water  we  used  for 
washing  clothes,  dishes,  bathing,  cooking,  drinking, 
etc.  And  the  animals  had  to  be  driven  to  the  Canal 
twice  each  day  to  drink.  The  next  year  water  was 
brought  closer  to  our  home  and  we  had  a  garden, 
planted  fruit  trees  and  crops,  but  jack  rabbits  were  a 
real  pest  there  and  our  crops  did  not  amount  to  very 
much. 

Francis's  sister  Annie  and  her  husband  Daniel 
Wade  came  to  visit  us.  They  persuaded  us  to  nail  up 
the  windows  and  house  and  go  with  them  to  Sahnon 
City,  where  Francis  helped  put  up  hay  and  we  were 
able  to  get  along.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  I  went  to 
Utah  and  my  second  child,  Ralph  was  bom  November 
13,  1894,. 

After  crops  were  up  in  Salmon  City  and 
Francis  could  not  earn  more  there,  he  returned  to  our 
home  in  Willow  Creek  and  when  our  baby  was  about 
six  weeks  old  I  joined  him  on  our  homestead  again. 

We  had  made  arrangements  with  a  neighbor 
to  water  and  care  for  our  trees,  while  we  were  gone, 
but  on  our  return  we  found  that  another  neighbor 
had  dug  up  the  trees  and  planted  them  on  his  farm. 
We  continued  to  live  there  the  next  summer  and 
Francis  worked  for  neighbors. 

The  next  year  we  bought  a  small  farm  in 
Liberty,  Ogdcn  Valley.  My  third  child  Vera  was  bom 
there  April  25,  1898.  When  she  was  fourteen  months 
old  we  moved  to  Chester,  Idaho  and  rented  a  farm 
from  my  brother  Alma  Blanchard.  While  we  were 
living  there,  my  children  became  very  ill  and  my  two 
girls  died  the  same  night  of  membranous  croup  or 
diphtheria,  October  20,  1901.  Zrclla  was  eight  years 
and  Vera  was  three  years  old.  Ralph  was  also  very  ill 
but  with  a  change  of  doaors,  the  use  of  anti-toxins 
and  faith  he  recovered.  He  asked  us  to  pray  for  him. 
We  knelt  down  around  his  bed  and  prayed  for  his 
recovery  although  he  had  developed  death  rattles. 
Through  his  faith  and  ours  with  the  blessings  from  the 
Lord  his  life  was  spared.  The  two  little  girls  were 
buried  side  by  side  in  the  same  grave  in  the  Famum 
Cemetery,  the  second  burials  there. 

We  relinquished  our  homestead  to  the 
government  and  sold  our  improvements  to  a  neighbor 
in  Willow  Creek  and  filed  on  another  homestead  in 
Famum,  Fremont  County,  Idaho  near  Ashton.  Here 
we  were  real  pioneers  again,  hauling  water,  going  to 
mountains  for  logs  to  build  a  house,  traveling  always 
with  horses  and  wagons  and  buggies.  We  belonged  to 
a  branch  of  the  Marysville  Ward  with  Elder  Morrison 
presiding  at  Famum.  There  was  no  Bishop  for  several 
years.  We  helped  build  the  log  church  and 
amusement  house  and  we  all  lived  as  real  brothers  and 
sisters  in  the  little  branch.  We  were  almost  like  one 
big  family  sharing  each  others  joys  and  sorrows. 

My  fourth  child  Agatha  was  bom  in  Famum, 
Febmary  10,  1904.  (  Her  birth  was  assisted  by  Harriet 
Orr,  a  widow  from  South  Cotton  wood,  Utah  and  a 


140 


Doctor  of  Obstetrics,  who  had  homsteaded  and  lived 
in  Famum.)  This  new  lovely  baby  girl  helped  fill  the 
great  vacancy  in  our  home  through  the  loss  of  the 
other  gjrls. 

Life  moved  along  in  our  family  much  as  it 
does  on  other  ferms  with  growing  children.  Sewing 
most  of  our  clothes,  making  rugs  and  quilts,  butter 
and  cheese.  Doing  all  the  baking,  tending  chickens, 
helping  with  garden,  washing,  ironing,  etc.  We  soon 
had  water  near  our  house  in  the  summer  and  did  not 
have  to  haul  it  in  wagons  as  earlier,  but  it  still  had  to 
be  carried  to  the  house  in  buckets  from  a  trough.  We 
had  to  clean  and  fill  lamps  as  we  had  no  modern 
means  of  lighting.  Wood  had  to  be  carried  in  and 
ashes  out,  and  I  raised  orphan  lambs. 

Our  youngest  child  Alder  was  bom  January 
26,  1906.  In  1907  my  niece  Delia  Hickenlooper 
came  to  visit  me  and  we  took  a  trip  to  Yellowstone 
Park.  We  traveled  in  a  white  top  Ludlow  Wagon  and 
enjoyed  camp  fires,  beautiful  mountains,  canyons, 
geysers,  water  falls,  towering  trees,  shmbs  and  flowers 
were  all  appreciated.  We  also  saw  wild  animals  and 
birds,  beaver,  bear,  deer,  eagles  pelicans,  buffalo, 
skunks  and  moose.  We  also  visited  relatives,  in 
Jackson,  Wyoming  and  Victor,  Idaho.  We  retumed 
home  after  an  absence  of  five  weeks. 

In  the  spring  of  1910  Francis  started  with  a 
bad  case  of  blood  poisoning  which  almost  took  his 
life.  We  had  to  take  him  to  Ogden  for  treatment.  He 
was  sick  all  summer  and  was  still  not  able  to  work  in 
the  harvest  very  much.  This  illness  broke  his 
constitution  and  weakened  his  heart. 

In  1916  we  traded  our  homestead  and  a 
home  in  Lillian,  on  200  acres  in  Price,  Carbon 
County,  Utah.  We  plowed,  harrowed  and  worked 
hard  and  started  to  build  another  home. 

In  September  1837yAlder,  Francis  and  myself 
took  a  trip  by  automobile  through  Utah,  Idaho  and 
into  Jackson,  Wyoming,  to  visit  family.  Francis  died 
there  of  a  heart  attack  on  September  23,  1937,  and 
was  buried  in  Famum,  Idaho  by  the  side  of  our  two 
daughters  and  my  father. 

I  became  ill  in  June  1947,  later  discovering  it 
was  cancer.  My  daughter  and  I  returned  to  her  home 
by  plane  in  September  where  I  became  critically  ill. 

By:  Sarah  E.  Blanchard  Ferrin 

Footnote:  Mother  stayed  with  me  until  she 
passed  away  at  10:00  P.M.,  December  24,  1947. 
Funeral  was  held  in  Phoenix  December  28,  1947. 
Because  of  so  much  snow  and  bad  roads  to  the 
Farnum  Cemetery,  Idaho,  internment  wasn't  until 
May  10,  1948. 

By:  Agatha  Ferrin  Forbes 

Mrs.  Ferrin  Laid  to  Rest  at  Famum 

Farnum-  Mrs.  Sarah  Blanchard  Ferrin  who 
passed  away  at  Christmas  time  at  Mesa,  Ariz.,  came 
home  to  stay  May  10  when  her  son  and  daughter. 


Alder  and  Agatha  Fcrrin,  laid  her  to  rest  beside  her 
husband  and  two  children  in  the  Famum  cemetery. 

Forty  odd  years  ago  she  and  her  husband, 
Francis  Ferrin,  came  from  Ogden,  Utah,  to 
homestead  in  the  Farnum  area  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  Francis  Bratt.  Two  of  her  five  children 
succumbed  to  diphtheria  soon  after  they  settled  in 
Farnum.  Shortly  before  World  War  I  she  and  her 
husband  and  remaining  children  moved  away.  In 
1937  she  and  her  husband  were  enroute  to  Farnum 
for  a  visit  when  Mr.  Ferrin  passed  away. 

Ashton  Herald.  27  May  1948 

FERRIN  HOMESTEAD 

The  log  cabin  was  built  in  the  summer  and 
fell  of  1903,  by  my  father,  Francis  Ferrin.  This  was 
near,  what  was  then,  Famum,  Idaho.  Famum  is  no 
longer  there.  Ashton  was  about  seven  miles  away. 
Sarah  Agatha  was  bom  in  this  home  Febmary  10, 
1904.  My  brother,  Alder  Harold  was  born  here 
January  26,  1906. 

This  cabin  was  on  a  640  acre  homestead.  My 
parents  and  older  brother,  Ralph  Francis,  lived  in  a 
tent  until  the  house  was  finished  enough  to  move 
into.  They  probably  moved  into  the  house  in 
October  or  November  1903,  for  my  mother  said  the 
cold  wind  was  blowing  snow  a  month  or  more  while 
they  were  still  in  the  tent. 

At  first  there  was  only  one  room,  about 
twelve  feet  by  twenty-four  feet.  It  was  very  hard  to 
keep  it  warm  with  just  a  small  cooking  stove  for  heat. 
Later,  the  room  was  divided  into  two  rooms.  The 
bedroom  was  about  ten  feet  by  twelve  feet.  The 
other  room  v^^as  the  kitchen,  dining  room  and  living 
room. 

After  the  logs  where  placed  upon  each  other, 
the  spaces  between  were  chinked  with  mud  both 
inside  an  outside  which  made  the  surface  almost  level, 
and  warm  within.  The  roof  was  made  of  dirt  and  this 
is  the  way  Harold  says  it  was  built.  Small  round  poles 
were  used  for  rafters,  willows  were  laid  across  the 
rafters  and  straw  in  abundance  on  top  of  that,  then  a 
lot  of  dirt  was  thrown  on  top  of  the  straw.  A  weather 
board  was  put  around  the  eaves  to  keep  the  dirt  from 
washing  off.  As  time  passed,  the  dirt  would  dry  and 
crack  and  when  the  rains  came  it  would  leak.  Harold 
and  I  remember  many  places  leaking,  with  pans, 
buckets  and  other  utensils  on  the  floor  to  catch  the 
drips. 

The  roof  was  put  on  many  years  after  we  sold 
the  property.  There  was  nothing  of  that  kind  to  use  at 
the  time  our  house  was  built. 

This  house  was,  at  first,  built  on  the  north 
end  of  the  homestead,  because  it  was  thought  the 
county  road  would  go  through  that  way,  however, 
the  road  finally  was  put  through  a  mile  to  the  south, 
or  other  end  of  the  property.  My  father,  with  the 
help  of  many  neighbors  and  their  horses,  attempted 
to  move  the  house  that  mile  in  1911. 


They  were  not  able  to  get  the  house  across 
the  canal  which  went  through  the  center  of  our  land 
from  east  to  west.  The  house  was  left  there  for  the 
winter,  during  this  time  we  hved  in  another  log  house 
on  the  county  road,  across  and  a  quarter  mile  to  the 
west  of  the  homestead. 

Father  did  not  waste  this  time.  He  used  it  as 
best  he  could  in  the  cold,  wind,  snow  and  blizzards  to 
build  sheds,  bams  and  a  granary  on  our  own  property. 

In  the  spring  of  1912,  with  the  help  of 
neighbors,  their  big  horses  and  other  equipment,  the 
house  was  moved  to  the  present  location. 

The  house  looked  much  better  at  that  time. 
Father  had  the  door  straight  and  neat  and  mother  had 
flowers  growing  close  to  the  house  and  a  flower 
garden  in  front.  Mother  had  a  large  yellow  rose  bush 
that  the  severe  winters  did  not  kill.  In  the  summer  it 
was  a  most  beautiful  sight  and  could  be  seen  for  quite 
a  distance  on  the  road  from  the  east  or  the  west. 
Mother's  flowers  were  a  great  show  and  talked  about 
by  people  that  would  travel  through  this  county, 
Fremont,  and  from  other  counties  east  and  west.  It 
was  one  way  of  telling  strangers  where  we  lived,  for 
other  people  did  not  grow  flowers  like  my  mother. 

During  my  first  year  of  school,  I  had  to  walk 
two  miles.  After  the  house  was  on  the  south  end  of 
the  homestead,  I  walked  one  mile.  Sometimes  it  was 
very  rough  because  of  sleet,  snow,  blizzards,  rain  and 
mud.  It  was  not  all  bad,  at  times  the  snow  was 
sparkling  like  diamonds  in  the  sun  and  when  the  snow 
was  gently  faUing  the  flakes  were  beautiful.  And 
spring  and  fall  was  usually  too  wonderful  to  describe. 

There  is  much  more  to  tell  about  my  life  in 
this  home,  but  that  is  another  story. 

By:  Sarah  Agatha  Ferrin  Forbes 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Zella  Lurean 

(2)  Ralph  Francis 

md-  Ada  Powell 

(3)  Vera  Floretta 

(4)  Sarah  Agatha 

md-  (l)Lawrence  D.  Nyland 
(2)Thec>dorc  William  Forbes 

(5)  Alder  Harold  b-  1906 

md-  Merl  Robinson 

SARAH  AND  LAWENCE  NYLAND 


b- 

1893 

d- 

1901 

b- 

1894 

d- 

1961 

b- 

1898 

d- 

1901 

b- 

1904 

d- 

CHILDREN: 
(1)  Verdell  Lawrence        b- 
md-  Viola  Shumway 


1919 


Sarah  Agatha  Ferrin  Nyland 

md.(2)-14  Nov.  1927  Theadore  William  Forbes. 
(1)  Garnet  Agatha  b-  1929 

md- 

(1)  Dale  Lee  Hudgel 

(2)  Walter  Gaines 


141 


A  letter  from  Verdell  Nydand, 

Your  notice  concerning  the  Famum  pioneers 
and  your  efforts  to  preserve  some  of  their  history  was  a 
welcome  reminder  of  some  of  my  roots.  I  have  seen 
the  log  house  my  grandmother  Agatha  speaks  of  I 
think  it  was  being  used  as  a  tool  shed  at  that  time 
(about  1950). 

The  names:  Baird,  Murdoch,  Casder,  etc.  were 
very  familiar  names  to  me  in  my  youth  as  my  uncles 
and  grandparents  often  spoke  of  them  and  their  old 
homesteads  with  fondness. 

I  learned  only  recently  that  my  great- 
grandmother  Anna  Plant  Ferrin  homesteaded  160 
acres  at  Famum.  Frances'  brother  Samuel  Ferrin  Jr. 
farmed  it  for  a  time. 

Grandmother  Sarah  Blanchard  Ferrin,  her 
husband  Frands',  father  Alma  Moroni  Blanchard  Sr. 
and  her  two  daughters  (victims  of  diphtheria  within 
one  hour  of  each  other)  are  buried  in  the  cemetery  up 
on  the  hill  not  too  far  from  where  they  lived. 

Mother  died  July  11,  1988  at  the  age  of  84  in 
Phoenix,  where  she  had  lived  since  1928.  Francis  died 
in  Jackson  Hole  while  visiting  with  family.  Sarah  died 
at  Mother's  (Agatha)  home  in  Phoenix  in  December 
1947  and  was  buried  beside  her  husband  in  May 
1948.  He  was  67.  She  was  78. 

Grandfather  Francis  was  a  very  shy  man.  He 
was  called  as  councilor  in  the  Lillian  branch  Presidency 
but  could  not  handle  appearing  before  the  people  in 
that  capacity.  He  became  inactive  of  course,  his 
children  also.  Only  my  mother,  of  the  three  children 
again  embraced  the  church.  Somehow  she  drug  me 
into  the  church,  "kicking  and  screaming"  as  it  were, 
when  I  was  14  in  1934. 

Grandfather  and  Grandmother  were  again 
active  members  in  their  60. 

I  owe  my  mother  a  great  debt  of  gratitude  for 
persevering  with  me. 

In  the  pre-automobile  days  horses  were 
essential.  Grandfather  became  an  adept  horse  trader. 
He  was  particularly  proud  of  his  Percheron  draft 
horses. 

Later,  so  the  family  story  goes,  he  bought  the 
second  model  T.  Ford  sold  in  Idaho.  That  car  started 
Ralph  on  a  lifetime  of  being  a  mechanic.  Harold  was  a 
mining  promoter  for  many  years.  Mother  was  a 
waitress  but  studied  stenography  and  worked  as  a 
secretary  in  an  insurance  office  for  several  years. 

By  Verdell  Nyland 

VALERA  EDITH  HLLMORE 
School  Teacher 

Valera  Edith  Fillmore  was  born  May  25, 
1890,  Lawrence,  Emery  County,  Utah,  daughter  of 
Alma  Milan  and  Elnora  Staker  Filmore. 

Notes  from  her  husband,  David  Henry  Larscn's 
journal: 


142 


Valera  Edith  Fillmore 

In  1913  I  was  called  to  visit  the  Wards  of 
Yellowstone  Stake  as  a  Missionary.  In  company  with 
Elder  Horace  A.  Hess  on  a  Sunday  in  May  1913, 
attending  a  Sacrament  service  in  the  Famum  ward  I 
met  my  future  wife.  Miss  Valera  Fillmore,  who  was 
teaching  a  Sunday  School  class  which  I  attended.  Miss 
Fillmore  was  teaching  school  at  Famum  that  year.  We 
became  acquainted  on  that  occasion  and  on  June  11, 
1914,  we  were  married  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple. 

(l)-Information  from  Ema  Larsen  Chantrill  (a  neice), 
states  Valera  died  28  November  1981,  Ferron,  Emery 
County,  Utah,  and  is  buried  in  the  Pine  View 
Cemetery,  Ashton,  Idaho. 
(2)-  Famum  Ward  membership  records. 

OSCAR  FRANZ 

and 

BETTA  ROSELLA  MATTINE 

Fritz  August  Oscar  Franz,  son  of  a 
cabinetmaker,  was  born  July  13,  1845  in  Breslau, 
Selesia,  Prussia.  He  married  Betta  Rosella  Mattine, 
daughter  of  a  baker.  Betta  was  bom  September  25, 
1845  at  Driepnitz,  Germany.  They  had  five  sons 
before  they  immigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1883, 
when  Robert  was  three  years  old.  They  borrowed 
money  from  Bctta's  parents  to  come  to  America.  Her 
parents  ran  a  bakery  and  were  much  better  off  than 
Oscar.  They  first  settled  in  Jeffersonville,  Indiana, 
where  Oscar,  also  a  cabinetmaker,  secured  work 
finishing  the  inside  of  pullman  train  cars.  Oscar  and 
Betta  had  eight  children: 

(1)  Alfred  Franz,  bom  July  8,  1871  in  Breslau,  Silesia, 
Prussia,  married  Melvina  Goldback.  He  died 
December  22,  1916  at  Jeffersonville,  Clark  County, 
Indiana  and  is  buried  there. 

(2)  Their  second  child  was  a  son  bom  in  1873  and 
died  in  1873. 

(3)  Richard  Franz,  born  May  22,  1874  in  Breslau, 
Silesia,  Prussia,  died  April  22,  1890  after  being  beaten 
by  a  gang  of  boys. 

(4)  Otto  Franz,  bom  December  23,  1875  in  Breslau, 


b.r.  Max,  Otto,  Alfred,  Robert,  f.r.  Emma,  Betta,  Oscar,  Ida  Franz 


Silesia,  Prussia,  married  Daisy  Dorr.  Died  July  1972. 

(5)  Max  Franz,  was  bom  March  28,  1878  in  Breslau, 
Silesia,  Prussia.  He  married  Charlotte  Louise  Louis. 
He  died  11  January  1953  and  is  buried  in  the  Ashton 
Cemetery. 

(6)  Robert  Franz,  born  May  21,  1880  in  Breslau, 
Silesia,  Prussia  married  Clara  Louise  Stemler.  He  died 
October  1936. 

(7)  Emma  Franz  (twin)  was  bom  April  26,  1886  in 
JefFersonville,  Clark  County,  Indiana.  She  married 
Frank  Cox.  She  died  October  11,  1973. 

(8)  Ida  Franz  (twin)  was  born  April  26,  1886  in 
JefFersonville,  Clark  County,  Indiana.  She  married 
John  Fredrick  Jessen,  Sr.  Ida  died  November  2,  1962 
and  is  buried  in  the  Squirrel  Cemetery. 

Sons  Max  and  Robert  went  west  and 
homesteaded  in  Idaho,  in  the  Highland  area  on 
Conant  Creek  around  the  turn  of  the  century.  They 
married  and  were  joined  later  by  Oscar,  Betta,  Ida, 
and  Emma  while  sons  Alfred  and  Otto  stayed  in 
Indiana.  Son  Richard  was  beaten  to  death  by  a  gang 
of  boys  when  he  was  16. 

France,  originally  known  as  Franz  Siding,  was 
named  after  this  family.  It  was  changed  at  the 
outbreak  of  World  War  I.  Because  of  Betta  Franz's 
fear  of  being  associated  with  the  old  country  she 
destroyed  or  bumed  all  documents,  photos,  etc.  of  the 
family. 

Max  sold  his  land  near  France  to  Harry 
French  and  that  in  Drummond  to  Dickasons. 
Robert's  children  still  own  his  land.    It  is  farmed  by 


143 


Franz  homestead  in  Drummond 

the  Dickasons.  Emma,  who  married  Frank  Cox, 
farmer,  then  moved  to  the  Meridian -Boise  area.  Ida 
Franz  worked  at  the  Highland  Ranch  where  she  met 
and  later  married  John  Frederick  Jessen.  They 
homesteaded  west  of  the  Jessen  homestead  in  Squirrel. 

By:  Nieca  Jessen 
Jackie  Jessen  Miller 

MAX  FRANZ 

and 
CHARLOTTE  LOUISE  LOUIS 

Max  A.  Franz  was  bom  in  Brcslaw,  Germany 
on  March  28,  1878.  He  was  brought  to  the  United 
States,  along  with  four  brothers,  by  his  parents  Oscar 
and  Bertha  Franz.   The  family  settled  in  Jeffersonvillc, 


Max  and  Charlotte  Franz  in  garden  on 
the  homestead  in  Drununond 

Indiana.  Max  was  five  at  the  time .  He  grew  up  there 
and  when  he  was  22,  he  came  west  to  Idaho,  by  the 
urging  of  his  friend  George  Louis  (who  came  west  on 
account  of  his  health).  George's  brother  Jesse  Louis 
was  a  doctor  in  St.  Anthony  for  a  few  years. 

Max  first  settled  in  Dubois,  then  moved  to 
St.  Anthony,  where  he  worked  for  a  Mr.  Moore. 
Later  he  homesteaded  on  160  acres  on  Conant 
Creek. 

Max  urged  his  parents  and  younger  brother 
Robert  to  come  to  Idaho.  Robert  also  homesteaded 
on  property  on  Conant  Creek.  So  the  two  men  filed 
for  a  siding  on  the  railroad,  to  be  called  Franz  Siding, 
located  between  Drummond  and  Lamont.  During 
World  War  I,  this  was  changed  to  France  Siding 
because  people  didn't  want  the  German  name. 

At  Drummond,  Idaho  on  September  17, 
1913,  Max  married  Charlotte  Louise  Louis.  She  was 
a  niece  to  George  and  Jess  Louis.  Her  parents  had 
also  moved  to  Idaho  from  Jeffersonville,  Indiana. 

About  1924,  Max  bought  another  farm  at 
Drummond,  so  his  children  could  be  close  to  a 
school.    He  continued  farming  there  until  1945, 


when  he  sold  his  farms  and  moved  to  Idaho  Falls 
where  he  was  employed  by  the  Parks  Department 
until  his  death  January  17,  1953.  He  and  his  wife 
Charlotte  are  buried  at  the  Ashton  cemetery,  along 
with  their  oldest  daugther,  Maxine.  Their  son, 
Herbert  R.  Franz  (b- January  27,  1926-d-  November 
1928)  is  buried  at  the  Squirrel  cemetery,  along  with 
Max's  parents  Oscar  and  Bertha  Franz.  Charlotte's 
mother  Louise  Louis  is  also  buried  at  the  Ashton 
cemetery. 

Their  youngest  daughter,  Marian  Franz 
Pattee,  lives  in  Salmon,  Idaho.  She  has  two  sons  and 
three  grandchildren. 

By:  Marian  Pattee 

Max  and  Robert  Franz  were  from 
Jeffersonville,  Indiana  and  came  West  in  the  very  early 
nineteen  hundreds.  They  filed  for  a  homestead  which 
was  by  Conant  Creek  which  was  a  mile  or  so  north  of 
France  Siding.  The  Franz  parents  and  two  sisters 
came  west  later  on.  The  two  sisters  were  known  as 
Ada  Jessen  and  Emma  Cox. 

Max  and  Robert  married  women  from  their 
home  town  in  Indiana. 


Maximc  and  Marrian  Franz  with  (Herbert  Franz) 


144 


b.r.  Clara,  Edith,  Robert  f.r.  Jess  Franz 

Robert  and  Clara  purchased  160  acres  north 
of  Conant  Creek  in  1914.  At  a  later  date  120  acres 
were  added  to  the  farm.  A  son,  Jess  George,  was 
bom  in  the  spring  of  1914  when  they  moved  to  the 
newly  purchased  property. 

Edith  Franz  Williams  attended  school  in 
Drummond  five  years  before  the  family  moved  to  the 
Boise  Valley  in  March  1921. 

Edith  has  many  fond  memories  of  this  area 
and  has  returned  many  times  to  visit  family  and 
friends. 

Victor  and  Gene  Dickason  farmed  the  farm 
over  35  years  and  they  purchased  the  farm  from  the 
Franz  family  in  1983. 

By  Edith  Franz  Williams 

Grandfather  came  over  on  a  steamboat  before 
grandmother  came  with  the  boys  on  a  sailboat  which 
was  a  seventeen  day  voyage.  Grandpa's  voyage  was  six 
days  on  the  steamboat. 

They  came  to  America  in  1883  as  Dad  was 
only  three  years  old.  I  think  I  remember  them  saying 
that  they  borrowed  money  from  Bertha's  folks  to 


come  to  America.  Bertha's  parents  ran  a  bakery  and 
were  very  much  better  off  than  grandfether.  The 
reason  that  they  came  to  America  was  that 
grandfather  didn't  want  his  sons  to  have  to  serve  in 
the  German  Army  and  be  treated  like  he  was  when  he 
served.  He  said  you  got  your  cars  boxed  for  the 
slightest  thing  the  army  considered  wrong.  He  was 
also  hungry  at  times.  Grandfather,  as  I  remembered 
him,  was  very  strict. 

They  settled  in  the  town  of  Jeffersonville, 
Indiana,  where  Oscar  did  the  wood  finishing  of  the 
passenger  railroad  cars. 

Uncle  Max  came  to  Idaho  in  1900  with 
George  Louis.  George  Louis  came  for  health  reasons. 
He  was  some  relation  to  Aunt  Charlotte  Louis  Franz. 
I  don't  know  whether  he  was  a  brother  or  an  uncle. 

The  parents  came  later.  Aunt  Ada  came  with 
one  parent  and  Aunt  Emma  came  out  with  the  other 
parent. 

I  am  not  sure  when  dad  came  out,  but  I 
thought  it  was  in  1901.  I  know  for  sure  he  was  here 
in  1905. 

Dad  herded  sheep  somewhere  in  the  hills 
from  St.  Anthony  and  he  hated  that  job.  He  worked 
in  a  general  store  in  St.  Anthony  for  some  rime  too. 
He  fell  from  one  of  the  roller  ladders  and  was 
unconscious  for  three  days.  It  took  him  a  long  time 
before  he  could  call  names  or  count  money. 

Uncle  Max  took  up  a  homestead,  I  think.  I 
know  some  of  the  family  took  up  a  homestead. 
Uncle  Max  was  the  first  of  the  family  to  come  west. 

Robert,  born  May  21,  1880  died  July  29, 
1936.  Robert  married  Clara  Louise  Stemler  July  2, 
1908.  Clara  was  bom  February  18,  1883  and  died 
November  15,  1973.  To  this  union  two  children 
were  born:  Edith  Catherine  Franz  (Williams)  born 
July  17,  1910  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho;  Jesse  George 
Franz,  born  May  14,  1914  at  home  in  Drummond, 
Idaho,  died  July  15,  1983. 

Ida  Franz  Jessen  was  born  in  Jeffersonville, 
Indiana. 

Emma  Franz  Cox  was  born  April  26,  1886 
and  died  October  II,  1973.  To  the  union  of  Frank 
and  Emma  were  three  children;  a  baby  born  1915, 
died  1915;  Leslie,  bom  November  14,  1917;  Ellen, 
born  August  21,  1921. 

To  the  union  of  Leslie  and  Audrey  Anderson 
was  born  one  son,  Douglas.  Douglas  has  one  son 
and  one  daughter. 

To  the  union  of  Jess  and  Louise  Hutchison 
Franz  were  born  two  children:  Raymond,  May  25, 
1937  and  Roberta,  July  6,  1941.  Roberta  married 
Randall  Fredricks  June  20,  1960.  To  this  union 
two  sons  were  born:  Steven,  March  14,  1969  and 
Robert,  July  15,  1970. 

Alfred  Lee  and  Edith  Williams  had  one 
daughter,  Arlea  Annett  Williams,  bom  December  13, 
1937. 

By  Edith  Catherine  Franz  Williams 


HENRY  P.  AND  MARGUERITE  RUBY 
FREDERICKSEN 

Henry  came  to  the  United  States  from 
Denmark  in  1905.  He  was  bom  on  March  27,  1886 
and  like  his  Viking  ancestors,  he  had  many  exciting 
adventures  through  his  life.  Henry  left  home  when  he 
was  14  years  old  to  work  on  sailing  ships  throughout 
the  world.  In  1905  he  moved  to  Monroe,  Wisconsin. 
He  then  moved  from  there  and  worked  and  farmed  in 
North  Dakota  and  Montana. 

In  1918  he  married  Marguerite.  In  1923 
they  sold  their  possessions  and  moved  to  West 
Yellowstone,  Montana,  with  their  two  oldest  children, 
Dick  and  Florance.  Henry  hacked  ties,  worked  on 
Grassy  Lake  and  Jackson  Lake  dams,  Cave  Falls  road, 
and  other  places.  Their  third  son,  Stan,  was  born 
while  they  were  living  in  a  tent  east  of  Ashton.  The 
family  then  moved  to  Judkins,  north-east  of  Felt, 
where  the  rest  of  their  eight  children,  Don,  Harvey, 
Larry,  Randall,  and  Patsy  were  bom. 

Henry  and  Marguerite  farmed  in  the  summer 
and  in  the  winter  Henry  trapped  martin  along  the 
Bitch  Creek  Ridge  to  Hominy  Creek.  He  spent  most 
of  the  winter  running  his  trap  line,  living  in  tents,  and 
in  a  Hominy  Creek  cabin  at  the  head  of  Conant 
Creek.  His  oldest  sons,  Dick  and  Stan,  would  bring 
supplies  in  from  time  to  time  with  a  dog  sled  and 
snowshoes.  They  would  also  take  fiirs  to  town  and 
sell.  They  usually  sold  them  to  Myrian  &  Lewis. 

Life  was  really  hard  during  this  period  of  their 
lives.  There  was  very  little  work  to  be  found  and  with 
such  a  large  family  it  made  life  even  harder.  Wages 
were  a  dollar  a  day  if  you  could  find  work.  Wheat  was 
selling  for  50  cents  a  bushel  and  people  in  these  small 
communities  tried  to  help  each  other.  Most  families 
had  a  few  chickens,  pigs,  milk  cows,  and  horses  for 
transportation,  and  dog  teams  when  snow  got  so  deep 
and  the  horses  could  no  longer  travel. 

Our  mother  made  most  of  our  clothes  and 
picked  all  kinds  of  wild  berries,  such  as  huckleberries, 
chokccherries,  and  service  berries.  We  also  fished  and 
caught  white  fish.  If  we  were  lucky  we  would  kill 
some  wild  game  and  then  have  meat  to  eat,  which  was 
kind  of  scarce  then. 

In  1940  we  moved  northeast  of  Lamont  and 
continued  farming.  Dad  built  a  log  cabin  and  a  log 
bunkhouse  to  live  in  when  wc  moved  to  Lamont, 
because  there  were  no  buildings  on  the  property. 

Life  was  still  hard  as  World  War  II  was  about 
to  start.  We  had  to  haul  water  from  a  hand  dug  well 
in  the  bottom  of  a  draw  below  the  house.  We  had  no 
electricity  unril  1948.  We  were  feeding  45  head  of 
cows,  15  were  milk  cows,  and  all  of  them  had  to  be 
milked  by  hand  and  kept  in  the  bam.  We  drove  all  45 
cows  to  a  spring  about  a  mile  from  the  bam. 

School  was  very  hard  to  get  to.    There  were 

no  roads  opened  in  the  winter  months.  We  would  use 

horses  until  the  snow  got  so  deep  they  couldn't  go,  so 

,  .^    then  we  would  use  dogs  to  pull  us  on  skis.    Our  dog 


team  would  also  bring  us  supplies.  We  tried  to  get 
most  of  the  supplies  in  the  fell  when  roads  were  still 
open.  We  separated  the  milk,  and  the  cream  was 
hauled  to  Lamont  on  dog  sleds.  We  also  used  milk  to 
feed  the  calves  and  pigs. 

Trains  were  our  transportation  out  of 
Lamont.  We  would  sometimes  catch  the  train  in 
Lamont  and  go  to  Driggs  to  get  supplies  and  then 
catch  the  train  back  the  same  day.  In  1949  a  severe 
winter  storm  hit  Lamont  and  the  train  didn't  come  for 
24  days.  Supplies  in  Lamont  were  nmning  out  and 
there  was  no  mail.  Snowplanes  brought  in  mail  and 
supplies.  No  one  could  even  get  to  the  doctor.  Snow 
drifts  covered  telephone  lines  and  drifted  over 
buildings.  We  shoveled  cave  type  trenches  out  of 
houses  as  they  kept  drifting  in.  Horses  and  cows 
could  walk  on  drifts. 

Dad  died  in  1980  at  the  age  of  94  and  we 
moved  Mom  to  Marysville  where  she  lived  in  a  trailer 
behind  her  son  Randall's  house  for  about  nine  years. 
In  1989  Marguerite  fell  and  broke  her  hip,  and  with 
failing  bad  health,  she  had  to  go  to  the  rest  home  in 
Ashton.  She  passed  away  May  4,  1991,  at  the  age  of 
91,  at  the  Ashton  Nursing  Home  and  was  buried  in 
the  Ashton  Pineview  Cemetery. 

Most  of  the  fimilies  are  gone  that  used  to  live 
in  rural  Lamont  area.  The  Frederickscn  family  still 
owns  and  farms  the  land  in  Lamont. 


Dick,  Patsy,  Larry,  Henry,  Harvey,  Stan,  Randall  Frcdrickson 


Marguerite,  Randall,  Patsy,  Henry,  Larry  Frcdrickson  putting  up  hay 


146 


The  Frcdrickson  dog  team 

Author's  Note:  See  school  chapter,  (Lamont),  for  an 
additional  interesting  report  of  Fredericksen  children 
going  to  school. 

CHESTER  NORRIS  FRENCH 

and 

GENEVA  CHRISTENSEN 

Chester  Norris  French  was  born  to  Ruben 
Sampson  French  and  Ida  Mae  Norris  on  March  27, 
1900  at  Junction  City,  Oregon.  Chester  was  the 
eleventh  of  twelve  children.  He  was  raised  and 
educated  in  Oregon. 

At  the  age  of  12,  Chester  came  to  France, 
Idaho,  alone,  to  sec  his  sister  and  husband.  Perry  and 
Minnie  Martin.  He  returned  to  Oregon  that  winter. 
In  the  spring  of  1914,  at  the  age  of  14,  he  came  back 
to  Idaho  and  the  Martins.  The  Martins  farmed  at 
France  Siding  on  the  farm  that  Joe  Miller  now  owns. 
Chester  worked  for  his  brother-in-law  on  the  farm. 
Chester  never  did  return  to  Oregon  to  live.  Chester 
worked  for  many  of  the  neighbors  and  friends  in  the 
area. 

In  the  summer  of  1922,  Chester  met  Geneva 
Christensen,  who  became  his  bride  on  January  25, 
1923.  They  were  married  at  Drummond  at  her 
parent's  home. 

Jamima  (Geneva,  as  she  was  called) 
Christensen,  was  bom  April  4,  1903  at  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Utah,  to  Franklin  Ervin  Christensen  and  Elizabeth 
Jane  Myrick.  She  was  the  first  of  two  daughters.  She 
moved  with  her  family  from  Utah  to  Drummond, 
Idaho,  where  her  parents  homesteadcd  east  of 
Drummond  on  Conant  Creek.  Walter  Jones  now 
owns  the  Christensen  place. 

After  Chester  and  Geneva  were  married,  they 
started  farming  on  their  own  renting  the  Jim 
Christensen  place  just  east  of  her  parents.  Jim  was 
Geneva's  uncle. 

Chester  and  Geneva  rented  several  farms 
around  the  area  before  buying  their  own  farm.  In 
1930,  they  bought  the  place  they  lived  on  for  the  rest 
of  their  life;  buying  more  farms  around  the  area  as 
they  could  afford  to. 


They  also  raised  cattle  and  in  the  later  years 
bought  and  raised  and  sold  pure -bred  appaloosa 
horses.  They  won  many  ribbons  and  trophies  with 
their  horses. 

To  this  union  was  bom  two  daughters.  Ida 
Anna,  bom  September  21,  1925  at  Ashton,  Idaho. 
Bettie  Marie,  born  June  1,  1927  at  Ashton,  Idaho. 
Ida  passed  away  at  the  age  of  eleven.  Bettie  married 
Gene  Albertson,  living  in  the  Lamont  area. 

Chester  was  converted  to  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  He  was  baptized  into  the 
Church  in  June,  1936.  Geneva  was  raised  in  the 
Church.  Chester  was  a  Sunday  School  Superintendent 
in  the  Farnum  Ward  from  1938  to  1940;  Second 
Counselor  to  Bishop  Walter  Clark  in  the  Farnum 
Ward  in  1943;  and  then  First  Counselor  to  Walter 
Clark  in  the  Farnum  Ward  from  1944  to  1947.  He 
was  First  Counselor  in  the  Yellowstone  Stake  High 
Priest  Presidency  under  Thomas  Murdoch  from 
January  1952  to  October  1953.  He  taught  the 
Gospel  Doctrine  class  in  the  Marysvillc  Ward  Sunday 
School  and  was  Finance  Secretary  of  the  High  Priest 
Quorum  of  the  Yellowstone  Stake  from  1955  to  1956. 
He  was  the  Priesthood  Chairman  of  the  Marysville 
Ward  for  two  years  and  a  Home  Teacher  until  ill 
health  forced  him  to  retire. 

Geneva  was  Relief  Society  President  for 
several  years  in  the  Farnum  Ward  in  the  Yellowstone 
Stake  and  Relief  Society  President  in  the  Marysville 
Ward  for  several  years  under  Bishop  James  Stringham. 
Geneva  was  a  teacher  in  the  Relief  Society  and  Sunday 
School.  She  was  Sunday  School  Secretary  under 
Chester  French.  She  was  a  Relief  Society  Visiting 
Teacher  for  most  of  her  life. 

Chester  and  Geneva  served  an  L.D.S.  mission 
to  the  Texas-Louisiana  mission  in  1953  to  1954. 

Chester  passed  away  at  the  age  of  86  at  the 
Rest  Home  in  Ashton,  Idaho.  He  died  on  June  14, 
1986.  He  was  buried  June  17,  1986  at  Ashton, 
Idaho. 

Geneva  passed  away  at  the  age  of  86  at  the 
Valley  Care  Center  in  Idaho  Falls.  She  died  August 
14,  1989  and  was  buried  on  August  17,  1989  at 
Ashton,  Idaho. 

Written  By:  Bettie  Marie  (French)  Albertson 

HARRY  WILBUR  FRENCH 

and 

ELAINE  HILL 

Harry  Wilbur  French  was  born  March  9, 
1903,  in  Pendleton,  Oregon,  the  son  of  Ruben 
Sampson  French  and  Ida  Mae  Norris  French. 

Harry  came  to  Idaho  in  the  summer  of  1916 
at  the  age  of  13  to  live  with  his  sister  Minnie  and  her 
husband  Perry  Martin,  who  had  homestcadcd  one  and 
one-fourth  miles  southwest  of  the  France  Siding  two 
years  earlier. 

Harry  went  to  school  that  fall  at  Drummond 
and  started  work  for  his  brother-in-law.  Perry,  in  the 
spring. 


He  worked  for  Perry  until  he  was  18.  Also 
working  for  other  farmers  in  the  area  during  haying 
and  thrashing  time.  One  of  these  formers  was  Harry 
Niendorf.  When  it  came  time  to  collect  his  wages  he 
bought  his  first  horse  from  Mr.  Niendorf  instead  of 
taking  the  money.  The  horse  was  a  beautiful  black 
which  Harry  named  "Scamp".  Harry  and  Scamp 
became  a  real  team  with  Harry's  love  of  horse  racing 
and  Scamp  loving  to  run.  Wmning  many  horse  races, 
Harry's  love  of  horse  racing,  and  Scamp's  speed,  soon 
became  well  known  in  the  area. 

Harry  was  working  on  a  form  in  Hog  Hollow, 
south  of  Drummond,  for  Claude  Lee,  in  1926,  when 
he  decided  to  take  a  night  off  and  go  to  Famum  to 
the  dance.  It  was  here  he  met  the  gjrl  who  was  to  be 
his  future  wife,  Elaine  Hill. 

Elaine  was  bom  May  5,  1911,  in  Huntington, 
Utah,  the  daughter  of  Lucius  Elmer  and  Amplis 
Maude  Kinder  Hill.  They  dated  and  were  married 
August  28,  1926,  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  After  their 
marriage,  Harry  continued  to  work  for  various  formers 
in  the  area,  until  they  decided  to  go  into  forming  for 
themselves.  They  rented  several  different  farms  in  the 
Lamont,  Squirrel,  and  Drummond  areas  and  also 
worked  for  farmers  in  these  same  areas  for  several 
years. 

During  this  time  three  children  were  born. 
Leona  Mae  was  bom  April  22,  1927.  She  now  lives  in 
Kcnai,  Alaska  and  is  married  to  Frank  Stanley.  Harry 
Douglas  was  bom  July  16, 1930,  and  Charlotte  Elaine 
was  bom  April  15,  1940.  Charlotte  married  Douglas 
Hillam  and  they  live  on  a  farm  in  Marysvillc,  Idaho. 

After  having  rented  several  different  places, 
and  while  renting  the  John  T.  Wilcox  place  on  Conant 
Creek,  Harry  and  Elaine  purchased  the  Franz  place 
from  Max  Franz  in  the  fall  of  1940.  They  continued 
to  live  on  the  Wilcox  place  on  Conant  Creek,  farming 
it,  the  Franz  place,  and  a  place  they  rented  from  Mr. 
Baum,  until  1947,  when  they  purchased  and  moved  to 
the  Phillip  Lcrwill  place  at  Lamont.  They  lived  here 
and  farmed  until  ill  health  forced  Harry  to  retire  and 


b.r.  Harry  Douglas,  Charlotte  Elaine, 
f.r.  Lcona  Mac,  Harry  W.,  Elaine  H.  French 


147 


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b.r.  Lynn  Wendell,  Darin  Brett,  Ryan  David,  Allan  Douglas,  Connie  Darlene,  Ruby  Darlene  (Swcnscn),  Harry  Douglas  French 


give  up  farming  in  1969.  They  sold  the  farm  to  Floyd 
Stohl  and  moved  to  Ashton,  where  they  lived  until 
Harry  passed  away  July  11,  1978.  Elaine  passed  away 
August  10,  1983.  Brent  Stohl,  Floyd's  son,  farms  the 
place  today. 

Douglas  bought  the  John  T.  Wilcox  place  on 
Conant  Creek  in  1949,  and  began  farming  with  his 
father.  Doug  met  and  married  Ruby  Darlene  Swensen 
on  the  8th  of  July,  1951,  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  They 
lived  on  the  creek  and  farmed  until  1962,  when  their 
oldest  son  Allan  started  to  school.  That  winter  they 
moved  to  Ashton  for  the  winter  months  as  the  school 
in  Lamont  was  no  longer  being  used,  due  to  the 
consolidation  of  all  the  little  rural  schools.  This 
became  a  way  of  life  for  the  French  children,  Lamont 
in  the  summer,  and  Ashton  in  the  winter  for 
schooling.  The  children  rode  the  bus  in  the  spring 
and  fall  till  it  snowed  up,  so  they  could  not  get  to  the 
highway  to  the  bus.  This  was  before  the  days  of  snow 
machines. 

The  French  children  are:  Allan  Douglas,  bom 
Jan.  17,  1955;  Kevin  Ernest,  born  Nov.  30,  1957, 
who  passed  away  March  26,  1961,  at  the  age  of  three; 
Darin  Brett,  h>om  Jan  9,  1962;  Ryan  David,  bom  June 
28,  1964;  Lynn  Wendell,  born  July  21,  1967;  and 
Connie  Darlene,  bom  Aug.  23,  1968.  They  grew  up 
enjoying  the  fun  times  on  the  creek  both  working  and 
playing.  The  ranch  on  Conant  Creek  is  still  a  favorite 
place  to  come  home  to  now  they  are  all  grown  and 
living  in  different  places. 

Doug  and  Darlene  still  enjoy  spending  the 
summers  on  the  ranch,  building  fence,  and  doing  odd 
jobs  and  just  being  there  to  enjoy  it.  They  spend  their 
winters  in  Ashton  in  the  home  they  built  in  1967. 

Written  By:  Doug  and  Darlene  French 


JACOB  ALLEN  GARVER 

and 
MARY  ELLEN  BUTLER 

Jacob  Allen  Garver  was  bom  July  23,  1859. 
He  married  Mary  Ellen  Butler,  October  1884.  She 
was  bom  March  3,  1866  in  Andrew  County,  Missouri. 


Jacob  Allen  Garver,  Mary  Ellen 

They  came  from  Missouri  and  settled  at  Squirrel  and 
later  farmed  in  the  Drummond  community  where  they 
lived  most  of  their  life.  (For  a  more  detailed  early 
history  of  Jacob  and  Mary  Garver  see  the  first  part  of 


148 


b.r.  Ollic,  Clarence,  Ruby,  Earl  m.r.  Effie,  Jacob,  Charlie,  Mary 
Ellen  Butler,  f.r.  Lucille,  Robert  Garvcr 

the  Loyd  Nicndorf  and  Effic  Mac  Garvcr  history  in 
this  book).  They  had  the  fiDllowing  ten  children  listed 
with  their  spouses: 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Viola  BeU  b- 1885 

md-  Clarence  R.  Gill 

md-  Dr.  B.  A.  Price 

2)  Clarence  Clyde  b-  1886 

3)  Ernest  Emmett  b-  1888 
md-  Minnie  Barackman 

b-  1889 


d-  1920 


d-  1918 
d-  1959 
d-  1941 
d-  1964 
d-  1967 


4)  Earl  Raymond 
md-  Bessie  Clark 

5)  Ruby  Nell  b-  1891 
md-  C.  Van  Clark 

6)  Effie  Mae  b-  1892 
md-  Loyd  Nicndorf 

7)  Robert  Hudson  b-  1893 
md-  Pearl  Broadbcnt 

8)  Lucille  Bemice  b-  1896 
md-  Cassie  Denny 

9)  Charlie  Forest  b-  1898  d-  1927 
md-  Anna  Christensen 

10)  Iv-a  Hazel  b-  1905 
md-  Bob  Holbrook 


Mary  Ellen  passed  away  June  13,  1948  at  the 
Nicndorf  home  in  Drummond,  and  was  buried  June 
4,  at  the  Pincview  cemetery. 


VIOLA  BELL  CARVER 

and 

CLARENCE  R.  GILL 

Viola  Bell  Garvcr  was  bom  June  20,  1895,  at 
Mound  City,  Mo.,  the  oldest  child  &  daughter  of 
Jacob  Allen  Garver  and  Mary  Ellen  Butler  Garvcr. 
When  she  was  eight  years  old  her  parents  and  family 
moved  from  Mound  City,  Missouri,  to  this  area.  (For 
a  more  detailed  history  of  that  move  and  setding,  see 
the  first  part  of  the  Loyd  Nicndorf  and  Effic  Mac 
Garvcr  history  in  this  book). 


Viola  (Ollic  or  Ola)  married  Clarence  R.  Gill 
at  Mound  City  in  1902.  They  had  two  girls:  Hazel 
and  Gladys,  and  two  boys:  Ralph  and  Earnest. 
Earnest  died  at  three  years  of  age,  Oct.  13,  1913.  In 
1910  Clarence  Gill  passed  away  also. 

In  November,  1917,  Viola  married  Dr.  B.  A. 
Price  at  Pocatcllo.  Dr.  Price  was  located  at  Hazclton 
and  they  made  their  home  there. 

Viola  passed  away  in  1920  at  Twin  Falls  of  a 
ruptured  appendix  while  her  husband  was  working  at 
the  time  as  a  surgeon  in  the  state  of  Sonora,  Mexico. 

EARL  RAYMOND  GARVER 

and 

BESSIE  CLARK 


149 


b.r.  Beverly,  Earl  Raymond,  Bessie,  Connie, 
f.r.  Joan,  Paddy  Ryan,  Madeline,  Garver 

Earl  Raymond  Garvcr  was  born  at  Mound 
City,  Missouri,  October  20,  1889,  a  son  of  Jacob  and 
Mary  Buder  Garver.  He  spent  his  early  life  at  Mound 
City,  and  later  his  parents  moved  to  Drummond, 
Idaho,  where  he  grew  to  manhood. 

October  2,  1917  he  enlisted  in  the  U.S. 
Army.  While  overseas  he  fought  in  Chateau-Thierry, 
Aisne-Marni,  Maebache,  St.  Mihiel,  and  Ncuve- 
Argonne  battles.  He  was  discharged  August  16,  1919 
as  a  Corporal  from  Co.  "K"  23rd  Infantry. 

Following  his  discharge  he  returned  to 
Drummond  and  farming  on  the  home  place. 

Earl  and  Bessie  Clark  were  married  March  17, 
1928  at  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho. 

Bessie  Clark  Garver  was  bom  at  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho  November  13,  1898,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Fannie  Bowles  Clark. 

Two  children  were  born  to  Earl  and  Bessie 
while  living  on  the  home  place: 

(1)  Beverly  Garver  Siddoway,  bom  March  6,  1929. 

(2)  Paddy  Ryan  Garvcr,  bom  October  7,  1930. 

Earl  and  Bessie  Garvcr  lived  on  the  home 
place  until  1931.  They  moved  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho, 
to  care  for  Fannie  Clark,  the  mother  of  Bessie,  after 
John  Peter  Litz  Clark's  death. 

Four  children  were  bom  to  Earl  and  Bessie 
Garver  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 


(3)  Joan  Garvcr  Thorton,  bom  January  4, 1935. 

(4)  Madeline  Garver,  bom  Febmary  5,  1937. 

(5)  Earl  Garver  Jr.,  bom  April  24,  1939,  died  April 
24,  1939. 

(6)  Connie  Garver  VanHook,  born  September  16, 
1941. 

A  Remembrance  of  Our  Parents 

Dr.  Paddy  Ryan  Garver  remembers  his  dad  as 
a  friend,  a  person  he  loved  to  work  for,  and  one  who 
encouraged  him  to  pursue  a  good  education. 

Beverly  Garver  Siddoway  -  our  mother  was  a 
beautiful  woman  and  I  am  grateful  for  her  hard  work 
ethic.  All  of  us  are  benefiting  from  her  example. 

ERNEST  EMMETT  GARVER 

and 

MESTNIE  BARACKMAN 

Author's  Note:  From  an  aged  yellowing  newspaper 
clipping  found  in  the  Garver  Family  Bible  we  present 
the  following  classic  obituary. 

DEATH  OF  ERNEST  E.  GARVER 

So  live,  that  when  thy  summons  comes  to 
join.  The  caravan  which  moves  to  that  mysterious 
realm,  Where  each  shall  take  his  chamber  in  the  silent 
halls  O  death.  Thou  go  not  like  the  quarry  slave  at 
night,  Scourged  to  his  dungeon,  but,  sustained  and 
soothed  by  an  unfaltering  trust.  Approach  thy  grave 
like  one  who  wraps  the  drapery  of  his  couch  about 
him,  and  lies  down  to  pleasant  dreams. 

It  is  a  precious  thought  to  those  who  are 
bereft  of  loved  ones  that  they  are  not  gone  out  from 
them  forever,  but  just  gone  on  before. 

So  we  feel  in  regard  to  Ernest  E.  Garvcr,  who 
suddenly  passed  away  very  quiedy  to  his  peaceful  rest 
early  Saturday  morning,  April  27,  1918,  at  Idaho 
Falls.  The  funeral  services  were  conducted  by  Rev. 
White  at  the  Methodist  Church  of  Ashton,  Sunday 
afternoon  at  two  o'clock,  interment  in  the  Ashton- 
Marysville  cemetery. 

Ernest  E.  Garver  was  bom  near  Mound  City, 
Mo.,  Feb.  27,  1888.  He  came  to  Idaho  in  1903  widi 
his  parents.  He  married  Miss  Minnie  Barackman  in 
1912,  spending  his  happy  married  life  in  the  vicinity  of 
Drummond,  and  to  mourn  his  departure  besides  a 
loving  wife  and  little  two-year-old  daughter,  Mildred, 
he  leaves  a  father,  mother,  five  sisters,  and  four 
brothers  of  whom  three  are  in  the  service  of  the  U.  S. 
Army. 

Emest's  many  friends  will  remember  him  as  a 

steady,  loyal,  industrious  worker,  who  held  the  respect 

of  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  a  good  provider  for  his 

family,  a  devoted  husband  and  loving  father. 


CARD  OF  THANKS 

Wc  wish  to  express  our  heartfelt  thanks  for 
the  kind  and  sympathetic  acts  of  friends  and  neighbors 
at  the  sudden  bereavement  of  our  son  and  brother  and 
beloved  husband.  We  also  wish  to  thank  for  the 
beautifiil  floral  offerings  and  splendid  music. 

Mr.  &  Mrs.  Garver  and  family,  and  Mrs. 
Emest  Garver. 

Note:   Emest  is  the  son  of  Jacob  Allen  &  Mary  Ellen 
Garvcr. 

ROBERT  HUDSON  GARVER 

and 

PEARL  S.  BROADBENT 


150 


Dean,  Keith,  Shirley,  Debrcs,  Robert  Hudson,  Pearl  S.  Garvcr 

Robert  H.  Garver  was  bom  Oct.  5,  1893,  at 
Mound  City,  Mo.  the  7th  child  of  Jacob  Allen  and 
Mary  Ellen  Butler  Garver.  He  spent  his  early 
childhood  at  Mound  City  and  then  in  1903  his  family 
moved  to  Idaho.  They  lived  in  St.  Anthony  for  2 
years,  then  moved  to  Drummond  in  1905  where  he 
farmed  with  his  father  and  brothers. 

In  1918  he  enlisted  in  the  U.  S.  Army,  318th 
Engineer  Bn.  and  served  in  the  European  Theatre. 
Robert  and  Pearl  S.  Broadbent  from  Thaync,  Wyo., 
were  married  Dec.  22,  1923,  by  Judge  Fryer,  and 
made  their  home  in  Drummond  where  they  farmed 
until  1940. 

In  1941  they  moved  to  St.  Anthony,  then 
returned  to  Ashton  in  1946  and  farmed  until  he 
passed  away  Dec.  10,  1967. 

One  day  on  the  farm.  Pearl  enlisted  the  help 
of  her  sister-in-law,  Bessie  Garver,  to  drive  her  into 
Drummond  to  take  a  good  big  batch  of  eggs,  in  to 
trade  for  groceries.  It  was  in  the  days  when  cars  were 
new  on  the  farm  scene,  and  the  women  were  just 
learning  to  drive.  In  the  Drummond  area  there  are 
some  steep  hills  to  go  up  and  down  on  the  way  from 
the  ranch  to  the  town.  All  went  well  until  they  were 
gaining  a  lot  of  speed  down  one  particular  hill,  Bessie 
got  flustered  and  lost  track  of  where  the  brake  was,  as 
a  result  the  car,  eggs,  and  women  were  going  like  a 
"bat-out-of-heir  the  rest  of  the  way  to  the  bottom. 


It  turned  out  ok,  the  eggs  were  traded,  and  the 
women's  hearts  stopped  pounding  so  furiously. 

On  Christmas  Eve  1922,  Robert  (Bob)  skied 
out  to  get  Dr.  Hargjs  to  come  to  the  ranch  and  deliver 
his  sister  Effie  Mae's  5th  child.  The  baby  was  named 
Bobbie  Niendorf  in  honor  of  his  Uncle  Robert's 
efforts  that  night. 

CHILDREN 

(1)  Jacob  Keith  b-  1924  d-  1990 

md-  Effie  Cunningham  (1948) 
md-  Shirley  Mae  Wells  (1965) 

(2)  Dean  George  b-  1926 

md-  Doris  BishofF 
md-  Delores  Perkins 

(3)  Charlie  b-  1928  d-  1940 

(4)  Max  b-  1930 

(5)  Wilma  b-  1933  d-  1951 

1st  gen.  AUGUST  GARZ 

and 

ALBERTINA  LENZ 


2nd  gen.  JULIUS  GARZ 

and 

ANNEFRANKE 


b.r.  Otto,  Paul,  William,  Augusta,  Julius 
f.r.  Augiist,  Albcrtina,  Franz  Garz 


August  Garz  and  his  wife,  Albertina  came  to 
Squirrel,  Idaho  in  the  spring  of  1901  and 
homesteaded  land.  Their  children  were  (1)  Otto 
married  Susan  Wadell.  Susan  was  a  sister  of  Dick 
Wadell.  They  had  one  son.  Otto  Jr.,  who  still 
manages  his  father's  farm. 

(2)  Franz  was  unmarried. 

(3)  Julius  married  Anna  Franke:  their  children  arc 
Margaret  (Janssen),  Gladys  (Cramer),  Alice  (Carlson), 
and  Clara  (Grey).  (4)  William  married  Katie  Bolland 
and  their  children  arc;  Mary,  Evelyn,  and  William  H. 

(5)  Paul  married  L  Reinmer  from  Nampa;  their 
children  are;  Kenneth  and  Joyce. 

(6)  Augusta  married  Louis  Balscr.    They  live  in 
Squirrel  a  few  years  then  moved  to  Ncwhousc  ,  Utah. 
Paul  and  Bill,  as  partners  operated  the  family  farm. 
Now  Kenneth  Garz  manages  it. 


151 


b.r.  Margaret  holding  Karlccn,  Gladys, 
Julius,  Alice,  f.r.  Clara,  Anna  Garz 


Julius  Garz  was  bom  in  1890,  in  Germany, 
the  son  of  August  and  Albertina  Lenz  Garz,  and 
passed  away  in  1964.  His  brothers  are  ;  Otto,  Franz, 
Bill,  and  Paul,  and  a  sister  Augusta.  Anne  Franke  was 
born  1895  in  Germany  and  passed  away  in  1952. 
Julius  and  Anna  were  married  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho, 
on  March  12,  1919.  They  made  their  home  about  one 
mile  northeast  of  Drummond,  where  they  farmed. 
Their  house  overlooked  Squirrel  Creek  Canyon,  here 
they  raised  four  daughters: 

(1)  Gladys  married  Leonard  Kramer.  They  live  near 
Paul,  Idaho.  They  have  three  daughters;  Gail,  Elane, 
Martha. 

(2)  Margaret  married  Carl  Janssen  (deceased),  and 
raised  three  children;  Karlene,  Marvin,  and  Linda. 
They  all  live  in  the  Ashton  area. 

(3)  Alice  married  Wally  Carlson.  They  live  in  mission, 
British  Columbia,  Canada.  They  have  three  sons; 
David,  Donald  and  Rick. 

(4)  Clara  married  Jerry  Gray  and  raised  two  children; 
Michelle  and  Michael  (deceased).  They  live  in  Fulton 
Mississippi. 

By:  Margaret  Garz  Janssen. 

2nd  gen.  WILLIAM  PAUL  GARZ 

and 

KATIE  M.  BOLLAND 

My  parents,  August  Garz  and  Albertina  Lenz 
Garz,  came  from  Stettin,  Pommerania,  Germany  in 
about  1892.  They  settled  in  Hoskins,  Nebraska  where 
I  was  bom  October  25,  1894.  We  came  to  Idaho  in 
1901.  We  stayed  with  the  Charles  Mackcrts  in  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho  for  ten  days.  We  rented  a  farm  from 
Carl  F.  Lenz  and  stayed  with  them  until  the  buildings 
were  built  on  the  farm  which  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  Squirrel.    I  went  to  school  at  Squirrel.    The 


schcx)l  was  a  log  building.  I  remember  going  tx)  St, 
Anthony  for  our  supplies  when  we  first  came  to  Idaho 
because  Ashton  hadn't  started  at  that  time.  I  helped 
on  the  farm  until  1916  then  I  went  to  McGill, 
Nevada.  I  worked  there  in  the  smelters  until  the  first 
world  war.  I  went  into  the  army  June  24,  1918  and 
was  stationed  at  Camp  Lewis,  Washington.  I  went 
overseas  August  1,  1918,  served  nine  months  overseas 
and  was  wounded  October  4,  1918.  I  was  in  the 
occupation  army  in  Germany  fi"om  December,  1918 
to  the  end  of  April,  1919.  I  was  discharged  May  15, 
1919  and  came  back  and  worked  on  the  farm  and  was 
a  ditch  rider  for  a  while. 

On  March  28,  1920, 1  married  Katie  Holland. 
We  lived  on  the  Garz  farm  until  1936  when  we  moved 
to  Ashton.  Our  three  children,  Mary,  Evelyn  and 
William  (Dan)  were  bom  while  we  were  living  on  the 
farm.  Evelyn  passed  away  May  1942  when  she  was  15 
years  old.  Our  first  home  in  Ashton  was  the  Bronc 
Sparkman  house.  In  1944  we  moved  to  another 
home  which  was  Mrs.  Hattie  McKerigan's  house. 
This  is  where  we  live  today. 

When  we  first  came  to  Idaho  there  were  lots 
of  cowboys  here.  I  remember  riding  with  them  one 
day  to  round  up  cattle.  Toward  evening  my  pony  and 
I  started  back  home  and  came  to  a  closed  gate.  I 
couldn't  open  it  so  I  sat  down  and  cried  until  Roy 
Moore  came  along  and  opened  it  and  let  me  through. 
Children:  Mary  Garz  Savage  and  William  (Dan)  Garz. 

By  Mary  Garz 

KATIE  M.  BOLLAND 

I  was  bom  in  Concordia,  Missouri,  January  3, 
1897,  to  Henry  Claus  Holland  and  Kathcrine 
Ohrenbcrg  Holland.  I  was  baptized  in  the  Lutheran 
Church  February  9,  1897.  There  were  three  boys  and 
three  girls  in  our  family.  I  was  the  second  youngest.  I 
started  school  in  Missouri  when  I  was  7  years  old.  I 
was  9  when  we  came  to  Idaho  on  April  9,  1906. 

We  stayed  with  George  and  Sarah  Harrigfeld 
for  about  a  week  until  our  train  car  came  from 
Missouri.  My  father  came  with  the  train  car.  When 
we  came  to  Idaho  the  Squirrel  Post  Office  was  there. 
Ashton  was  very  small  at  that  time.  There  were  only 
about  four  buildings.  I  remember  a  cafe,  a  bar  and 
the  Moore  and  Fuller  Real  Estate  Office. 

We  lived  on  several  different  farms,  and  in 
1919  my  parents  bought  farms  along  Squirrel  Creek 
from  Tom  Sheetz  and  Bill  Stronks.  I  lived  with  them 
until  March  28,  1920  when  I  married  Bill  Garz.  My 
life  as  a  homemaker  and  mother  has  been  a  busy  one. 
While  on  the  farm  I  did  many  washings  on  a 
washboard,  did  a  lot  of  cooking  and  baking  for  my 
family,  hired  hands  and  threshers.  I  have  enjoyed 
working  in  my  garden  and  with  my  flowers.  I  worked 
in  the  seed  houses  for  five  winters  where  I  met  many 
Ashton  people.  For  the  last  few  years  I  have  been 
pretty  well  confined  to  my  home  because  of  arthritis. 
I  look  forward  to  visits  with  my  family,  which  includes 


two  grandchildren,  Lisa  and  Mike,  and  fiiends. 

By  permission  of  Snake  River  Echoes 
By  Katie  M.  (Bolland)  Garz 

DANIEL  HENRY  GIBSON 

and 

MARTHA  MAE  HOLLINGSWORTH 


152 


Daniel  Henry,  Marion  Hanimon,  Hortcnsc, 
Mac  HoUingsworth  Gibson 

Daniel  Henry  Gibson,  son  of  Daniel  Henry 
Gibson  and  Harriet  Persis  Tanner,  was  born  4  June 
1876  in  South  Cottonwood,  Utah.  Daniel  was  the 
only  child  by  this  marriage.  He  was  four  years  old 
when  his  mother  was  remarried  to  John  Orr.  By  this 
marriage,  Dan  had  two  brothers  and  five  sisters.  He 
grew  up  in  a  happy  home.  He  and  his  stepfather  had  a 
very  good  relationship  and  worked  well  together.  His 
father  had  a  herd  of  sheep.  In  the  summer  his  mother 
would  take  the  children  and  go  with  the  father  to  herd 
the  sheep.  The  father  would  divide  the  ewes  from  the 
bucks  and  she  and  Daniel  would  keep  the  bucks  in 
another  area.  She  would  arrange  a  place  under  a  tree 
and  read  to  the  children  and  watch  them  at  play. 
Daniel  was  a  great  help  to  her.  The  sheep  would 
hover  dose  by. 

Dan  attended  school  at  South  Cottonwood. 
He,  being  older,  became  close  to  his  mother  and 
helped  her  and  she  depended  on  him  while  his  father 
was  away  from  home.  He  was  good  to  his  mother  all 
his  life. 

While  his  father  was  out  with  the  sheep,  he 
received  word  his  son  John  was  sick.  He  left  his  herd 
for  others  to  take  care  of.  He  was  needed  at  home  for 
some  time  and  when  he  returned  to  his  herd,  many  of 
the  sheep  had  died  fi-om  a  disease  and  rustlers  made 
off"  with  what  was  left. 

After  this  terrible  loss,  Daniel  and  his  father 
came  to  Farnum,  Idaho,  an  area  that  was  open  for 
homesteading.  This  was  in  1898.  Each  one  filed  on  a 
homestead  claim  at  the  land  office  in  Blackfoot,  Idaho. 
They  built  a  log  house  on  Dan's  property,  and  made 


some  improvements  on  his  father's  place  before  going 
back  to  Cottonwood  to  get  the  rest  of  the  family. 

When  they  returned  July  1899  to  Famum, 
they  lived  in  Dan's  house.  The  next  spring,  they 
moved  in  two  wagons  and  his  mother  brought  her 
little  buggy  and  horse,  that  she  had  driven  to  her 
obstetric  and  nursing  classes  from  Cottonwood  to  Salt 
Lake  City.  That  fall,  they  moved  to  Chester  so  the 
children  could  go  to  school. 

While  living  in  Chester,  his  father  died  19 
March  1901  leaving  his  mother  with  seven  children. 
Dan,  Persis  and  John  were  adults,  the  other  children 
were  ages  14  to  1  year.  Dan,  John  and  Stewart  were 
great  help  to  their  mother,  in  proving  on  their 
homestead  rights.  Daniel  attended  Ricks  Academy  at 
Rexburg  in  1903  for  one  year. 

Daniel  met  Martha  Mac  Hollingsworth  of 
Preston  at  Farnum.  She  had  come  to  live  with  her 
sister,  Emma  Green  wife  of  Wilmer  Cadmus  Green. 
Dan  and  Mae  were  married  14  March  1906  at 
Marysville. 

In  October  1907,  they  took  Marion 
Hammon  to  care  for.  Marion's  mother,  Lodemia 
Williams  Hammon,  (was  a  niece  of  Mae  Gibson),  had 
passed  away  and  Marion's  father,  Jonathan  (Daunt) 
Hammon,  couldn't  take  care  of  the  children  as  he  was 
a  freighter,  and  gone  most  of  the  time,and  ask  Mae 
and  Dan  if  they  would  take  care  of  him  until  he  was 
able  to  provide  a  home  for  his  children  again.  Dan 
and  Mae  raised  him  except  for  a  few  times  he  would 
spend  with  his  father.  They  enjoyed  Marion  very 
much  and  treated  and  loved  him  as  their  own  son. 

It  was  ten  years  before  Dan  and  Mae 
welcomed  a  baby  girl  into  their  home.  Hortensc  was 
bom  May  16,1915.  What  a  joy  and  comfort  she  was 
to  them  all  her  life,  as  she  was  their  only  child. 

Dan  had  many  positions  in  the  Famum  Ward 
acting  as  Sunday  School  Secretary  of  the  Farnum 
Branch  1904-1906;  Ward  Clerk  to  James  Green  when 
James  was  presiding  Elder  over  the  Famum  Branch; 
and  Ward  Clerk  for  Bishop  E.  Morrison,  the  first 
Bishop,  1906-1913.  He  was  second  Counselor  to 
Bishop  Brigham  Murdoch,  Feb.  14, 1914  and  released 
October  1919. 

In  November  1919,  Dan  and  Mae  sold  their 
homestead  and  moved  with  Brigham  and  Thomas  T. 
Murdoch  to  Rupert.  Prospects  looked  very  good  and 
they  bought  a  farm.  The  first  year  there  they  did  very 
well.  They  raised  good  crops  and  got  a  good  price  for 
them.  The  next  year  was  a  drought  and  they  didn't 
recover  their  seed  and  the  recession  and  hard  times  set 
in  and  they  didn't  raise  enough  from  their  crops  to 
make  the  payment  on  their  place  so  they  lost  their 
farm  and  decided  to  move  back  to  Fremont  County 
21  April  1922.  They  didn't  have  their  farm  at  Famum 
to  go  back  to  so  they  settled  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 

Their  friends,  the  Murdochs,  came  back  to 
Famum.  They  had  lost  their  land  at  Rupert  also. 

After  moving  back  to  St.  Anthony,  Daniel 
worked  at  various  places.    He  worked  for  the  Union 


153 


Pacific  Railroad.  He  also  worked  for  the  city  of  St. 
Anthony  and  read  water  meters.  He  was  custodian  of 
the  Yellowstone  Stake  Tabernacle  for  quite  a  few 
years  and  lived  in  the  house  behind  the  tabemacle. 
He  was  a  good  friend  and  neighbor  and  always 
concerned  over  his  family  and  his  mother.  At  the 
time  of  his  death,  on  the  14  November  1950,  at  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho,  his  mother  was  94  years  old. 

Their  daughter,  Hortense,  married  Willis 
Weskamp  and  lived  in  Jackson  many  years. 

MARTHA  MAE  HOLLrNGSWORTH 

Martha  Mae  Hollingsworth  Gibson,  daughter 
of  Elam  and  Martha  Kcetch  Hollingsworth,  was  bom 
November  14,  1884,  at  Preston,  Idaho.  The 
youngest  of  Thirteen  children. 

Her  parents  joined  the  L.D.S.  Church  in 
Nebraska.  Her  grandparents  had  been  Quakers. 
After  their  coversion  to  the  L.D.S.  Church  they 
migrated  to  Preston,  Idaho.  There  were  many 
hardships  leaving  loved  ones  and  friends.  Their 
families  hadn't  approved  their  descision  of  going 
west  and  their  new  found  faith.  They  had  burried 
four  small  children  under  eight  years  of  age  in 
Nabraska.  It  took  a  lot  of  courage  for  them  to  make 
this  descision.  Five  more  children  were  bom  to  them 
after  they  moved  to  Preston. 

Mae's  mother  died  when  she  was  fourteen 
years  old.  She  went  to  school  until  she  was  ten  years 
old  and  then  attended  the  Oneida  Stake  acadamy 
until  she  was  fifteen. 

When  her  father  re-married  to  Martha 
Carlson,  Mae's  older  sister  Emma  wrote  and  asked 
her  to  come  to  live  with  her  and  her  husband,  they 
were  living  in  Farnum,  Idaho  about  1904.  While 
living  with  them  she  met  and  married  Daniel  Gibson 
March  14,  1906.  Daniel  had  homesteaded  land  and 
built  a  home  on  it  when  he  first  started  proving  on 
his  homestead. 

In  about  1907  Jonathan  Marion  Hammon 
came  to  live  with  them.  Dan  and  May  accepted  the 
little  orphan  boy  into  their  home  and  loved  him  as 
their  own  and  blessed  his  life  until  he  was  able  to  be 
on  his  own  and  set  a  good  example  for  him.  He  did 
visit  and  be  with  his  father  as  circumstances  permited. 

In  Mae's  history  she  states, "On  May  16, 
1915,  our  home  was  made  happy  again  by  a  bright 
brown  eyed  girl,  we  named  her  Hortensc.  We  had 
been  married  about  10  years  and  she  sure  was 
welcome  into  our  home  at  Famum". 

She  rode  on  the  first  train  that  went  to 
Ashton.  Dan  met  her  at  the  train  and  they  attended 
the  celebrarion  that  was  held  that  evening,  celebraring 
the  first  run  on  that  branch  of  the  Oregon  Short 
Line. 

Mae  loved  her  Heavenly  Father  and  was 
always  faithful  in  her  service  to  him  throughout  her 
life.  She  stated  how  much  she  loved  teaching  the 
little  children. 


Mac  was  a  faithful  pioneer  wife.  When  Daniel 
approached  her  on  the  matter  of  moving  to  Rupert, 
she  accepted  the  challenge,  and  gave  up  her  home  she 
loved  so  much.  In  1919  they  sold  their  homestead 
and  moved  to  Rupert  with  other  families  from 
Farnum.  Little  did  they  realize  there  would  be  a 
recession  and  it  would  come  so  quickly.  There  was 
crop  failure  the  following  year  and  no  jobs  available, 
and  the  banks  went  broke  and  no  way  to  recover  their 
losses.  In  1922  the  Murdoch's  and  Dan  and  Mac 
returned  to  Fremont  County.  Brig  and  Thomas 
(Tom)  Murdoch  and  femilies  returned  to  Farnum  and 
Dan  and  Mae  went  to  St.  Anthony  to  live. 
Daniel  became  the  custodian  of  the  L.D.S.  Stake 
tabernacle  and  the  church  had  a  home  on  the  grounds 
for  the  custodian.  It  was  a  nice  house  and 
comfortable  for  them. 

After  Hortence  had  grown  Mae  took 
employment  at  the  St.  Anthony  laundry,  and  also 
worked  at  the  local  hospital  in  StAnthony  for  some 
time.  Life  was  hard  for  these  early  pioneers  and  it  left 
it's  toll  on  their  bodies.  Her  life's  companion  passed 
away  November  14,  1950. 

Sources 

(1)  007,455  Farnum  Ward  Records 

(2)  1910  Census  records.  Upland  District  Fremont 
County,  Idaho 

(3)  Hortensc  Gibson,  daughter 

(4)  Brigham  Murdoch  history 

(5)  Descendants  of  Nathan  Tanner  Sr. 

(6)  Memories  of  a  sister  Gladys  Hill 

JONATHAN  MARION  DAUNT  MAMMON 

My  father,  Jonathan  Marion  Daunt  Hammon, 
was  born  on  November  17,  1906,  in  East  Wilford, 
Idaho,  to  Jonathan  Marion  and  Lodcma  Amelia 
Williams  Hammon.  He  was  the  youngest  of  six 
children.  The  other  children  were:  Lindsay  Deloss, 
bom  in  1895;  Levi,  born  in  1897;  Jennie,  born  in 
1899;  Polly,  bom  in  1901;  and  Maud,  bom  in  1903. 

In  the  spring,  after  father  was  born,  his 
parents  moved  with  their  young  family  to  Roy,  Utah, 
to  work  with  grandfather's  older  brother,  Levi  (Lee) 
on  his  ranch  there.  While  there  Grandmother 
Lodema  became  ill  with  typhoid  fever  and  passed  away 
on  September  30,  1907.  Father  was  only  ten  months 
old  at  the  time.  Grandfather  leamed  of  Dan  and  Mae 
Gibson  who  were  living  in  Farnum,  Idaho  at  this  time, 
and  grandfather  asked  them  if  they  would  care  for  his 
baby  son.  They  accepted  and  loved  and  cared  for 
father  as  their  own.  When  father  was  seven  years  -id, 
the  Gibsons  were  blessed  with  the  birth  of  a  baby  girl. 
They  named  her  Hortense;  this  further  blessed  father's 
life  to  have  a  Httle  sister.  On  father's  birthday  in 
November  of  1908,  their  first  family  reunion  was  held 
at  the  Gibson's  in  Farnum.  Their  first  family 
photograph  was  taken  at  this  time.  Father  also 
developed  a  great  love  and  respect  for  Dan  Gibson's 


154 


mother  Harriet  Pcrsis  Tanner  Watson.  She  was  a  dear 
pioneer  midwife  with  many  experiences.  She  gathered 
father  under  her  wing  and  was  especially  kind  and 
nurturing.  This  love  and  kindness  was  remembered 
and  appreciated  by  father  the  rest  of  his  life.  The  next 
family. group  photo  was  taken  in  1917  when  Deloss 
was  called  to  serve  in  the  Army  in  World  War  I.  Levi 
was  also  called  to  serve  in  the  war. 

Father  again  spent  some  time  with  his  father 
when  he  was  12  years  old.  He  spent  16  pleasant  and 
memorable  months  with  his  father  and  brothers  and 
sisters.  His  father  wanted  him  to  complete  his 
education  so  he  again  spent  time  with  the  Gibsons. 
He  did  spend  summers  working  with  his  father 
building  and  maintaining  roads  in  the  Yellowstone 
Park  and  Jackson  Hole  area.  He  leamed  to  love  that 
beautiful  country  and  developed  a  real  bond  with  his 
father  during  these  times.  He  did  complete  his  high 
school  education  while  staying  with  the  Gibsons  who 
now  resided  in  St.  Anthony.  Father  met  Gladys  Marie 
Smith  through  their  association  with  the  Mutual 
Improvement  Association  activities  in  the  LDS 
Church.  After  she  completed  her  registered  nurse 
training  in  Idaho  Falls,  they  were  married  on 
November  20,  1931,  in  the  Logan  LDS  Temple. 

Even  though  Father  and  Mother  later  moved 
to  Salt  Lake  City  and  to  Southern  Utah,  they  had 
strong  emotional  ties  with  beloved  friends  and 
relatives  in  Idaho.  I  believe  that  the  last  time  father 
returned  to  St.  Anthony  was  to  attend  the  funeral 
service  for  Ida  Garrett,  who  was  a  niece  to 
Grandmother  Mae  Gibson.  She  had  always  been  a 
dear  friend  to  him,  and  they  had  made  an  agreement 
some  years  earlier  that  the  one  to  survive  the  other 
would  attend  the  service  for  the  one  to  rctum  home 
first.  It  was  important  to  him  to  keep  that  promise. 
He  also  had  a  real  love  and  rcspca  for  Dan  Gibson's 
sister,  Gladys  Orr  Hill. 

Father  and  mother  had  six  daughters:  Rose 
Elise,  bom  October  11,  1932,  and  married  to  Joseph 
S.  Jessop;  Maureen,  bom  October  II,  1933,  and 
married  to  James  Simper;  Ruth  Marie,  born 
November  14,  1938,  and  married  to  Alvin  S.  Barlow; 
Norma,  bom  January  17,  1943,  and  married  to  Allen 
W.  Steed;  Gladys  Ann,  bora  March  25,  1946,  and 
married  to  Joseph  C.  Zitting;  and  Julia,  bom  March 
18,  1948,  not  married. 

Mother  spent  her  years  in  nurturing  and 
caring  for  her  family  and  in  tending  for  the  sick  and 
injured.  Mother  was  a  registered  nurse.  When  she 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  67,  on  December  13,  1975, 
she  left  a  wonderful  legacy  of  compassion  and  an 
example  of  gradousness  and  dignity. 

Father  had  a  dynamic  personality  and  did  not 
live  his  life  passively.  He  was  a  man  of  conviction  and 
stood  by  the  principles  he  felt  were  right — ^this  he  did 
at  great  sacrifice.  Father  suffered  from  diabetes  in  his 
later  years  and  died  from  complications  of  this  disease 
on  August  24,  1988,  at  the  age  of  81. 

By  Ruth  Hammon  Barlo,  a  daughter 


JAMES  ALVIN  GILES 

and 
MARGARET  GIBSON 

James  Alvin  Giles  was  the  son  of  William  M. 
and  Ann  Murdoch  Giles.  He  was  bom  April  18,  1885 
at  Heber  City,  Utah.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  Heber 
and  met  Margaret  Ann  Gibson  and  were  married 
October  31,  1905.  Margaret  was  bom  28  feb  1888, 
died  8  March,  1956. 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Mary  Ann  b  1906 

md-  Willian  T.  Larson 

2)  James  Don  b  1907 
md-  Elizabeth  Peterson 

3)  CUfford  Alvin  b  1909 
md-  Phoebe  Helen  Hale 

4)  William  Guy  b  1911 
md-  Zona  Laprielc  Carrell 

5)  Christena  M.  b  1913 
md-  William  Brundage 

6)  Thomas  B.  b  1915 
md-  child 

7)  Rachel  Ann  b  1916 
md-  Charles  Edwards 

8)  Rex  Angus  b  1918 
md-  Pmdence  A.  Porritt 

9) John  B.  b  1924 

md-  Margaret  M.  Harris 

10)Betty  Jean  b  1928 

md-  Edward  J.  Jenkins 


d-  1988 

d-  1967 

d-  1973 

d-  1930 

d- 

d-  1915 

d- 

d- 

d- 

d- 


EBENEZER  DEXTER  GOULD 


Ebcnczcr  (Ed)  Dexter  Gould  III 


C.C.  Moore  brought  a  train  car  of  people 
from  Holt  County,  Missouri  for  the  purpose  of  filing 
on  homesteads. 

Ebcnezer  Dexter  Gould  HI  (E.D.  Gould),  son 
of  Albert  Eugene  Gould  and  Sarah  Ellen  Fryman 
Gould,  was  born  July  25,  1884  at  Mound  City, 
Missouri.  He  was  one  of  the  individuals  that  came  on 
the  train.    He  was  18  years  old  and  had  to  lie  about 


his  age,  so  he  could  take  out  a  homestead,  which  was 
located  in  Drummond. 

In  early  1950,  he  sold  his  dry  farm  and  moved 
to  a  small  place  in  St.  Anthony,  where  he  Uvcd  out  his 
life. 

He  was  a  deputy  sheriff  for  a  while.  He  died 
December  22,  1963  and  is  buried  in  the  Benton 
Cemetery  near  Mound  dty,  Missouri,  where  he  was 
bom. 

By:  Darrell  Gibson,  a  nephew 

BRYCE  GOULDING 

and 

LUCILE  MILLER 


155 


Bryce  and  Lucille  Goulding 

Daniel  Bryce  Goulding  was  born  11  April 
1908  in  Twin  Groves,  the  son  of  Samuel  Evan 
Goulding  and  Barbara  Ellen  Thompson.  At  an  early 
age  he  proved  to  be  quite  mechanical  minded.  It 
seemed  throughout  his  life,  he  could  fix  things  when 
no  one  else  could. 

Lucile  was  born  in  a  cabin  in  Parker,  7 
November  1911,  a  daughter  of  David  Edgar  Jr.  and 
Janette  Laurene  Crapo  Miller.  She  always  enjoyed 
music.  When  she  attended  Ricks  College,  she  was 
able  to  take  part  in  some  of  the  operas  that  were 
presented. 

Bryce  and  Lucile  met  on  a  blind  date  and 
were  later  married,  1  July  1931,  in  the  Logan  Temple. 
Young  couples,  in  these  depression  years,  had  some 
very  trying  times. 

Bryce  tried  his  luck  at  farming  in  different 
places  and  in  1935  moved  to  the  Chris  Christiansen 
place  about  three  miles  cast  of  Drummond  on  Conant 
Creek.  They  came  to  Church  to  the  Famum  Ward. 
Snow  in  the  winter  prevented  them  from  attending 
regularly,  but  they  took  part  in  the  summer  months. 
Lucile  worked  with  Primary  children  and  enjoyed 
taking  part  in  the  music. 

In  1938,  they  moved  to  a  farm  in  Wilford. 
They  were  here  for  about  seven  years.  After  this  Bryce 
ran  a  sawmill  in  Kilgore,  and  later  in  Island  Park.  He 
also  built  cabins  in  the  area.  During  the  winter,  he 
hauled  potatoes  to  the  St.  anthony  Starch  Co.  Lucile 
worked  at  J.  C.  Penney  Company  and  did  alterations 
and  sewing  for  other  people. 


In  1971,  their  children  had  all  left  St. 
Anthony  to  work  elsewhere,  and  three  of  them  were 
living  in  Kennewick,  Washington  area.  Bryce  and 
Ludlc  decided  to  sell  out  in  St.  Anthony,  and  try  their 
luck  at  grape  farming  in  Kennewick.  A  chemical  drift 
from  a  nearby  plant  killed  the  grapes.  They  returned 
to  St.  Anthony  and  Bryce  drilled  wells  for  Kent 
Remington  in  the  Hog  Hollow  area.  He  passed  away 
with  a  heart  attack,  22  April  1977.  Ludle  went  back 
to  Washington  for  a  while,  but  returned  to  St. 
Anthony  where  her  lifelong  friends  were.  She  once 
again  did  alterations  and  sewing  until  her  eyesight 
started  to  fail  her.  She  passed  away  29  January  1990. 

They  had  seven  children.  The  oldest,  Larell, 
was  killed  in  a  car- motorcycle  accident  in  1952. 


CHILDREN: 

(l)TflReli 

b-  1933 

d-  1952 

(2)  Sherman  (twin) 

b-  1935 

d-  1991 

md-  Nola  Nyborg 

(3)  Sharon  (twin) 

b-  1935 

md-  Clarence  Kuykendall 

(4)T;me 

b-  1938 

(5)  Gwenna 

b-  1945 

md-  Stan  Mason 

(6)  Bonnie 

b-  1950 

(7)  Tre,s,sa 

b-  1952 

By 

Willa  Bagley 

1st  gen.  WILLARD  GREEN 

and 

ROSAMOND  SPRAGUE 


Willard  and  Rosamond  Famum  Spraguc  Green 

Willard  Green  was  bom  May  3,  1819,  at  Lyle, 
Broom  County,  New  York.  He  married  in  1848, 
Rosamond  Famum  Sprague,  the  daughter  of  Festus 
Sprague  and  Barbara  Lindenburger.  She  was  bom  11 
May  1823,  at  Olive  Green,  Delaware  County,  Ohio, 
(Her  father  Festus  Sprague  was  killed  by  lightning 
before  she  was  born  and  her  Mother  married  his 
brother  Silas  Sprague). 


156 


Willard  and  Rosamond  were  living  in  the  back 
woods  of  Delaware  Coimty,  Ohio,  when  their  first 
child,  Silas  Sprague  Green  was  bom  February  18, 
1849. 

Willard  was  a  man  of  powerful  stature,  6ft. 
8",  350  lbs.,  dark  hair,  and  a  fiill  beard  with  peirdng 
eyes  and  a  strong  character.  He  was  a  great  force  for 
good  wherever  he  went  and  was  kind  to  everyone  and 
every  thing.  They  moved  to  Rossville,  Alamakee 
County,  Iowa,  where  the  rest  of  their  children  were 
born,  except  Rosamond  Mercy  who  was  born  at 
Grantsville,  Tooele  County,  Utah  on  June  7,  1866. 

Willard  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  and 
his  wife  joined  the  L.D.S.  church,  in  1864  and 
emigrated  to  Utah  in  the  summer  of  about  1865. 
Soon  after  their  arrival  in  Utah  they  settled  in 
Grantsville,  Tooele  County,  Utah  where  they  lived  for 
a  number  of  years. 

They  finally  moved  to  Idaho  settling  near  the 
town  of  Marysville  in  Fremont  County.  The 
settlement  became  Famum.  The  farmers  in  the  vicinity 
built  a  schoolhouse  and  Mrs.  Green  taught  school 
there  a  few  years.  The  school  district  was  named  for 
her  middle  name  of  Famum.  Her  son  opened  a  store 
and  Post  Office  and  named  the  Post  Office  Farnum 
for  his  Mother's  middle  name. 

Rosamond  Farnum  Sprague  Green  died  31 
December  1904  at  Famum  and  buried  in  the  Famum- 
Drummond  Cemetery. 

Willard  Green  died  at  Preston,  Idaho 
November  10,  1892  at  the  age  of  83. 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Silas  Sprague  b-  1849  d-  1914 

md-  Laura  Caroline  Gibbons 

2)  Emerson  Ebcnezer     b-  1850  d-  1914 

md-  Mary  Lucinda  Weatherby 

3)  Eveline  Miller  b-  1853  d- 

md-  Joseph  Gideon  Williams 

4)  Lucinda  Barbara         b-  1856  d-  1916 

md-  David  Weatherby  Sr. 

5)  Lovisa  Philena  b-  1858  d-  1888 

md-  George  Domincus  Carter 

6)  James  Willard  b- 1860  d- 1928 

md-(l)  Cynthia  Janet  Head 
(2)  Betsy  Jane  Meservey 

7)  Wilmer  Cadmus         b-  1862  d-  1932 

md-  Emma  Hollingsworth 

8)  Rosamond  Mercy       b-  1866  d-  1892 

md-  Nehum  Boyd  Porter 


2nd  gen.  SILAS  SPRAGUE  GREEN 

and 

LAURA  CAROLINE  GIBBONS 

Silas  Sprague  Green  was  bom  Febmary  18, 
1849,  Hillian,  Knox  County,  Ohio.  The  son  of 
Willard  and  Rosamond  Famum  Sprague  Green.  He 
was  4  years  old  when  his  family  moved  to  Rossville, 
Alamakee  County,  Iowa,  and  17  when  they  went  to 
Grantsville,  Tooele  County,  Utah,  on  June  7, 1866. 


WMmm 
Silas  S.  and  Laura  Caroline  Gibbons  Green 

Silas  was  23  when  he  married  Laura  Caroline 
Gibbons  on  October  21,  1872,  in  Salt  lake  City.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  William  Gibbons  and  Mary  Wilkes. 
She  was  born  March  24,  1855,  in  Rhondda, 
Glamorganshire,  Cardiff,  Wales.  About  1880  Silas 
Sprague  Green,  along  with  his  wife  Laura  Gibbons, 
moved  from  Laketown,  Rich  County,  Utah  to 
Preston,  Franklin  County,  Idaho.  About  1894  they 
moved  to  Wilford,  Fremont  County,  Idaho.  About 
1896  they  moved  to  Marysville,  Fremont  County, 
Idaho.  About  1904  they  moved  to  Famum,  Fremont, 
Idaho  with  their  three  youngest  children,  Chester, 
Naomi,  and  Ruth. 

He  was  a  natural  pioneer  and  when  anyone 
moved  into  his  backyard  he  moved  on.  He  was  a  large 
man  like  his  father  Willard  but  not  quite  as  tall.  He 
and  Laura  (his  wife)  were  among  some  of  the  earliest 
settlers  into  Laketown,  Preston,  Wilford,  Marysville 
and  Famum. 

He  built  a  store  at  Famum  about  1904.  The 
building  was  made  of  finished  lumber,  with  a  tall 
square  front  painted  white  with  a  big  sign  GENERAL 
STORE  on  the  fi-ont. 

The  store  was  of  the  general  kind  on  the 
frontier  and  sold  quite  a  wide  selecrion  of  articles, 
needed  by  the  residents  in  the  rural  area. 

Silas  was  known  to  be  helpful,  honest  and 
gave  credit  to  many  of  those  who  needed  it  for  lean 
times  on  die  fkrms. 

The  Post  OflSce  was  a  fourth  class  Post  Office, 
which  meant  that  payment  came  from  the  value  of 
stamps  "canceled"  with  the  Farnum  seal.  With 
"penny  post  cards  and  two-cent  letter  stamps",  plus 
accepting  money  for  "Postal  Savings"  (paying  2%  per 


year  to  the  owner),  and  sorting  the  mail,  this  furnished 
a  small  but  steady  income.  Naomi  and  Ruth  did  most 
of  the  Post  Office  work  and  helped  in  the  store. 

Naomi  and  Ruth  both  finished  the  eighth 
grade  in  the  Farnum  School.  Ruth  moved  from 
Famum  about  1914  when  her  father  died. 

Ruth  married  Max  Marotz  of  Grecnrimber, 
they  raised  a  family  of  two  girls,  Claudia,  born  20 
May,  1940  and  married  Gary  Virgin  and  they  live  in 
Twin  Groves,  Idaho.  Margo  was  bom  28  February 
1942  and  married  C.  Rcdge  Smith  and  lives  Northeast 
of  Ash  ton. 

Silas  died  December  5,  1914,  in  Camas, 
Idaho,  he  and  his  wife  Laura  are  buried  in  the 
Famum-Drummond  Cemetery  on  the  hill  overlooking 
the  beautiful  valley  they  helped  to  settle. 

Sources: 

(1)  Famum  Ward  records. 

(2)  Family  records  of  Farriel  Green  son  of  Wilmer 
Cadmus  Green. 

(3)  Family  records  of  Chlco  M.  Smith  Gledhill  (a 
native  of  Squirrel)  and  grandaughter  of  Silas  Sprague 
Green. 

CHILDREN: 


1)  Silas  Oscar  b-  1873 

md-  Carrie  L.  Sheppherd 

2)  Mary  Rosamond         b- 1875 

md-  Stephen  Davis 

3)  WiUard  b-  1877 

4)  Elizabeth  b-  1879 

5)  William  B.  b-  1881 

md-  Elizabeth  Brown 

6)  Laura  b-  1883 

md-  Arvid  Anderson 

7)  Herbert  b-  1885 

8)  Chester  b-  1888 

md-  Edith  Strong 

9)  Alma  b-  1891 
10)Viola  b-  1892 
ll)Hyrum  b-  1893 
12)Naomi  b-  1895 

md-  Leo  Earl  Smith 
(13)Ruth  b-  1897 

md-  (l)Amold  Thomas, 
md-  (2)Max  Marotz 


d-  1931 


d- 


d-  1979  Infant 
d- 

d-  1935 

d-  1921 

d- 1933 

d-  1891  Infant 
d-  1892  Infant 
d-  1894  Infant 
d- 1937 

d-  1964 


157 


RECOLLECTIONS  OF  VAUGHN  DAVIS 

son  of 

3rd  gen.  MARY  ROSAMOND  GREEN 

and 

STEPHEN  DAVIS 

A  brief  recollecrion  of  the  Silas  and  Laura 
Green  family:  They  lived  in  Farnum  in  the  early 
1900's,  had  a  residence  and  store  with  a  post  office  on 
the  banks  of  Fall  River,  very  near  the  bridge,  across 
the  river,  later  owned  by  Jim  Hill. 


They  had  five  sons:  Oscar,  who  moved  to 
Teton  Basin;  W.  B.  or  William,  who  farmed  for  many 
years  in  Farnum,  his  wife  carried  mail  from  Farnum  to 
Drummond  then  to  Squirrel  for  many  years.  He  later 
moved  to  Judkins,  then  to  Chester  where  he  died; 
Willard,  who  worked  for  a  sheep  rancher  in  Dubois  all 
his  life,  he  never  married;  Herbert  and  Chester,  who 
worked  on  farms  aroimd  Ash  ton,  both  died  young, 
Herbert  never  married.  They  had  four  daughters: 
Mary  Rosamond,  who  married  Steve  Davis  and  had  a 
family  of  nine;  Laura,  who  married  Arvid  Anderson 
and  had  a  family  of  five;  Naomi,  who  married  Earl 
Smith  and  had  a  family  of  three;  Ruth,  the  youngest. 
All  have  passed  away  and  arc  buried  in  the  Ashton  or 
Lillian  (just  west  of  Drummond)  cemeteries. 

I  shall  detail  Aunt  Ruth's  life.  She  lived  in 
with  our  family  on  and  off  through  the  years.  She 
was  a  very  special  person  to  me  and  a  willing 
counselor  to  both  Helen  and  me.  I  loved  her  very 
much.  She  filled  a  special  niche  in  my  heart.  She 
went  through  high  school  in  Ashton  then  somehow 
got  a  business  school  education.  Life  had  to  be  very 
hard  for  her.  Her  father  died  when  she  was  very 
young.  After  business  school,  it  was  better  for  her. 
She  rented  a  small  house  and  her  mother  lived  with 
here,  later  Herbert  moved  in  and  she  cared  for  him 
until  he  died  (he  had  a  fatal  disease,  he  coughed 
himself  to  death). 

She  went  along  this  way,  caring  for  grandma 
for  several  years.  Then  Arnold  Thomas  came  to 
Ashton.  He  was  a  very  dashing  fellow.  They  were 
married  and  had  a  son.  Tommy.  He  had  a  cleft 
palate,  which  made  it  very  hard  for  him.  Arnold  was 
a  good-for-nothing  irresponsible  person.  One 
morning  he  just  left.  Things  went  along  for  several 
years,  then  in  1930  I  was  going  to  Portland.  Aunt 
Ruth  went  with  me.  I  dropped  her  off  on  the  way 
and  she  met  Arnold,  it  didn't  work.  She  was  back  in 
Ashton  in  a  few  months.  She  also  had  a  girl  named 
Ruth  Louise  who  died  when  she  was  very  young. 
Tommy  ended  up  with  his  father. 

She  worked  a  few  years  after  she  came  back 
then  met  and  married  Max  Marotz.  Her  life  had 
been  stressful,  hard,  destitute  and  filled  with  much 
unhappiness. 

Now  a  fairytale  ending.  She  had  one  of  the 
best  men  in  the  world.  He  gave  her  love, 
companionship,  respect,  travel,  good  times,  an 
abundance  of  this  world's  goods,  plus  a  beautiful 
house  just  like  she  wanted,  everything  every  good 
woman  wants,  but  not  many  get.  They  had  two 
beautiful  daughters  which  was  the  crowning 
achievement  of  their  lives. 

She  was  truly  a  great  lady,  made  so  by  the 
school  of  hard  knocks.  She  knew  sorrow, 
disappointments,  frustration,  hard  work,  and  poverty. 
She  was  loving,  kind,  forgiving,  grateful,  thankful, 
proud,  ambitious,  humble  and,  I  believe,  king  of  all 
her  laudable  characteristics  was  her  tremendous 
capacity  to  love. 


I  knew  her  and  we  were  very  dose  for  many 
years.  I  loved  her  and  will  always  treasure  her 
memory,  the  times  we  shared,  the  counsel  she  gave. 
Her  influence  has  made  my  life  b>ctter.  Aunt  Ruth  was 
truly  a  great  lady. 

By:  Vaughn  Davis 

3rd  gcn.WILLIAM  LABELCHER  GREEN 

and 
ELIZABETH  BROWN 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Harold  WilUam  b-  1905-1975  Farnum 
md-  Eva  Marie  Sharp 

(2)  Lcttie  Rachel  b-  1908 
md-  Lewis  Ryle 

(3)  Clinton  b-  1910 
md-  Delie  Larson 

(4)  Harvey  Morgan  b-  1912 
md-  Evaline  Larson 

(5)  Melvin  Cleon  b-  1922 
md-  Thelma  Olavison 


d-  1925 


d-  1965 


4th  gen.  HAROLD  WILLIAM  GREEN 

and 
EVA  MARIE  SHARP 


158 


b.r.  Patty  Eva,  Doris  Marie,  Wanda  Wray,  Myrtle  Lola, 
f.r.  Eva  Marie,  Harold  W.  Green 


Harold  Green  son  of  William  L.  and  Elizabeth 
Brown  Green  was  bom  30  December  1905,  at  Farnum 
Idaho.  He  was  the  eldest  of  five  children;  (1)  Harold, 
(2)  Clinton,  (3)  Harvey,(4)  Lettie,  (5)Melvin. 

As  a  young  lad,  he  learned  his  reading, 
writing  and  arithmetic  at  the  Farnum  country  school. 
Due  to  hard  times  as  he  was  growing  up  he  only 
finished  grade  school,  but  this  didn't  keep  him  from 
having  the  desire  to  learn  new  skills  and  trades  from 
the  experiences  of  life. 

His  formative  years  were  similar  to  those  of 
most  any  other  young  lad  being  raised  on  a  form.  He 
grew  up  and  worked  on  his  Father's  farm,  and  learned 
the  value  of  a  hard  days  labor.  A  few  years  later  he 
went  to  work  for  the  railroad  at  Drummond.  Harold 
lived  with  Thomas  and  Annie  Stracken  Brown. 


Eva  Anderson  and  her  brother  George  came 
to  Drummond,  from  Canada  to  live  with  her  aimt  and 
Uncle  Thomas  and  Annie  Stracken  Brown,  her 
mother's  sister.  Eva's  parents  had  moved  from 
Gunnison,  Utah  to  Canada.  They  homestead  some 
land  and  built  a  home  near  Minnaberry,  where  Eva 
was  bom,  April  30,  1910. 

Harold  met  Eva  and  they  started  going 
together  and  were  married  November  23,  1928.  He 
took  his  bride  to  Drummond  to  live  with  his  sister 
Lettie  and  her  husband  Lewis  Ryle,  until  spring,  when 
Harold  quit  the  railroad. 

They  moved  to  Judkins  where  they  lived  with 
his  parents  until  they  could  find  a  place  of  their  own 
and  farmed  with  his  father  and  three  brothers,  in 
addition  to  farming  their  own  acreage.  His  father  and 
brothers  owned  a  threshing  machine  which  they  took 
from  farm  to  farm  during  the  harvest  season.  They 
farmed  there  11  years.  Eva's  parents  died,  Harold  and 
Eva  took  her  youngest  brother  George  and  sister 
Geneva  and  raised  them  and  put  them  through  school. 

The  spring  of  1939  they  moved  to  Parker  to 
farm,  after  a  couple  of  years  they  moved  to  Egin 
Bench  area  where  he  rented  a  farm  with  hopes  of 
buying  the  farm,  but  because  hard  times  and  couldn't 
get  financing  he  returned  to  Parker  buying  the  "Old 
Craig"  place.  Harold  was  fixing  their  car  and  had  it 
up  on  blocks  and  it  fell  off  and  broke  his  shoulder  and 
he  was  forced  to  give  up  the  farm. 

In  the  fall  of  1944  they  moved  to  St  Anthony. 
The  first  year  off  the  farm  he  drove  truck  for  the  Sugar 
factory  at  Lincoln,  Idaho.  The  following  year  he 
worked  for  the  State  of  Idaho  Highway  department. 
He  later  run  the  Phillips  66  Service  Station.  After  a 
few  years  he  sold  the  station  and  went  to  work  for  the 
Starch  Plant  for  13  years,  most  of  these  years  as 
foreman. 

In  1955,  he  had  a  heart  attack.  Eva  and  Pat 
ran  the  Cougars  Den  catering  to  the  High  School 
students  and  the  Snack  Bar  at  the  Ski  Lodge  at  Bear 
Gulch,  and  in  the  summer  months  opened  the  Snow 
cone  Drive  Inn,  across  from  the  First  Ward  Chapel. 
In  1958  Harold  returned  to  the  Starch  Plant  until 
1963,  when  he  suffered  another  heart  attack  and 
forced  him  to  retire.  It  was  hard  for  him  to  see  his 
wife  have  to  work. 

Life  brought  many  hardships,  he  accepted 
what  came  and  made  the  best  of  life.  He  loved  to  be 
surrounded  by  his  family  and  his  friends.  He  spent  a 
great  deal  of  time  out-of-doors  he  liked  to  hunt  and 
fish.  He  loved  to  catch  the  biggest  fish,  but  never 
showed  any  concern  when  he  didn't. 

Harold  was  a  member  of  the  L.D.S.  Third 
Ward  Elders  Quorum  and  found  great  satisfaction  in 
his  home  teaching  and  his  service  to  the  church. 

Harold  William  Green  was  a  gentle  man  who 
found  a  great  deal  to  be  thankful  for  during  his  69 
years  on  Earth.  But  his  crowning  achievement  was 
not  what  he  took  with  him,  but  what  he  left  behind. 
Harold  William  Green  died  December  30,  1975. 

By:  Richard  L.  Parker  son-in-Law 


159 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Doris  Marie  b- 1929 

md-  Lynn  Mortimer  Lusk 

(2)  Wanda  Wray  b-  1933 

md-  (1)  Lyle  Daniels 

(2)  Richard  Mortinsen 

(3)  Myrtie  Lola  b-  1937 

md-  (1)  Lyle  Richard  Parker 
(2)  Guy  Leisman 

(4)  Patty  Eva  b-  1940 

md-  Kenneth  Daniels 

EVA  MARIE  SHARP  GREEN 

I  was  born  April  30,  1910,  in  Cardston, 
Alberta,  Canada.  My  father  was  George  Albert  Sharp. 
My  mother  was  Geneva  Maria  Anderson  Sharp,  and 
her  father  Peter  Olaf  and  Maria  Peterson  homesteaded 
in  the  Farnum  Drummond  areas,  receiving  their 
patent  May  25,  1911,  of  80  acres.  Her  grandfather's 
name  was  Peter  Olaf  Anderson  and  her  mother's  name 
was  Maria  Peterson.  My  parents  were  both  L.  D.  S. 
when  they  immigrated  to  Canada  where  I  was  bom. 

I  had  three  brothers  that  were  bom  in  the 
States.  They  were  Albert  Joseph,  Arvil  Olaf  and 
Verden  Arell.  After  I  was  bom  my  folks  homesteaded 
on  some  ground  about  12  miles  east  of  Minnaberry, 
Canada,  and  there  my  father  built  us  a  home  and 
farmed  for  many  years. 

While  living  on  the  farm  my  father  would 
teach  the  boys,  as  there  was  no  schools  near  us. 

When  I  was  8  years  old  my  folks  moved  to 
Medicine  Hat  so  we  could  go  to  school.  My  father 
went  to  work  for  the  railroad  as  a  mechanic.  Before 
he  worked  there  too  long,  he  came  down  with  the  flu 
and  within  three  weeks  he  died.  At  that  time  the  flu 
was  so  bad  you  couldn't  go  outside  unless  you  had  a 
mask  on.  They  couldn't  have  funeral's.  There  was 
just  a  hearse  that  was  pulled  by  black  horses.  We 
buried  my  father  at  Medidne  Hat  Cemetery. 

At  that  time  my  mother  was  expecting 
another  baby  and  she  took  us  kids  and  went  back  to 
the  farm  and  there  my  brothers  tried  to  run  the  farm. 

When  my  brother  George  was  born  my 
Grandmother  Anderson  came  up  from  Drummond, 
Idaho  to  take  care  of  us.  Later  they  moved  up  to  be 
with  us  and  help  my  mother. 

When  she  went  back  to  the  States,  Verden 
and  I  went  back  with  her  to  go  to  school.  We  were 
there  about  a  year,  and  went  to  school  at  Dmmmond, 
Idaho  where  they  were  living. 

One  rime  when  my  brother  Arvel  and  I  was 
coming  home  from  school  we  had  to  crawl  under  a 
fence  and  it  was  thundering  and  lightning  and  when 
my  brother  lifted  up  the  wire  for  mc  to  crawl  under 
the  lightning  hit  a  post  and  just  splintered  it  and 
knocked  me  down  and  took  all  the  hide  off  my  knees. 

Another  time  when  it  thundered  and 
lightening  it  knocked  the  windows  out  of  the  house 
and  left  a  big  pile  of  hail  stones  in  our  house. 


Wc  went  back  to  be  with  our  Mother  she  re- 
married, Joe  Nowak  and  later  I  got  a  baby  sister, 
Geneva  Thehna  Nowak. 

While  out  on  the  farm  I  worked  for  some 
people  by  the  name  of  Dixon.  I  worked  for  50  cents  a 
day.  I  did  housekeeping,  cooked  meals,  milked  cows, 
and  fed  animals.  Then  when  I  quit  there,  I  went  to 
work  for  Dixon's  brother.  While  there  I  delivered  my 
first  baby.  I  was  about  11  years  old.  There  I  earned  a 
dollar  a  day.  I  also  had  to  cook  for  threshers,  take  care 
of  the  four  children  and  cook  meals. 

Then  I  left  and  went  to  work  for  Gorring's  to 
cook  for  threshers  and  they  paid  me  $5.00  a  day.  I 
was  about  12  years  old.  I  was  able  to  save  enough 
money  for  my  brother  and  I  to  go  back  to  Idaho. 
After  we  got  to  Idaho  we  lived  with  Aunt  Annie  and 
Uncle  Thomas  Brown,  my  mothers  sister,  in 
Drummond. 

I  met  Harold  Green  on  the  train,  he  was  with 
Raymond  my  aunt's  son.  They  were  working  for  the 
railroad.  He  was  living  with  my  aunt  and  uncle  also. 
We  started  going  together,  about  a  year  later  wc  were 
married  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  November  23,  1928. 
We  lived  with  his  folks  for  a  few  months  (William 
Labelshirc  and  Elizabeth  Brown  Green)  until  wc  got  a 
place  to  live.  We  had  our  first  child  Doris  Marie  bom 
April  10,  1929.  During  those  years  we  had  another 
daughter  Wanda  Wray  bom  May  27,  1933.  She  only 
weighed  2  lbs.  4  oz.  When  I  got  home  I  had  to  feed 
my  baby  with  an  eye  dropper  every  hour.  At  first  wc 
kept  her  wrapped  in  cotton  and  gauze  soaked  in  oil 
the  doaor  gave  me.  Someone  had  to  watch  over  her 
all  night  and  to  keep  her  warm,  wc  would  put  hot 
water  bottles  around  her.  We  made  a  crib  out  of  a 
small  card  board  box  and  had  to  keep  it  by  the  stove 
to  help  keep  her  warm. 

My  mother  passed  away  August  15,  1934 
then  we  took  my  youngest  brother  George  and  sister 
Geneva  and  raised  them  and  put  them  through  school. 

We  used  to  have  a  lot  of  fun  times.  Wc 
would  go  to  each  other's  houses  move  furniture  back 
and  some  of  the  guys  would  get  together  and  play,  so 
we  could  all  dance.  The  women  would  get  together 
and  have  quilting  bees.  We  use  to  go  for  sleigh  rides 
and  skiing  in  winter.  In  summer  we  used  to  go  up  in 
the  woods  and  pick  huckleberries,  wild  grapes,  wild 
strawberries  and  chokecherries.  Harold  and  his 
brothers  were  cutting  wood  and  while  cutting,  I  went 
over  the  ridge  from  where  they  were  to  pick 
huckleberries.  I  found  a  nice  big  patch  by  a  tree  that 
had  fell  down.  When  I  finished  picking  there  I  went 
over  by  this  tree  and  there  laid  a  big  bear  asleep.  I  just 
froze,  not  too  long  the  bear  woke  up  yawned  and 
stretched  looked  around  then  walked  off  down 
through  the  timber.  When  I  finally  could  walk  I  took 
off  and  went  back  to  the  car. 

Another  daughter  Myrtie  Lola  was  bom  to  us 
on  October  12,  1937.  I  had  her  at  home  all  by 
myself.  When  Myrtie  was  around  11/2  years  old  we 
moved  to  Chester,  Fremont  County,  Idaho  for  one 


160 


winter  then  we  moved  to  Parker,  Idaho  that  spring 
and  formed  for  about  two  years. 

While  living  there  Patty  Eva  was  bom,  March 
14,  1940.  Although  I  had  many  problems  at  this 
time,  they  didn't  know  if  I  was  going  to  make  it  but 
the  baby  was  fine  and  doing  good.  I  stayed  at 
Grandma  and  Grandpa  Green's  about  three  to  four 
weeks.  While  I  was  still  in  the  hospital  Harold  and 
the  family  moved  to  Egin,  Idaho  on  a  farm  which  was 
the  old  Parkinson  Place. 

While  we  were  in  Egin  the  authorities  came 
down  from  Canada  and  took  my  sister  Geneva  Nowak 
back  with  them.  They  said  because  she  was  bom  in 
Canada  and  we  didn't  have  any  citizenship  papers  on 
her  and  she  was  of  age  she'd  have  to  live  in  Canada. 
She  is  still  living  in  Canada. 

We  Hved  in  Egin  around  two  and  a  half  years 
then  we  moved  back  to  Parker  on  the  Old  Craig  Place. 
We  farmed  there  for  a  littie  over  two  years. 

Harold  drove  the  Sugar  Factory  truck  for  a 
number  of  years.  Then  he  started  to  work  at  the 
Starch  Plant.  While  he  was  working  there  he  had  a 
heart  attack  and  was  unable  to  work  anymore.  I 
started  working  at  the  hospital  and  worked  there  for 
nineteen  years.  Then  when  I  quit  at  the  hospital  we 
got  a  littie  Drive  Inn  called  the  Sno  Cone  which  we 
had  for  a  couple  of  years.  Had  a  lot  of  hard  work  and 
good  times  while  there.  Then  I  ran  the  Bear  Gulch 
Cafe  for  one  winter  with  Pat's  help.  After  that  I 
worked  in  potato  warehouses  off  and  on  up  until 
Harold's  death  on  April  12,  1975.  Then  a  few 
months  after  he  died  I  sold  our  home  and  bought  a 
trailer  house  which  I'm  still  living  in  down  at  Rcxburg 
next  to  Pat. 

After  Harold's  death  I  worked  one  spring  for 
Davis'  Sheep  Company  cooking  for  them.  They  were 
located  at  Monteview,  Idaho.  Then  two  years  later  I 
went  to  work  for  Ball's  Sheep  Company  at  Lewisville, 
Idaho  and  worked  one  year  for  them  at  Hammer, 
Idaho. 

By:  Eva  Marie  Sharp  Green 

2nd  gen.  JAMES  WILLARD  GREEN 

and 

(1)  CYNTHIA  HEAD 

(2)  BETSY  JANE  MESERVEY 

(I)  wifi::  Cynthia  Head 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Wallace  b- 1893         d- 

(2)  Ardclla  b-  1896         d- 

md-  (1)  Harold  Thompson 
(2)  Max  Martz 

(2)  wife:  Betsy  Jane  Mcscrvey 

(1)  Nellie  b- 1907 

md-  (1)  Henry  A.  Adams 
(2)  WUliam  Tmett 


(2)  Leon  b-  1908         d-  1908  Infant 

(3)  James  Amon  b-  1909 

md-  (1)  Margaret  I.Gunderson 
(2)  Thelma  Erva  Perkins 

(4)  Betsy  Winona  b-  1912 

md- (1)  Oliver  M.  Leslie 

(5)  Amie  b-  1914 

md-  Henry  Leo  Hole 

(6)  Jessie  b-  1915 

md-  (1)  Michael  W.  Jenkins 
(2)  Henry  Dale  Beldon 

(7)  Lou  Elwin  b-  1918 

md-  (1)  Verda  Elaine  Parker 
(2)  Fern  Vergis  Ledford 

(8)  John  De  Loss  b-  1925 

md-  Beverly  Steiber 

2nd  Gen.  WILMER  CADMUS  GREEN 

and 
EMMA  HOLLINGSWORTH 

Wilmer  Cadmus  Green  was  born  May  31, 
1862,  to  Willard  and  Rosamond  Farnum  Sprague 
Green  in  Paint  Creek,  Allamakee,  Iowa.  He  was  the 
seventh  of  eight  children. 

Emma  Hollingsworth  was  born  March  7, 
1870,  at  Florence,  Douglas,  Nebraska,  one  of  13 
children  of  Elam  and  Martha  Keetch  Hollingsworth. 
When  she  was  six,  her  parents  emigrated  West,  settiing 
in  Preston,  Idaho,  where  she  spent  most  of  her  early 
life,  living  on  the  farm  her  father  operated. 

Wilmer  and  Emma  were  married  March  11, 
1891,  in  the  Logan,  Utah,  LDS  Temple.  Following 
their  marriage,  they  lived  at  Preston.  They  then  moved 
to  St.  Anthony,  setding  two  miles  south  of  town. 


Then  in  1898,  the  femily  moved  to  Farnum 
where  they  lived  on  Conant  Creek.  Wilmer  was  a 
freighter  and  kept  the  road  smooth  by  dragging  a 
heavy  chain  over  it.  Leda  Lavon  was  born  there  in 
1900. 

During  the  summer,  the  children  attended 
school  in  a  log  house  with  a  dirt  floor  and  homemade 
benches  and  desks. 

Wilmer  hauled  mail  between  Ashton  and  St. 
Anthony,  changing  horses  three  times.  He  made  the 
trip  every  day  and  could  get  through  the  snow  when 
others  couldn't.  Daughter  Ida  Green  Garrett  recalled 
that  her  father  would  ride  to  Chester  to  visit  the 
Joseph  Smith  family. 

The  femily  returned  to  St.  Anthony  in  1902 
and  a  year  later  returned  to  Preston,  where  they  lived 
for  two  years  before  they  moved  back  to  Fremont 
County,  living  at  Farnum  and  Marysville.  Elmo  Green 
was  bom  in  Farnum  in  1905. 

Austin  David  Green,  who  was  bom  in  1907 
after  the  family  had  moved  to  Marysville,  recalls  that 
his  father  drove  stage  and  that  he  sometimes  went 
with  his  father.  When  he  was  five  or  six,  Austin  stayed 
in  West  Yellowstone,  attending  summer  school  and 
playing  around  the  newly  constructed  railroad  station. 

"My  recollection  of  Farnum  is  very  little.  I 
remember  going  and  staying  at  Uncle  Dan  and  Aunt 
Mae  Gibsons  when  they  were  farming  there.  Marion 
Hammon  and  I  were  closed  to  the  same  age  and  were 
good  friends.  We  thought  we  were  real  cousins,  but 
Marion  was  raised  by  my  Uncle  Dan  and  Aunt  Mac 
from  childhood,"  Austin  Green  wrote. 

Conard  Edwin  Green,  who  was  bom  in  1910 
in  Marysville,  retains  only  vague  memories  of 
Marysville  since  his  family  moved  to  St.  Anthony  when 


b.r.  Ida,  Luclla,  Lorraine,  Roberta,  Florence,  Leda,  m.r.  FarricI,  Emma  H.,  Austen,  Wilmer  C,  f.r.  Elam,  Ellis,  Conard,  Elda 

161 


■^,^111^  "^*** 


Wilmcr  C.  Green  stagecoach  in  Yellowstone 


he  was  four.  But  he  does  remember  frequent  visits  to 
Marysville,  Farnum,  Drummond,  Ashton  and  Felt 
where  many  relatives  and  friends  still  lived. 

The  Green  family  moved  back  to  St.  Anthony 
in  1915,  and  in  1929  moved  to  Pocatello.  They  were 
visiting  St.  Anthony  when  Wilmer  Green  died  April  9, 
1932,  of  a  heart  attack.  He  was  70. 

"My  clearest  remembrance  of  Grandpa," 
writes  grandson  Rueland  Ward,  "was  when  they  were 
living  in  the  rock  house,  by  the  seed  house,  down  by 
the  river  in  St.  Anthony.  He  was  a  very  good 
horseman  and  loved  his  horses.  He  used  to  sing  in  the 
church  choir  and  he  would  sing  to  his  horses  while 
working  with  them." 

When  the  railroad  came  into  Ashton,  Wilmer 
started  driving  the  stagecoach  from  Marysville  into 
Yellowstone  Park.  He  was  well  known  as  a  freighter 
and  stagecoach  driver.  When  the  railroad  extended  its 
line  into  West  Yellowstone,  the  stage  coach  company 
moved  up  there  and  he  continued  driving  the  stage 
through  the  Park  and  back  to  West  Yellowstone.  "This 
was  a  good  summer  job  that  he  loved.  In  the  winter 
time  he  would  haul  wood  or  freight  to  keep  busy.  He 
was  always  a  hard  worker  but  his  work  kept  him  away 
from  home  quite  a  bit,"  Rueland  wrote. 

"Grandpa  liked  to  play  the  jews  harp  and  the 
mouth  organ.  He  was  very  good  on  both.  He 
furnished  a  lot  of  entertainment  for  himself  and 
others.  I  imagine  he  was  very  popubr  by  furnishing 
music  for  the  tourists  as  they  traveled  through  the 
park,"  Rueland  wrote. 

Clyde  Garrett,  the  husband  of  Tressa 
Murdoch  Garrett,  remembers  going  with  his 
grandfather  Wilmer  Green  when  he  was  helping  to 
build  a  dam  across  the  river  below  St.  Anthony  to 
divert  water  into  the  Egin  Canal.  He  recalls  riding  on 
one  of  the  horses  as  they  pulled  the  wagon  into  the 
river. 


Some  time  after  Wilmer's  death,  Emma 
moved  to  Boise  where  she  lived  until  1951,  when  she 
suffered  a  stroke.  It  was  then  she  returned  to  St. 
Anthony  to  live  with  Ida. 

In  her  own  life  sketch,  Emma  said,  "I  have 
had  some  hardships  which  all  women  and  men  have  to 
meet  during  married  life.  I  have  enjoyed  the  gospel 
more  than  anything.  I  never  went  to  church  that  I 
didn't  hear  so  many  things  that  helped  me  through 
life." 

Fourteen  of  her  grandsons  served  in  World 
War  II.  One  grandson,  Gilbert  Gibson,  was  killed,  and 
another,  Cleve  Garrett,  died  at  boot  camp. 

Emma  said  she  would  quilt  at  Relief  Society 
until  she  was  80  but  she  actually  quit  when  she  was 
81.  When  she  was  82,  her  doctor  told  her  she  had  to 
stop  walking.  She  was  82  when  she  suffered  a  stroke 
May  3,  1952.  Four  or  five  months  later  she  broke  her 
arm  and  was  in  a  cast  for  seven  weeks  with  an  iron 
weight  on  it. 

"I  would  like  to  go  to  church  again  every 
Sunday,  but  it's  an  awful  effort  to  dress  alone  and  I 
really  can't  walk  alone  too  good,"  she  wrote. 

Ida  Garrett  remembered  that  her  mother 
wasn't  a  parient  person  who  imagined  people  were 
talking  about  her  if  they  lowered  their  voices  around 
her. 

Emma  was  known  as  a  good  housekeeper 
who  believed  cleanliness  is  next  to  godliness.  Her 
great-grandson  Martell  Cook  remembered  her  living 
in  a  cottage  behind  his  Grandfather  and  Grandmother 
Hooper.  She  was  "almost  a  perfectionist,  everything 
clean  and  in  its  place."  He  also  recalled  that  she  had  to 
give  herself  insulin  shots  for  diabetes. 

Emma  died  Jan.  31,  1954,  at  the  home  of  her 
daughter  in  St.  Anthony.  Wilmer  and  Emma  Green 
are  buried  in  the  St.  Anthony  Riverview  Cemetery. 


162 


CHILDREN 

1)  LucUa  b-  1892  d- 1928 

md-  Norman  Ward 

2)  Martha  Lorraine         b-  1893  d-  1951 

md-  Asa  Hooper 

3)  Florence  b-  1894  d-  1948 

md-  Earl  McHenry 

4)  Ida  b-  1895  d- 1985 

md-  Earl  Park  Garrett 

5)  Roberta  b-  1897  d-  1938 

md-  William  A.  Gibson 

6)  Leda  Lavon  b-  1900  d-  1955 

md-(l)  Grant  M.Blake 

(2)-  William  J.Shoemaker 

7)  Wilmer  Farriel  b-  1902  d-  1942 

md-  Henrietta  Logan 

8)  Willard  Elam  b-  1903  d-  1930 

md-  Wilhelmina  Monroe 

9)  Elmo  "C"  b-  1905  d-  1985 

md-  Lura  M.  Farley 

10)  Austin  David  b-  1907 
md-(l)  Wealthy  Lake 

(2)  Roberta  Greenwell 

(3)  Maud  Johnson 

11)  Elda  Miranda  b-  1908  d-  1965 
md-  (1)  Melvin  Perry  Lemon 

(2)  Walter  E.  Wilson 

12)  Conard  Edwin  b-  1910 
md-  Ilah  M.  Christensen 

13)  EUis  Clifford  b-  1912 
md-  (1)  Helen  B.  Wagner 

14)  Emma  b-  1915 


d- 1977 

d-  1916  Infant 


HENRY  GRIFFEL  SR- 

and 
MARGARET  BOESEN 


George  Kurtz,  Anna,  Maria,  (Henry's  sisters)  Henry  Griffel 

Henry  Griffel,  Sr.  was  born  in  Hanover, 
Germany,  on  November  24,  1848,  and  came  to 
America  in  1871.  He  first  applied  for  citizenship  in 
Lafayette  County,  Missouri,  on  Sept.  11,  1871. 


163 


Records  show  citizenship  was  granted  on  Nov.  3, 
1892,  in  Jefferson  County,  Missouri. 

Margaret  Bocscn  Griffel  was  born  Oct.  31, 
1855  in  Bremen,  Germany.  It  is  believed  Henry  and 
Margaret  both  came  to  America  the  same  year,  but  did 
not  know  each  other,  until  they  met  in  Concordia, 
Missouri.  They  were  married  in  Concordia. 

To  this  union  was  born  four  sons:  William, 
Gustave,  Fred,  &  Arthur  (Pete);  and  four  daughters: 
Freida,  Emma,  Selma,  &  Elanora  (Nora). 

In  1906,  William,  one  of  the  sons,  made  a  trip 
to  Idaho,  and  decided  this  was  where  he  wanted  to 
settle.  In  1907,  Henry  and  Margaret  packed  their 
belongings,  and  with  seven  of  their  eight  children  and 
a  son-in-law,  Louis  Kappelman,  Freida's  husband,  they 
moved  to  Idaho.  One  daughter,  Emma,  remained  in 
Missouri  with  her  husband.  Their  belongings  were 
loaded  in  immigrant  freight  cars  with  son,  Gustave, 
watching  over  their  car.  The  journey  took  thirteen 
days,  however,  the  passenger  cars  took  only  three  days 
and  four  nights. 

Henry  Griffel  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
building  his  own  home  after  arriving  in  Idaho  and  also 
directing  the  construction  of  the  first  Lutheran 
Church  in  1907  in  Squirrel.  Prior  to  this,  families 
gathered  at  Missionary  Meyer's  home  for  services. 

The  Griffel  and  Lenz  families  were  two 
families  who  intermarried  as  each  had  large  families. 
WiUiam  Griffel  married  Mary  Harrigfeld,  Dec.  18, 
1924.  They  have  two  sons,  William,  Jr.,  and  Don. 

Gustave  Griffel  never  married. 

Fred  C.  Griffel  married  Martha  A.  Lenz,  April 
26,  1914.  They  had  nine  children:  Elmer  (deceased), 
Doris,  Gladys  (deceased),  Lois  (deceased),  Melvin 
(deceased),  Velma,  Bemice,  Fred,  Jr.,  and  Lloyd. 

Arthur  (Pete)  Griffel  married  Minnie  Lenz, 
May  6,  1917.  They  had  five  children:  Henry,  Earl, 
Floyd,  Everett,  and  Irene. 

Selma  Griffel  married  Fred  J.  Lenz.  Nov.  4, 
1917.  They  had  four  children:  Viola,  Maxine, 
Thelma,  and  Fred,  Jr. 

Elanora  (Nora)  Griffel  married  Otto  Lenz, 
April  6,  1924.  They  had  five  children:  Francis,  Cleo 
(deceased),  Robert,  Marlene,  &  Harold. 

Freida  Griffel  married  Louis  Kappelman,  in 
approx.  1904,  in  Missouri.  They  had  no  children. 

Emma  Griffel  Married  Herman  Eckhoff,  Dec. 
2,  1900.  They  had  four  children:  Florence,  Mildred, 
Elmer,  &  Clarence  (who  died  in  infancy).  Emma  and 
her  family  remained  in  Missouri. 

Fred  C,  Arthur  (Pete),  Selma,  and  Elanora 
Griffel,  all  married  sons  and  daughters  of  Carl  F.  I^cnz. 

The  last  living  child  of  Henry  and  Margaret 
Griffel,  is  Elanora  (Nora)  Lenz,  who  celebrated  her 
90th  birthday,  Jan.  31,  1991.  She  lives  in  the  Senior 
Citizen  housing  development  in  Ashton.  Aunt  Nora 
is  still  active  in  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  enjoys  her 
children,  grandchildren,  great-grandchildren,  nieces, 
nephews,  and  many  friends. 

Written  By:  Sharon  Griffel 


Henry  GrifFcl  was  born  on  November  24, 
1848  in,  it  is  believed,  Hamburg,  Germany.  He 
crossed  the  ocean  on  a  sailboat  which  took 
approximately  three  weeks  and  came  to  Concordia, 
Missouri. 

Margaret  Boesen  Griffel  was  born,  it  is 
believed,  in  the  town  called  Bremen,  Germany, 
October  31,  about  1854.  Henry  and  Margaret  both 
came  the  same  year,  although  they  didn't  know  each 
other  until  they  met  in  Missouri.  They  were  married 
in  Concordia,  Missouri  about  1868.  Margaret  was 
about  14  years  old  when  she  was  confirmed  in  the 
Lutheran  Church  and  was  a  lifetime  member.  Henry 
and  Margaret  were  married  by  the  same  minister  that 
confirmed  Margaret.  He  also  baptized  every  one  of 
the  children  except  Nora.  He  was  there  a  long  time. 

Young  W.  F.  (Bill)  Griflfcl  came  to  Idaho  with 
the  August  Lenz  family.  August  sent  word  back  to 
Missouri  that  this  was  "the  land  of  milk  and  honey" 
and  there  were  no  mice  or  flies  in  Idaho,  but  the  folks 
soon  found  that  there  were  mice  and  flies  also.  It  was 
young  Bill  who  persuaded  the  Griffel  family  to  come 
west  and  join  him. 

Henry  and  Margaret  Griffel  and  their  family 
of  seven  children  came  from  Concordia,  Missouri  to 
Ashton,  Idaho  by  train  arriving  March  7,  1907.  They 
brought  with  them  a  team  of  horses,  some  farm 
machinery  and  household  things.  Their  children  were 
Gustav,  Emma,  (who  stayed  in  Missouri),  Freda, 
(whose  husband,  Lewis  Koppelmann  came  also), 
William  F.  (Bill),  Fred,  Arthur  (Pete),  Selma  and 
Eleanorc  (Nora).  The  George  Harrigfeld  St.  family 
took  them  in  and  kept  them  a  few  weeks  until  they 
moved  to  the  Harrigfeld  place  south  of  Ashton,  later 
known  as  the  Lew  Williams  place. 


b.r.  Arthur  (Pete),  Frcida  Griffel  Kappclman,  Fred  C,  Nora, 

Gustavc,  Emma  Griffel  Eckhoff,  William,  Selma  Griffel  Lenz, 

seated,  Margaret  Bocscn  Griffel 

The  Griflfcl  family  built  a  house  close  to  Fall 
River  four  miles  southeast  of  Ashton  as  you  make  the 
turn  to  go  to  Grainville.  They  stayed  there  about 
three  years  then  went  back  to  Missouri  and  stayed  two 
years.  Henry  and  his  son,  Gus,  helped  build  the  first 
Lutheran  Church  at  Squirrel.  It  was  located  where  the 
old,  now  abandoned,  church  stands. 


164 


William  and  Mary  Harrigfeld  Griffel 
sons  William,  Jr.  and  Don  Griffel 

Early  church  members  and  families  in  the 
Squirrel  area  were  Carl  F.  Lenz,  August  Lenz,  August 
Garz,  Chris  and  George  Harrigfeld,  Lewis  Balser, 
Henry  Bolland  1st,  Martin  Luetjen,  Marie  Lenz  and 
her  sons,  Herman  and  Walter,  Henry  Griffel,  Lewis 
Koppelmann,  Rudolph  Habbekost,  Gonfned  Rciman, 
Julius  Warsany,  Walter  Bergman  and  the  Truies  and 
Wessel  families.  The  Ernest  Kuehl  family  came  in 
1910. 

Pastors  who  have  served  in  the  Lutheran 
Church  are  the  Reverends  Linsey,  Meyer,  Tunjes, 
Shaus,  Brown,  Westendorf,  Strufert,  Muhly,  N.  E. 
Dey,  Kenipf,  Reidl,  Theo  Geischen,  Heinicke, 
Theimer,  Richard  Laux,  Stensil  and  John  Feierabend. 

Homes  of  the  area  residents  were  heated  with 
wood  stoves.  Cooking  was  done  on  the  kitchen  range. 
Margaret  Griffel  made  wonderful  bread  and  coffee 
cake.  She  made  her  own  yeast  when  she  lived  in 
Missouri  from  com  meal  and  dried  hops  and  brought 
live  yeast  starts  here.  The  families  raised  livestock  and 
grew  good  gardens  and  did  lots  of  canning  to  preserve 
the  foods  for  the  long  winters.  They  raised,  butchered 
and  cured  their  own  meats  and  generally  had  an  ample 
supply  of  cured  hams,  bacon,  sausage,  corned  beef, 
chicken,  etc.  To  can  the  sausage  they  fried  it  into 
patties,  then  packed  it  into  earthen  crocks  or  jars  and 
covered  it  with  lard.  That  way  it  would  keep  quite  a 
while.  The  women  folk  were  good  cooks  and 
prepared  and  served  plain  wholesome  meals.  Along 
with  the  meats  were  milk,  butter,  cottage  cheese, 
potatoes,  gravy,  potato  salad  and  coleslaw.  Margaret 
Griffel  brought  her  sewing  machine  from  Missouri  and 
sewed  many  of  their  own  clothes.  She  also  brought 
her  spinning  wheel  along  from  Missouri  and  carded 
and  spun  her  own  wool  yarn  and  knitted  socks  and 
mittens  for  the  family  in  the  early  days.  Nora  hated 
those  long  knitted  stockings  that  she  had  to  wear  in 
the  winter. 

Travel  was  by  horse  and  buggy.  The  ranches 
were  far  apart,  so  when  they  went  visiting  they 
generally  stayed  overnight.    In  the  winter  the  only 


pbcc  they  went  was  to  church.  The  winters  were  long 
and  hard  and  cold  and  the  snow  was  four  or  five  feet 
deep.  The  sleighs  drove  right  over  the  fences.  It  was 
frozen  so  solid  the  horses  walked  on  the  crusted  top, 
picking  their  way  carefully  as  if  they  sensed  their 
predicament. 

Recreation  for  the  older  folks  was  visiting, 
eating  and  playing  cards.  They  always  had  coffee  and 
cake  or  coffee-cake  before  they  went  home.  There 
was  no  dancing  among  the  older  folks  but  when  the 
children  grew  up  they  went  for  both  the  card  parties 
and  the  dancing. 

The  earliest  dances  they  had  in  the  Squirrel 
area  were  held  in  the  upstairs  of  the  granary  at  the 
Carl  F.  Lenz  ranch.  Lighting  in  the  upstairs  granary 
was  supplied  by  gasoline  lanterns.  This  was  long 
before  the  days  of  electricity  or  even  the  Delco  system 
that  was  later  used  on  the  Lcnz  ranch. 

When  Fred  and  Martha  Griffel  were  married 
in  1914,  they  held  the  wedding  in  the  church  and  had 
dinner  afterwards  at  the  Lcnz  home.  In  the  evening 
they  had  supper  and  danced  and  again  around 


b.r.  VcLma,  Doris,  Lois,  Bladys,  Bcmicc 
f.r.  Uoyd,  Martha,  Fred  C,  Fred,  Jr.  Griffel 

midnight  or  one  o'clock  they  had  lunch.  Ida  and 
Nora  were  only  thirteen  years  old  then,  but  they 
"stuck  it  out"  until  morning.  Nora  says  "those  were 
the  good  old  days."  Later  on  the  Squirrel  Hall  was 
built.  The  first  dances  they  had  there  they  danced 
until  morning.  The  musicians  were  George  Amen, 
playing  the  piano  and  Maynard  Bowersox  and  Pete 
Leif  the  violin.  Nora  Griffel  loved  to  dance  and  she 
said  it  was  to  a  dance  that  she  had  her  first  date  with 
Otto. 

Fred  and  Selma  Griffel  Lenz  were  married  in 
the  little  church  at  Squirrel.  They  had  dinner  at  the 
Griffel  home.  Otto  Lenz  was  best  man  and  Nora  was 
bridesmaid.  Nora  says  that  was  probably  the  first  time 
she  turned  her  eyes  towards  Otto.  When  Otto  and 
Nora  were  married  April  6,  1924,  they  didn't  have  a 
big  wedding  because  Nora's  brother-in-law  was  sick 
with  pneumonia  and  her  mother  was  at  their  home 
helping  her  sister.  Her  mother  never  even  got  to 
come  to  the  wedding.    Selma  prepared  the  wedding 


165 


dinner.   Elsie  Kuehl  was  bridesmaid  and  Carl  P.  Lenz 
(Carlie)  was  best  man. 

Henry  and  Margaret  Griffel  took  their  family 
to  Yellowstone  Park  in  the  white  top  buggy.  They 
were  accompanied  by  the  Chris  and  George  Harrigfeld 
families.  The  bears  got  into  their  camp  and  robbed  all 
their  food.  The  Griffel  family  never  went  fishing  or 
hunting;  they  always  had  too  much  work  to  do.  The 
girls  milked  the  cows  and  helped  with  the  chores.  The 
young  people  married  into  families  that  were  not 
related. 

The  crops  in  the  Squirrel  area  were  harvested 
with  binders  and  threshing  machines.  The  grain  was 
stored  in  granaries  on  the  farms  until  winter  then  they 
hauled  it  to  Ashton  with  team  and  wagon.  Nora 
remembers  the  summer  of  1919  which  was  a  very  dry 
year  and  they  had  a  hard  frost  which  did  a  lot  of 
damage.  That  fall  the  wheat  on  her  brother's  place 
yielded  about  six  bushels  to  the  acre. 

A  weekly  German  newspaper  came  from 
Omaha,  Nebraska,  also  the  Kansas  City  Star.  Carl  C. 
Lenz,  Bill  Harrigfeld,  Bill  Garz  and  the  Luetjen 
brothers  all  went  to  war  in  World  War  I.  People  in 
the  community  got  along  well  and  visited  together 
and  had  dinners  quite  often.  Babies  were  bom  in  the 
homes  with  Dr.  Hargis  attending  and  the  families 
depended  on  him. 

Henry  Griffel  died  December  3,  1919.  The 
snow  was  so  deep  the  funeral  wasn't  held  until 
December  9.  Billie  King  (just  a  young  guy),  the 
undertaker  in  Ashton,  came  to  the  Griffel  home  and 
embalmed  Henry.  They  had  his  body  there  at  home 
for  six  days  before  they  could  bury  him.  Emma  and 
her  husband,  Herman  Eckof,  came  fi-om  Missouri  for 
the  funeral  and  Billie  met  them  in  Ashton  with  a 
cover  over  his  sleigh.  The  wind  was  so  strong  his  hat 
blew  off  and  he  never  did  find  it.  It  took  Otto,  Fred 
and  Pete  all  day  to  break  a  road  to  the  Squirrel 
Cemetery.  They  had  a  dark  team  but  when  Nora's 
brother-in-law  saw  the  team  he  said,  "Well,  he's  got 
all  roan  horses,"  but  they  were  just  covered  with 
frost,  it  was  so  cold.  The  day  Henry  was  buried  the 
men  had  the  women  stay  at  the  preacher's  house  with 
Reverend  Brown's  wife  while  they  went  to  the 
cemetery  and  buried  him. 

Nora  Griffel  Lcnz,  wife  of  Otto  E.  Lcnz  is  the 
last  living  child  of  eight  children,  bom  to  Henry  and 
Margaret  Boesen  Griffel  who  came  to  the  Squirrel  area 
in  March  1907.  She  commented  that  it  is  a  strange 
and  lonely  feeling  to  be  the  last  one  left  in  the  family. 
Her  life  is  an  example  of  the  thrift,  industry  and 
courage  which  prevailed  among  her  people. 

At  the  age  of  80,  Nora  cares  for  her  home, 
yard  and  garden,  attends  church  regularly,  is  a  good 
neighbor,  friend,  mother,  grandmother,  great 
grandmother.  In  her  comfortable,  well-kept  home  in 
Ashton,  apple  coffee  cake  was  set  to  rise  on  the  mantle 
above  the  fireplace  so  that  she  would  have  something 
on  hand  for  anyone  who  might  come  to  call  on  her. 
This  is  typical  of  the  brotherhood  and  love  of 


fcllowman  which  is  so  evident  in  this  Idaho  pioneer 
family. 

This  history  is  to  be  compiled  and  filed  with 
other  area  histories  of  the  early  day  settlers  in  the 
Squirrel  Community.  It  was  written  by  Mrs.  Carl  P. 
(Ewa)  Lenz  as  told  to  her  by  Nora  Griffel  Lenz.  It 
was  impressive  that  Nora  has  such  a  bright  memory 
and  was  so  exacting  in  the  spelling  of  names.  She  said 
spelling  was  her  best  subject  in  school,  she  "got  in  on 
all  the  spelling  matches."  All  her  children  have 
inherited  this  attribute.  Nora's  husband,  Otto,  died 
February  7,  1971  at  the  age  of  73  years  and  was  laid 
to  rest  in  the  Pincview  Cemetery  at  Ash  ton. 

Snake  river  Echoes. 

JESSE  HOMER  GUNTER 

and 
LOUISE  MARIAL  LARSEN 

Jesse  Homer  Gunter  was  born  in  July  at 
Whittier,  Wayne  County,  North  Carolina.  He  was  the 
son  of  George  Washington  and  Elmira  Desdemonia 
(Desa)  Gibson  Gunter.  Desa  was  born  in  North 
Carolina,  the  daughter  of  John  B.  and  Mary  (Polly) 
Mancriva  Ward  Gibson. 

Jesse  Homer  Gunter's  parents  were  married  at 
Sylvia,  Jackson  County,  North  Carolina.  They 
homcsteadcd  east  of  Felt,  Teton  County,  Idaho 
around  I9I0. 

Jessie  married  Louise  Marial  Larsen,  Oaobcr 
9,  1917  at  Independence,  Madison  County,  Idaho. 
Jesse  and  Louise  must  have  moved  to  Famum  shortly 
after  they  were  married.  Their  first  children  were 
twins,  Arvin  Sylvester  and  Melvin  Lyvines  Gunter. 
They  were  bom  August  10,  1918  at  Famum,  Idaho. 
They  were  blessed  August  12,  1918.  Arvin  was 
blessed  by  Brigham  Murdoch,  and  Melvin  was  blessed 
by  Thomas  T.  Murdoch. 

Jesse  and  the  twins  had  the  terrible  flu  of 
1918.  The  twins  died  November  30,  1918.  Their 
neighbors,  John  and  Kate  Van  Sickle  kindly  helped 
them  dress  the  babies  and  placed  them  in  a  httle 
wooden  box  and  took  them  to  Ashton  and  buried 
them  in  the  Ashton  Cemetery.  Jesse  was  very  ill  and 
Louise  couldn't  leave  him  to  go  with  them.  What  a 
sorrow  for  such  a  young  couple. 

Jesse  and  Louise  later  moved  to  the  Ashton 
area  and  Jesse  worked  for  the  Preston  Atchlcy  family. 
Jesse  had  one  of  the  first  cars  in  the  Ashton  area  which 
was  his  pride  and  joy.  He  also  worked,  with  his 
horses,  on  the  road  going  over  the  Teton  pass. 


Sources: 

(1)  007,455  Famum  Ward  Records 

(2)  Wanda  Bagley  Gunter  (daughter-in-law) 

RUDOLPH  HABEKOST 

and 

LAURA  BERGMAN 

Rudolph  Habekost  came  to  the  area  about 
1905.  His  wife  was  Laura  Bergman.  He  was  active  in 
local  politics,  an  executive  member  of  the  R  E.  A.,  a 
Charter  member  of  the  original  signers  of  the  Zion 
Lutheran  Church  Constitution  at  Squirrel  and  a 
predna  committee  man  for  the  Squirrel  Grange. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  103 

ALBERT  HALMAN 

and 

ALVIRA  A.  ANDERSON 

CHILDREN: 

(l)RhodaS.      b-  1899,  Mount  Pleasant,  Sanpete 

County,  Utah. 

(2)  Lena  Vera    b-  1904,  Chilly,  Custer  County, 

Idaho. 

(3)RDyB.         b-  1905,  Chilly,  Custer  County, 

Idaho. 

(4) ^J.  b-  1910,  Chilly,  Custer  County, 

Idaho. 

(5)  Farry  M.      b-  1912,  Farnum,  Fremont  County, 

Idaho. 

Source: 

(007-  455)  Famum  Ward  Membership  Records, 

(  Yellowstone  Stake  Form  E.  records). 

MARION  BYRAM  HAMMON 

and 

RHEA  THURGOOD 


Marion  and  Sarah  Rhea  Thurgood  Hanunon 


CHILDREN: 

( 1 )  Arvin  Sylvester  b  19 18 

(2)  Melvin  Lyvines  b  1918 

(3)  Gleen  (Glen)  b  1920 

md  Helen  Christenscn 

(4)  Louis  b 

md  Wanda  Bagley 


dl918 
dl918 
dl950 

dl975 


166 


I,  Marion  Byrum  Hammon,  the  son  of  Heber 
Chase  and  Martha  Priscilla  Christensen  Hammon,  was 
bom  October  2,  1895,  at  East  Wilford,  Idaho.  The 
place  was  called  Hog  Hollow.  It  was  on  the  banks  of 
the  Teton  River.  My  father  was  drowned  in  this  river 
two  months  before  I  was  bom.  I  was  the  youngest  of 
nine  children,  three  of  them  died  in  childhood.  We 
lived  five  miles  from  St.  Anthony.    Our  closest 


neighbor  was  Dot  North  my  father's  cousin,  they  lived 
1/2  mile  away,  they  were  very  good  neighbors.  They 
had  five  girls  Bessie  married  Issac  N.  Crosier,  Winfi-ed 
(Winnie)  married  Ulyscs  Birch,  Venice  married  Lewis 
Dutton,  Florence  married  Clarence  W.  Daw,  Annie 
married  Elbert  Worrell;  and  one  boy,  Thomas  E. 
married  1st  Alice  Faler,  2nd  Ruby . 

When  we  were  kids  we  turned  our  cows  out 
on  the  range,  it  was  open  for  50  miles.  At  night  we 
would  go  get  them.  We  went  to  school  at  Wilford  and 
had  to  walk  three  miles  every  day  as  we  didn't  have 
school  buses  at  that  time.  Sometimes  the  snow  was 
three  feet  deep  and  40  degrees  below  zero.  When  I 
was  older  my  Mother  sold  the  farm  and  moved  to 
StAnthony. 

I  worked  for  my  brother-in-law  Brigham 
Murdoch  at  Famum  for  a  couple  of  years.  He  was  a 
good  man  to  work  for.  During  that  time  my  church 
membership  records  were  in  the  Famum  Ward. 

While  living  at  Hog  Hollow  we  had  more 
neighbors  by  the  name  of  Worrell.  They  had  four 
boys.  They  were  very  good  neighbors  and  good  to  my 
Mother.  I  worked  for  them  for  35  cents  a  day  and 
they  gave  me  my  dinner.  When  Mother  sold  the  farm 
she  sold  it  to  Mr.  Kenny  Worrell. 

When  we  went  to  church  we  went  to  East 
Wilford.  We  went  to  East  Wilford  Sunday  School  and 
to  Wilford  for  our  other  meetings.  Later  they 
discontinued  East  Wilford  and  they  sent  us  to  a  ward 
called  Twin  Groves.  About  50  years  later  my  wife  and 
I  went  there  to  Sunday  School.  There  were  two  that  I 
remembered,  but  lots  of  descendants  whose  names  I 
recognized,  of  the  old  timers  still  living  there.  I  lived 
in  St.  Anthony  a  short  time  with  my  Mother.  I  should 
have  stayed  and  helped  her  but  I  did  not  know  then 
what  I  know  now.  We  all  see  things  too  late  in  life.  I 
know  I  could  have  been  a  greater  help  to  my  dear 
Mother  for  she  wras  a  dear  and  loving  one.  I  was  a 
lucky  boy  and  man.  I  had  three  brothers  that  grew  to 
manhood.  Delbert  Chase,  died  a  young  man.  He  was 
married  to  Pearl  Allgood.  They  had  a  little  girl  her 
name  is  Nora.  She  later  married  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Ivan  Davis.  They  live  at  this  time  in  Shelley,  Idaho 
(1964). 

I  left  home  in  the  year  of  191 1,  and  went  to 
live  with  my  brothers  and  farmed  with  them  in  Ozone, 
Idaho.  That  is  about  20  miles  east  of  Idaho  Falls, 
Idaho.  I  had  two  of  the  best  sisters-in-law  a  man  ever 
had.  They  were  just  like  my  sisters  and  had  known 
them  all  my  life.  I  don't  think  either  of  them  said  a 
loud  word  to  me  in  my  life.  I  learned  to  love  them  and 
loved  them  to  the  end.  They  both  had  the  same  name 
Sarah  Ann,  and  they  were  cousins,  so  when  they  were 
married  my  Mother  said  we  can't  have  two  with  the 
same  name  so  she  told  them  she  would  call  one  of 
them  Sarah  and  the  other  one  Annie  and  they  went 
through  life  that  way.  I  lived  with  my  brothers  and 
worked  with  them.  I  don't  know  but  their  families  are 
just  a  part  of  us  like  my  own  kids.  We  love  all  of  them, 
and  we  don't  know  one  from  another,  they  arc  all  the 


same.   My  sisters'  family  arc  all  the  same.   They  are  all 
so  dear  and  kind  to  us  when  we  are  there. 

When  living  at  Ozone,  I  helped  to  build  the 
first  school  house  and  church  and  I  helped  in  building 
many  roads.  I  made  many  fiiends  here.  I  had  the  time 
of  my  life  while  living  here.  Everybody  knew 
everybody.  We  had  hard  winters  too,  snow  three  to 
four  feet  deep  and  35-40  degrees  below  zero,  but 
those  were  the  good  old  times.  We  used  to  go  dancing 
on  Friday  night  and  dance  all  night.  We  went  to 
Ozone  one  time  and  to  Bone  the  next  time.  Some  of 
the  people  would  come  40  miles.  Everybody  brought 
lunch.  They  held  a  reunion  at  Ammon  and  I  went  to  it 
and  tiiey  called  it  "The  People  of  the  HHls". 

The  first  world  war  broke  out  in  1914  but 
America  didn't  enter  the  war  until  April  6,  1917.  I 
entered  the  service  and  served  in  the  infantry  in  France. 
I  was  discharged  and  went  home,  in  December  1918. 
It  was  cold  and  lots  of  snow.  My  sister  Laura  was 
living  in  Ogden,  Utah  and  I  went  to  Ogden  and  went 
to  work  in  a  packing  plant.  Later  I  went  to  Clearfield, 
Utah  and  went  to  work  for  a  man  by  the  name  of 
William  O.  Thurgood.  Rhea,  who  later  became  my 
wife,  told  her  father,  William  O.  Thurgood,  I  was 
another  one  of  those  palefaces  and  would  not  last  long. 
She  finally  told  me  yes  she  would  marry  me.  We  were 
married  16  November  1921,  in  the  Salt  Lake  temple, 
at  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  We  have  lived  in  the  Syracuse 
Ward  ever  since  we  were  married  except  the  eight  years 
we  were  living  in  Farmington,  Utah.  I  worked  there 
for  the  county,  as  the  courthouse  custodian  we  made 
many  fiiends  while  there. 

At  this  time  we  are  the  proud  parents  of  three 
sons  and  two  daughters. 

I  was  a  farmer  and  also  a  sheep  man.  My 
cousin  and  I  were  partners  and  he  was  acddentiy  shot 
by  his  brother-in-law. 

My  dear  wife's  family  are  like  my  own  brothers 
and  sisters. 

My  wife  and  I  have  had  lots  of  things  to  be 
thankful  for.  She  has  been  my  partner  all  my  life.  We 
have  had  many  hardships  and  won  the  battle.  We 
retired  in  the  year  of  1962  on  April  1st.  We  came  back 
to  Syracuse  where  we  have  lived  and  raised  our  family. 
The  same  school  teacher  that  taught  my  wife,  taught 
all  our  kids.  That  following  Christmas  we  had  a  family 
Christmas  party  and  they  were  all  there  but  two.  The 
time  goes  so  fast,  I  don't  know  where  it  goes.  Our 
boys  live  close  to  us  Howard  and  his  wife,  June,  live 
about  12  rods  from  us  and  Kenneth,  the  Davis  county 
Sheriff  and  his  wife  Shirley,  live  about  70  rods  from 
here  and  Junior,  the  City  Marshal,  and  his  wife  live  in 
Roy,  Utah  about  four  miles  from  us.  Our  girls,  Lob, 
and  her  husband  Bud  live  in  Richville,  Morgan 
County,  Utah,  about  thirty  miles  away,  and  Josie,  and 
her  husband  Richard  live  in  Soda  Springs,  Idaho.  I  am 
the  last  of  my  generariom  living.  We  arc  grateful  for 
our  church  and  the  land  in  which  wc  live.  I  have  lived 
to  sec  two  of  our  Presidents  assassinated.  The  first  \N-as 
President  McKinlcy  in  1901  and  the  other  President 
167    J*^^"  ^-  Kennedy  in  1964. 


Wc  arc  grateful  for  lots  of  things  that  have 
come  to  us  in  our  life.  Last  summer  we  went  to  a 
Daughters  of  the  Utah  Pioneers  Meeting  (1963)  held 
in  South  Weber.  I  was  represented  by  having  a 
Grandfather  and  a  Great  Grandfether,  Levi  Hammon 
and  Byram  Bybee,  two  of  the  first  ten  men  that  settled 
therein  1851. 

Well  this  is  my  life  as  I  remember.  Excuse  all 
mistakes  for  we  all  make  them. 

Marion  Byrum  Hammon.  Written  in  1964. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Howard  Byron     b  1922 
md-  June  2vliriam  White 

(2)  Kenneth  b  1925 
md(l)  Shirlene  Pauline  Meadows 

(2)  Barbara  Ann  Wiberg 

(3)  Lola  Eliza  b  1927 
md-  Bud  L.  Creagcr 

(4)  Josie  Arlene  b  1933 
md-  Don  Richard  Telford 

(5)  Marion  Junior      b  1937 
md-  Janet  Palmer 

THOMAS  HARGIS 

and 
MARTHA  POTTS 

Dr.  E.  L.  Hargis  came  to  Ash  ton  in  1906.  He 
was  on  his  v^y  to  Portland,  but  got  as  far  as  Ash  ton 
and  found  that  they  needed  a  doctor.  He  also  saw  that 
there  was  a  lot  of  beautifiil  land  in  the  area  which  could 
be  homcsteaded.  He  wrote  to  his  parents,  residing 
near  Bell  Buckle,  Tennessee,  and  suggested  that  they 
come  to  this  area. 

In  1911,  with  their  youngest  child  -  Doss 
Hargis  -  in  college,  Thomas  and  Martha  Hargis  came 
to  Farnum  and  homesteaded  a  piece  of  land  that 
included  the  steep  hill  on  the  northeast  part  of  the 
current  property.  Several  of  their  children  also  came  to 
this  area  as  they  finished  their  schooling.  Miss  Frances 
Hargis  taught  school  at  the  Farnum  School  and  also 
served  as  Superintendent  of  Schools  before  marrying 
Jack  McDonald  in  St.  Anthony.  Thomas  B.  Hargis 
came  here  after  completing  law  school,  and  settled  in 
Ashton.  In  1915,  W.  D.  (Doss)  Hargis  came  to 
Ashton,  having  graduated  from  college  in  Missouri. 
He  met  and  married  Elizabeth  Wood  and  they  began 
to  farm  with  his  father  on  the  Farnum  place.  Shortly 
after  this.  Mama  and  Papa,  as  they  were  known  to  all 
the  family,  moved  into  Ashton  and  Doss  and  Elizabeth 
lived  in  the  home  at  Farnum.  Their  daughter,  Mary 
Frances,  was  bom  in  January  of  1917,  and  Lewis  was 
bom  in  October  of  1920. 

Mary  Francis  went  to  St.  Anthony  and  lived 
with  her  aunt,  and  attended  school  there.  Lewis 
attended  the  first  grade  and  the  first  couple  of  months 
of  the  second  grade  at  Farnum,  until  he  contacted 
typhoid  fever.  At  that  time  the  family  moved  back  into 
town.    About  the  only  thing  Lewis  remembers  about 


168 


that  time  is  that  he  had  a  horse  that  seemed  to  enjoy 
bucking  him  off  and  did  a  lot  more  walking  than  riding 
to  and  from  school. 

Since  that  time  none  of  the  Hai^  family  has 
actually  Hved  on  the  property,  but  a  member  of  the 
family  has  always  owned  and/or  farmed  it.  In  the  30 's 
and  40's  many  of  the  adjoining  acreages  were 
purchased  by  the  family,  making  the  total  acreage 
owned  today  by  Lewis  Hargis  1051  acres. 

Doss  farmed  the  property  himself  through 
most  of  the  30's  and  40's.  In  1946  Lewis  Hargis 
began  forming  with  his  father.  Since  that  time  he  has 
farmed  or  rented  that  property.  The  house  still  stood 
on  the  property  that  was  the  original  homestead  until 
the  1970's  when  it  burned.  In  1986  the  entire  farm 
was  seeded  to  grass  as  part  of  the  CRP  program. 

By:  Betty  Hargis  May 

Thomas  S.  Hargis  b-  d-  1928 

md-  Martha  Potts  b-  1848  d-  1928 

Children  of  Thomas  S.  &  Martha  Hargis 

(1)  Dr.  Edward  L.  Hargis     b-1876  d-  1974 

md-  Verta  Low 

(2)  Frances  Hargis  b-1885  d-  1972 

md-  Jack  S.  McDonald 

(3)  Thomas  B.  Hargis  b-1887  d-  1968 

md-  (l)-Margaret, 
(2)-Muriel, 
(3)-  Jalma  Riley 

(4)  W.  D.  (Doss)  Hargis       b-1890  d-  1965 

md-  Elizabeth  Wood 

Children  of  Doss  &  Elizabeth 

(1)  Mary  Frances  b-1918  d-1988 

md-  William  Trude 

(2)  Lewis  Hargis  b-1920 

md-  Virginia  Wallin 

Children  of  Lewis  and  Virginia 
(1)  Betty  Hargis  b-1946 

md-  Richard  May 

DR.  EDWARD  L.  HARGIS 

and 

VERTA  LOW 

Dr.  Hargis  came  to  Ashton  in  1906  on  a  trip 
to  Yellowstone  Park.  He  got  off  the  train  for  a  lay- 
over. He  had  just  graduated  from  Medical  School.  He 
liked  what  he  saw  in  the  new  town  and  stayed  there 
until  his  deatii  Oa.  26,  1974. 

He  was  born  October  16,  1876,  at  Edin- 
burgh, Indiana.  His  parents  were  Thomas  S.  Hargis  & 
Martha  Potts.  He  met  Verta  Lowe  of  Iowa,  in 
Chicago  and  they  were  later  married  in  Salt  Lake  in 
1921.  She  passed  away  in  1953.  She  was  a  nurse. 
They  didn't  have  any  children.  Dr.  Hargis'  parents  and 
family  moved  to  Farnum  about  1911-1912.  His  two 
brothers  and  one  sister  still  own  some  land  in  Farnum. 


(The  following  is  an  article  written  by  Gary  L. 
Grimmctt  a  Ricks  College  Instructor) 

Pioneer  Physician  Enjoys  life  At  94 

"A  true  dedicated  pioneer  doctor...  a  fine 
human  being...  a  friend  when  you  needed  one..."  were 
the  responses  given,  when  asked —  "Do  you  know  Dr. 
Edward  Hargis,  and  what  do  you  think  of  him?" 

He  recently  celebrated  his  94th  birthday  and  is 
still  "running  strong"  after  visiting  with  guests  and 
former  doctors  and  acquaintances.  He  is  now  a 
resident  of  the  Golden  Living  Center  in  Rcxburg. 

He  once  traveled  by  snowshoe  several  miles  in 
a  raging  blizzard  to  visit  a  patient,  and  in  the  winter 
months  kept  a  team  and  sleigh  in  constant  use... then  in 
the  summer  wore  out  automobiles.  In  his  long  career 
as  a  physician  he  owned  eighteen  cars. 

Since  1906  he  has  been  the  Upper  Snake 
River  Valley  "county"  doctor,  with  his  home  in 
Ashton. 

His  accomplishments  and  records  are  vast  and 
numerous,  among  one  of  them  is  that  of  the  delivery  of 
babies.  He  chuckled  when  asked  how  many  he  has 
brought  into  the  world — "over  4300". 

Joe  Klamp,  a  retired  pharmacist  and  close 
friend  of  Dr.  Hargis,  said,  "He  was  pleasant  and 
accommodating.  He  was  there  to  help  people  and  this 
he  did,  24  hours  a  day,  year  after  year  and  most  of  the 
time,  he  went  to  them,  not  the  patient  going  to  the 
doctor." 

His  nephew,  Lewis  Hargis  of  Ashton, 
mentioned,  "He  was  dedicated,  and  always  kind,  I 
lived  with  him  and  his  wife  when  I  attended  high 
school  and  I  know  of  his  kindness."  He  also  has  a 
niece,  Mrs.  Leo  Hammond  of  Ashton,  who  echoes  the 
same  words. 

He  came  west  on  an  answer  to  an  ad  placed  on 
the  bulletin  board  at  Vanderbuilt  University  Medical 
School  seeking  a  doctor  for  the  area.  He  graduated 
from  the  Nashville,  Tenn.  Medical  School  in  1906. 
His  graduating  class  consisted  of  about  a  hundred 
students. 

He  was  born  in  Edinburg,  Ind.,  Oct.  16, 
1876,  to  Thomas  S.  Hargis  and  Martha  Potts.  When 
he  was  two  years  old  his  family  moved  to  Tennessee. 
His  father  was  a  farmer. 

A  sister,  Mrs.  J.  S.  McDonald  of  nearby  St. 
Anthony,  told  of  his  life,  "He  was  a  steady,  hard 
worker  and  helped  his  father  so  much.  He  put  himself 
through  school.  He  was  always  kind  and  con- 
siderate." He  had  two  sisters  and  four  brothers. 

He  laughed  as  he  stated,  "One  of  my  first 
patients  was  a  saloon  innkeeper."  In  relating  his  first 
experiences,  Dr.  Hargis  told  of  his  first  few  days  here. 
He  arrived  in  St.  Anthony  where,  with  the  aid  of  a  real 
estate  man,  he  journeyed  to  Ashton  by  train  and 
looked  the  situation  over.  As  they  were  about  to  leave, 
a  man  in. shirt  sleeves  came  running  through  the  train 
searching  for  a  doctor.  Dr.  Hargis'  friend  volunteered 
for  him  and  he  went  to  see  the  man's  wife  who  was  sick 
with  tonsillitis.  When  he  got  through  with  die  sick 
woman  he  was  called  to  a  saloon  where  the  innkeeper 


169 


complained  he  was  sick.  However,  after  examining 
him.  Dr.  Hargis  said  there  was  nothing  wrong  with 
him  and  charged  him  $3.00,  which  the  man  paid. 
They  soon  became  fast  friends  and  were  companions 
for  many  years. 

He  built  his  first  office  soon  after  his  arrival  in 
Ashton.  He  lived  in  a  rooming  house,  as  he  was  single 
at  the  time.  He  retired  right  before  World  War  11,  but 
due  to  the  shortage  of  doctors  in  the  area,  he  was  still 
active  during  the  war  years. 

The  doctors  of  the  Upper  Snake  River  Valley 
have  deep  concern  for  the  pioneer  doctor.  Many  of 
their  patients  are  babies  he  helped  deliver.  Doctors 
have  come  and  passed  on,  but  they  still  remember. 
One  of  his  "children"  is  now  a  doctor  himself,  and 
head  of  a  medical  school  in  California. 

He  married  Verta  Low  of  Iowa.  He  met  her 
while  he  attended  post- graduated  school  in  Chicago. 
She  was  a  nurse  and  helped  him  in  his  practice.  She 
died  some  21  years  ago,  he  said.  They  had  no 
children. 

CHRISTIAN  HARRIGFELD 

and 

JOHANNA  F.  AUGUSTA  SCHAFER 

Chris  and  Augusta  Harrigfcld  immigrated  to 
the  United  States  from  Germany.  They  settled  in 
Hoskins,  Nebraska,  but  in  1900  they  moved  to  Idaho 
and  homesteaded  in  Squirrel. 

They  came  out  West  at  the  same  time  as  Chris' 
brother  George  and  his  wife  Sarah.  They  came  by  train 
to  St.  Anthony  along  with  their  children,  William,  Elsa, 
George,  and  Ernest.  They  brought  all  the  things, 
animals,  machinery,  household  goods,  necessary  to 
start  a  life  here  in  Idaho.  Upon  reaching  St.  Anthony, 
they  got  wagons  and  completed  the  last  part  of  their 
journey  to  Squirrel. 

They  had  been  in  Squirrel  a  short  time  when 
nine  month  old  Ernest  came  down  with  pneumonia 
and  died  soon  after.  Chris  and  Augusta  had  three 
more  daughters,  Meta,  Mary  and  Clara,  after  settling  in 
Idaho.  Chris  and  George  started  breaking  the  ground 
and  ridding  the  area  of  sage  bruish  so  that  they  could 
build  their  homes  and  farm  the  land. 

They  accumulated  a  lot  of  land  in  the  Squirrel 
and  Ashton  area.  When  the  town  of  Ashton  was 
formed,  Chris  and  George  gave  the  town  the  land  that 
is  now  the  south  side  of  Ashton. 

For  lack  of  water  at  the  homestead  and 
surrounding  farms,  Chris  and  George  dug  a  canal  from 
Fall  River  to  the  farm.  They  were  helped  by  many 
neighbors,  who  also  needed  this  valuable  commodity. 
The  canal  was  known  as  the  Harrigfcld  Canal. 

In  1916,  they  built  the  house  that  is  still 
standing  on  the  original  homestead  site.  It  had  central 
hearing,  hot  and  cold  running  water,  and  an  electrical 
system  throughout  the  entire  house.  This  was  run  by  a 
gas  generator.  In  1939,  when  the  R.EA.  came  in,  they 
didn't  need  to  change  any  of  the  wiring  that  was  already 
installed. 


They  had  many  buildings  on  the  property,  but 
in  one  granary  they  had  a  dance  floor  and  band  stand 
built.  They  would  hold  dances  for  all  the  neighbors 
and  all  the  people  who  helped  work  on  the  him.  In 
addition  to  the  many  dances  they  also  held  parties  on 
Sunday.  Chris  and  Augusta's  children  got  to  invite 
friends.  They  served  lots  of  German  food  and  had  a 
good  time. 

Because  of  the  number  of  children  in  Squirrel, 
Chris  donated  one  acre  of  the  land  for  a  school.  The 
school  finally  dosed  in  the  1950's. 

Chris  and  Augusta's  children  married.  William 
married  Frieda  Kandler.  They  had  six  sons.  Bill,  Fritz 
and  Ira  still  farm  in  the  Squirrcl-Ashton  area.  Elsa 
married  Gilbert  Orme;  they  had  one  son  and  three 
daughters.  George  married  Ellen  Orme,  they  had  two 
sons.  George  and  Ellen  lived  on  and  farmed  the 
homestead  after  Chris  retired  from  farming.  Hal  still 
continues  to  farm  the  homestead.  Meta  married  Arthur 
Clouse;  they  had  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  Mary 
married  William  Griffel;  they  had  two  sons.  Clara 
married  Lew  Williams;  they  had  two  sons. 

Chris  and  Augusta  moved  to  Ashton  in  the 
early  I930's  after  living  many  years  at  Squirrel.  Augusta 
died  soon  after  the  move  and  Chris  followed  her  within 
the  year. 

Chris  sind  Augusta  left  their  children  with  a 
heritage  rich  with  love  for  the  people  they  knew,  the 
community  and  country  that  they  lived  in.  This 
heritage  has  been  passed  down  to  their  grandchildren 
and  their  great  grandchildren. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  William  Ernest  b-  1894        d-  1955 

md-  Frieda  E.  Kandler 

(2)  Elsa  Johanna  W.  b-  1895         d- 

md-  Gilbert  C.  Orme 

(3)  George  Carl  b-  1898        d- 
md-  Ellen  Orme 

(4)  Ernest  August  b-  1900        d-  1900 

(5)  Meta  b;  1901 

md-  (1)  George  Snyder  (div) 
(2)  Arthur  Clouse 

(6)  Mary  b-  1903 

md-  William  F.  Griffel 

(7)  Clara  b-  1905 
md-  Louis  Williams 

Sources: 

(1)  Lutheran  Church  records,  Ashton,  Idaho. 

(2)  St.  Anthony  1st  Ward  records, 

(3)  Yellowstone  Stake,  Stj\nthony,  Idaho. 

(4)  Boise  10th  Ward  records,  Boise  Idaho. 

WILLIAM  ERNEST  HARRIGFELD 

and 
FRIEDA  ELIZABETH  KANDLER 

Funeral  services  for  Mrs.  Frieda  Elizabeth 
Kandler  Harrigfeld,  73,  were  held  Monday,  Sep- 
tember 18,  at  the  Zion  Lutheran  Church. 


170 


Mrs.  Harrigfeld  died  Saturday,  September  16, 
at  the  Ashton  Memorial  Hospital  following  a  short 
illness. 

Mrs.  Harrigfeld  was  born  November  24, 
1893,  at  Woldegk,  Germany,  daughter  of  Fredrick 
Peters  Kandler  and  Louise  Kandler. 

She  spent  her  early  life  in  Germany  where  she 
attended  school.  She  worked  as  a  cashier  and 
bookkeeper  in  Hamburg,  Germany,  until  1925  when 
she  came  to  Ashton  where  her  brother,  Louis  C. 
Kandler,  was  living. 

She  married  William  E.  Harrigfeld  August  10, 
1927,  at  Ashton.  The  couple  farmed  7  miles  east  of 
Ashton  imtil  1942  when  they  moved  to  Ashton  where 
she  resided  until  the  time  of  her  death. 

Her  husband  died  November  18,  1955.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church  and  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  Woman's  League. 

She  leaves  6  sons:  Chris,  Oakland,  Calif.; 
John,  Modesto,  Calif.,  and  William,  Fritz,  Ernest  and 
Ira,  all  of  Ashton.  She  also  leaves  1  brother  and  3 
sisters;  Karl,  West  Africa,  and  Marie  Geicr,  Elizabeth 
Vaganer  and  Anna  Roth,  all  of  Germany,  and  17 
grandchildren. 

Obituary,  Ashton  Herald,  September  18,  1968 

GEORGE  CARL  HARRIGFELD 

and 

ELLEN  ORME 

George  Carl  Harrigfeld,  son  of  Christian 
Harrigfeld  and  Johanna  Friederike  Augusta  Schafer, 
was  born  May  9,  1898  in  Hoskins,  Wayne  County, 
Nebraska.  He  was  the  third  child  of  seven  born  to 
Christian  and  Augusta. 

George  Carl  was  a  very  successful  dry- farmer 
in  Squirrel,  Idaho.  He  inherited  the  family  home 
northwest  of  the  Squirrel  Store  which  was  built  by  his 
father.  Christian  Harrigfeld.  In  addition  to  acreage 
acquired  from  his  father,  George  purchased  land.  He 
purchased  the  land  directly  cast  of  his  property  fi-om 
the  Garz  brothers,  and  from  Burkhalters,  property  east 
of  the  Squirrel  Store.  The  Garz  and  Burkhalter  places 
were  adjacent,  later  being  on  the  south  with  only 
Squirrel  Creek  separating  them. 

George  and  Ellen  Orme  married  in  Madison 
County,  November  10,  1923.  They  were  a  frugal, 
hard-working  couple  and  were  very  family  oriented. 
They  had  two  sons,  George  Chris  and  Gordon  Hal, 
who  were  both  industrious  also.  Both  boys  attended 
grade  school  in  Squirrel  and  attended  High  School  in 
Idaho  Falls,  where  their  parents  lived  during  winter 
season.  They  later  related  stories  of  riding  horseback 
across  fields  to  school  and  of  experiences  in  a  one- 
room  school  house. 

George  Chris  married  Mauna  Garrett,  of  St. 
Anthony,  December  31,  1945.  They  lived  that  winter 
in  Idaho  Falls  and  with  the  elder  Harrigfelds  while  the 
crop  was  being  sewn  and  harvested.  They  then  moved 
into  the  Burkhalter  place  to  which  they  added  a 


combination  bathroom  and  washroom.  This  home  sat  high 
above  the  surrounding  area,  afibrding  them  an  extended 
view  in  every  directicwi. 

The  wind  blew  a  great  deal  neccsatating  their  first 
child,  George  DI  being  somewhat  housebound  because  of 
asthma.  Miniature  sand  dunes  sometimes  formed  under 
and  behind  the  kitchen  doors  when  the  wind  was  its 
strongest  during  winter. 

They  made  use  of  the  big  bam  wiierc  they  kept  a 
Jersey  milk  cow  which  drank  water  fir>m  a  tank  near  the 
house  supplied  by  the  existing  windmill  and  pastured  in  the 
bottomland  along  the  creek.  This  Jersey  cow  in  the  bam, 
with  a  new  calf,  with  the  bam  door  open,  took  a  dislike  few 
Mauna  as  a  result  of  her  running  across  the  barnyard  one 
evening  to  visit  with  Bud,  while  he  was  dcang  his  chores. 
The  cow  saw  her  nmning,  (an  agresave  act),  and  fit)m  that 
time  on  would  always  charge  Mauna  each  time  she  would 
step  outside  of  the  house.  Mauna  was  greatfiil  for  the 
invention  of  barb  wire.  George  would  ride  his  registered 
Morgan  horse  to  bring  the  cow  in  each  evening.  George 
and  Mauna  raised  rabbits  for  a  time,  which  they  marketed 
in  Idaho  Falls,  w^erc  they  were  sold  to  eat. 

The  bridge  over  Squirrel  Creek  between  their 
home  and  the  store  was  torn  out  and  rephccd  by  a  landfill 
crossover.  This  was  well  remembered  by  George's  young 
bride  because  she  slid  the  car  over  the  edge  of  the  road  in 
the  loose  gravel  while  attempting  to  pass  the  heavy 
equipment  at  work  on  this  projecL 

A  remembered  e^qjerience  was  of  George,  called 
"Bud"  by  his  femily  and  fiiends,  and  a  group  of  neighbors 
chasing  a  wounded  moose  up  and  down  the  creek  for 
several  hours  into  the  wee  hours  of  the  morning,  resulting 
in  a  bride's  dilemma  also.  Mauna's  attempts  in  finding  a 
way  to  prepare  the  meat  fixjm  this  poor  stressed  animal  to 
be  edible  were  all  as  sad  as  the  chase  itself 

The  Burkhalter  home,  due  to  its  interior  design, 
gave  a  spadous  and  pleasant  feeling.  Their  first  heat  was 
supplied  by  an  oil  stove  in  the  living  room,  but  there  was  a 
problem.  Due  to  wind  currents  on  the  hill  and  the  long 
chimney  of  the  two-story  house,  continual  down  drafts 
would  cause  the  oil  stove  to  "blow  up"  with  smoke  and 
soot  blown  throughout  the  house.  They  soon  installed  a 
Lennox  furnace  in  an  adjoining  room  which  worked 
perfectly.  Years  later,  the  home  burned  to  the  ground,  the 
fire  was  of  undetermined  origjn. 

Bud  and  Mauna  moved  to  Ashton  in  1951  to 
manage  the  Ashton  Theater,  which  the  whole  femily  had 
built.  They  later  traded  the  theater  for  a  cattle  ranch  in 
Townsend,  Montana.  They  moved  their  femily,  Gcoige  C. 
Ill,  Michael  Ryan,  Cleve  Hal  and  Carrie  Lorraine  in 
December  1956.  They  had  another  son,  Kelly  Earl,  their 
only  native  Montanan,  in  March  1957. 

George  Chris  died  February  2,  1966  of 
complications  of  diabetes.  He  is  buried  in  Townsend, 
Montana,  beside  Cleve,  who  was  a  victim  of  an  unsolved 
murder  iri  Helena,  September  1969. 

Hal  Harrigfeld  married  Fay  Matthews  and 
lived  on  the  "Garz  Place"  straight  north  of  his 
brother  "Bud",  where  they  raised  five  children: 
Deborah,  La  Faye,  Becky,  Hal  Jr.  and  Gayle.  lyj 


They  purchased  the  Hollingsworth  home  in 
Ashton,  across  the  street  from  the  home  his  brother 
Bud  built,  where  they  spent  winters.  Hal,  Jr.  now  lives 
on  the  Garz  place  and  farms  the  entire  Harrigfeld 
property  left  by  his  fether.  Hal,  Sr.,  after  his  father's 
death,  had  purchased  the  portion  inherited  by  his 
brother  Bud's  children. 

George  Carl,  Ellen  his  wife,  and  Hal,  their 
son,  have  all  died  and  are  buried  in  the  Ashton 
Cemetery. 


GEORGE  CARL  and  ELLEN  CHILDREN: 

1)  George  Chris  b-  1924        d-  1966 
md-  Mauna  Garrett 

2)  Gordon  Hal  b- 1927        d-  1989 
md-  Fay  Matthews 

GEORGE  CHRIS  and  MAUNA  CHILDREN: 

1)  George  C.  m  b-  1946 
md-  Celia  Hall 

2)  Michael  Ryan  b-  1949 
md-  Lola  Olson 

3)  Cleve  Hal  b-  1950 

4)  Carrie  Lorraine  b-  1952 
md-  Scott  Birch 

5)  Kelly  Earl  b-  1957 
md-  Kclli  Ameson 


d-  1969 


GORDON  HAL  and  FAY  CHILDREN: 

1)  Deborah  Ellen  b-  1950 
md-  Tom  Q.  Holcomb 

2)  La  Faye  Hazel  b-  1952 
md-  Dennis  Oberhansley 

3)  Rebecca  Janet  b-  1957 
md- 

4)  Gordon  Hal,  Jr.  b-   1959 
md-  Karen  Bodily 

5)  Gayle  Cecelia  b-  1963 
md-  Gregory  H.  Copeland 

By:  Mauna  Garrett  liarrigfeld 

JOHN  HARSHBARGER 

JACOB  HARSHBARGER 

and 

2V1ARY  SHAFER 


Jacob  Harshbarger  was  the  son  of  John 
Harshbarger.  He  and  Mary  Schafer,  his  wife  were 
early  pioneers  in  Kansas  and  were  large  land  owners. 
He  didn't  like  to  farm  so  he  left  that  to  the  boys,  Earl, 
Clay  and  John.  Jacob  was  Sherriff  of  Lincoln  County 
Kansas  for  many  years.  There  were  gangs  roaming  the 
area  and  giving  the  law  a  lot  of  trouble.  During  this 
time  there  is  a  family  story;  Jacob  was  out  chasing  the 
Jessie  James  gang  and  Mary  was  giving  them  a  meal. 
Jacob's  oldest  grandchild  Maude  Harshbarger  Schultz 
related  the  story  and  doesn't  remember  if  this  was  true 
or  a  family  joke,  however  Jacob  was  involved  with  the 
gangs  and  Mary  never  turned  anyone  away  that 
needed  a  meal. 


Mary  and  Jake  Harshbargcr 

Another  incident  in  the  family  on  this  western 
front.  The  Indians  roamed  the  area  freely  and  many 
encounters  arc  told.  Mary  was  horseback  riding  with 
her  girl  friend.  Mary's  horse  hated  Indians  and  could 
smell  them  hiding  in  the  brush,  and  took  off,  the 
Indians  couldn't  out  run  her  horse  and  she  got  away, 
but  her  friend  wasn't  so  lucky  and  was  captured.  It 
was  many  years  before  she  returned  to  her  family. 

Jacob  came  out  to  the  Squirrel  area  for  a  visit, 
and  liked  very  much  what  he  saw,  such  a  contrast  to 
Kansas. 

In  1909  Jacob,  Mary  and  family.  Earl  and 
wife  Olive,  and  their  son  Max;  Clay  and  his  wife 
Cynthia  and  their  year  old  son  Clifford  moved  to 
Squirrel  and  bought  land  in  the  area. 


CHILDREN: 

(l)OrvilleEarl 

b-  1880          d- 

md-  Olive  Clark 

(2)  Clay 

b  1882          d-1965 

md-  Cynthia  Squires 

(3)  Lena 

b- 

md-  Joe  Schroll 

(4)  Mayme 

b- 

md-  Charles  Baker 

ORVILLE  EABT,  HARSHBARGER 

and 

OLIVE  CT<ARK 

Orville  Earl  Harshbarger  always  known  as 
Earl  was  born  at  Ada,  Ottowa  County,  Kansas,  on 
September  3,  1880,  the  fifth  child  of  Jacob  and  Mary 
(Schafer)  Harshbarger.  When  he  was  27  years  old  and 
still  living  in  Kansas,  he  married  Sarah  Olive  Clark  on 
October  3,  1907.  Olive  was  bom  in  nearby  Beverly, 
Lincoln  County,  Kansas,  21  May,  1882. 

Earl  and  Olive's  romance  began  in  1903 
when  Olive  came  to  teach  at  the  Spring  Creek  School 
and  took  board  and  room  at  the  Harshbarger  home. 
After  two  years  of  teaching,  she  went  to  South  Dakota 
to  "prove  up"  on  a  homestead  she  had  taken  there. 
Her  two  years  away  from  Kansas  were  interesting,  and 


happy  years,  even  though  she  and  Earl  kept  in  touch 
with  letters. 

In  1908,  one  year  after  their  marriage,  Earl 
and  Olive,  with  their  first  child  Max,  moved  to  Idaho 
with  his  father  Jacob,  and  his  brother  Clay  and  family, 
to  begin  a  new  life  in  a  new  home.  The  trip  was  made 
by  railroad,  and  they  were  able  to  bring  all  their 
personal  belongings  except  a  piano  and  a  bedroom  set 
that  had  been  a  wedding  gift  from  Earl's  parents. 
After  the  first  year,  they  built  a  home  three  miles  from 
the  town  of  Drummond  and  began  to  acquire  more 
land. 

In  1916  the  family  moved  again,  this  time  to 
a  four  room  house  above  the  steep  bank  of  Squirrel 
Creek.  The  house  was  hardly  adequate  for  their 
growing  femily,  so  in  1918  they  built  a  fine  new  home 
beside  the  small  one.  Ninteen  eighteen  was  an 
exciting  year  for  Earl  and  his  family,  for  the  war  in 
Europe  had  finally  ended,  and  in  November,  five  years 
after  their  last  child,  and  fourth  son,  Jake  was  bom. 
The  next  ten  years  were  good  years,  too.  In  1921, 
Naomi  arrived,  and  in  1926,  when  Olive  was  44  and 
Earl  was  46  years  old  their  last  child,  Joy,  was  bom. 

The  bank  failure  of  1929  and  the  Depression 
of  the  1930's  as  well  as  poor  crops,  brought  hard 
times  to  the  family.  The  good  years  of  the  'twenties' 
were  behind  them  now  and  they  faced  hardships  and 
self-denial.  They  did  not  lose  their  land  as  some  did, 
but  Earl  had  to  take  other  work  to  keep  the  family  and 
the  farm  going. 

The  years  that  followed  would  have  been 
happier  had  not  Earl  developed  cancer  of  the  prostrate 
gland.  He  endured  his  illness  with  courage  and 
unfailing  cheer,  even  though  he  required  surgery  every 
year.  Whenever  he  could,  he  fished  every  day  and  she 
would  comb  the  beaches  for  sea  shells. 

In  Florida  they  celebrated  their  Golden 
Wedding  anniversary.  His  failing  health  notwith- 
standing. Earl  and  Olive  enjoyed  their  last  years 
together,  far  from  the  scenes  where  they  raised  their 
femily  and  worked  so  hard  on  their  farm. 

After  Earl's  death,  Olive  traveled  a  great  deal 
in  foreign  countries,  where  Jake  was  stationed.  She 
died  in  her  nineties  at  the  home  of  her  daughter, 
Naomi,  in  Califomia. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Max  Gerald  b- 1908 
md-  (1)-  Marie  linberg 

(2)-  Dorothy  Martin  McKcnzie 

(2)  Clark  b-  1909 
md-  (1)-  Faye  Abcgglen 

(2)-  Jerry  Holbrook 

(3)  Merle  b-  1911 
md-Fem  Rumsey 

(4)  Ellarinc  b-  1913 
md-Frank  Hansen 

(5)  Jake  b-  1918 
md-  (1)-  Margaret  Diehm 

iy2  (^)"  Marie  Inkeri  Manni 


(6)  Naomi  b-  1921 
md-Harold  Frisbcc 

(7)  Lena  Joy  b-  1925 
md-Jim  Kiintz 

By  daughter  Naomi  H.  Frisbee 

AN  INCIDENT  IN  EARL'S  LIFE 

Allie  and  lil  Burkhaltcr  tell  this  story  of  a  visit 
to  Earl: 

"Lil  and  I  went  out  to  Earl  Harshbarger's  last 
week  and  stayed  two  days  and  had  a  nice  visit.  Earl 
has  got  to  be  quite  a  farmer  and  has  two  thousand 
acres  of  wheat  in  this  year  and  if  the  frost  holds  off... 
he  should  make  a  killing. 

Earl  was  telling  me  his  experience  with  a  bull 
moose  he  had  last  winter.  He  went  out  to  see  the 
moose  out  in  the  yard  and  it  ran  him  back  in  the 
house!  If  you  remember  the  back  door  opens  off  the 
porch  that  is  about  2  1/2  feet  high.  When  Earl 
opened  this  door  the  moose  tried  to  get  in  after  him. 
Earl  held  the  door  partly  open  and  slapped  him  in  the 
face  and  that  made  him  mad.  The  hair  stood  straight 
up  on  his  back  and  he  would  grit  his  teeth  and  tried  to 
get  in.  Earl  went  in  and  got  a  pail  of  water  and  threw 
it  in  his  face  but  it  did  no  good,  so  he  got  a  pan  of 
boiling  water  and  that  did  the  trick,  and  the  moose 
went  down  to  Squirrel  Creek  and  waited  until  the  sun 
went  down..  Earl  said  there  were  lots  of  moose  down 
in  the  fields  last  winter.. .P.S.  The  moose  was  an  old 
one  and  had  no  horns".  Family  says  he  fed  the  moose 
all  winter,  it's  been  some  time  since  this  incident,  and 
wonder  if  this  was  just  one  of  Allie's  stories. 

CLARK  HARSHBARGER 

and 

(l)FAYABEGGLEN 

(2)  GERALDINE  JUNE  HOLBROOK  BLINN 

On  September  29,  1909,  I  was  born  to 
Orville  Earl  Harshbarger  and  Ohve  Clark  Harsh - 
barger,  the  second  son.  I  was  called  "baby"  for  about 
a  year,  then  I  was  named  Clark,  which  is  my  mother's 
maiden  name. 

While  I  was  growing  up,  Drummond  con- 
sisted of  a  bank,  a  drugstore,  a  pool  hall,  two  grocery 
stores,  a  church,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  school,  a  barber 
shop,  two  grain  elevators  and  a  train  depot. 

When  I  was  8  years  old,  the  family  made  a  trip 
to  Idaho  Falls  to  meet  the  presidential  train.  We  had 
the  opportunity  to  shake  hands  with  Warren  G. 
Harding  and  listen  to  him  talk.  I  also  had  a  chance 
that  same  day  to  shake  hands  with  Heber  J.  Grant,  the 
current  President  of  the  Lattcrday  Saint  (Mormon) 
church,  who  was  also  traveling  through  Idaho  Falls. 

We  farmed  with  horses  until  1927  when  we 
bought  a  traaor.  In  1928,  we  bought  a  grain  combine 
and  we  cut  some  grain  commercially  for  $1.00  an 
acre. 


173 


During  the  summer,  I  farmed  with  Pop, 
Merle  and  Jake.  During  the  winter,  we  did  a  lot  of 
trapping,  mostly  beaver,  also  a  few  muskrat,  mink, 
weasel  and  three  otters.  I  fed  cattle  a  couple  of 
winters,  living  in  St.  Anthony  in  a  sheep  camp. 

In  1938,  I  bought  1200  acres  of  new  farm 
ground  16  miles  northwest  of  Tctonia,  Idaho  on 
Badger  Creek.  I  formed  400  acres  by  myself  the 
simimer  of  1948.  I  eventually  cleared  quaken  aspen 
off  nearly  two -thirds  of  the  farm.  Wild  game  was 
abimdant;  deer,  elk,  moose,  even  two  buffalo. 

My  brothers  and  sisters  who  followed  were 
born  in  Ashton:  Ellarene,  Merle,  Jake,  Naomi  and 
Lena  Joy. 

In  1918,  Pop  built  a  modem  two-story  home 
on  Conant  Creek.  Our  chores  consisted  of  milking  a 
few  cows,  feeding  a  few  pigs,  chickens  and  horses.  As 
Drummond  was  a  small  community,  we  were  a  very 
close  family.  My  brothers  and  sisters  were  great 
friends. 

I  attended  grades  one  through  eight  in 
Squirrel,  Idaho.  I  attended  ninth  grade  in  Drummond 
and  my  last  three  years  at  High  School  in  Ashton. 

In  the  summer  of  1936,  I  met  Laura  Fay 
Abbeglen,  who  was  playing  piano  in  a  band  at  the 
time.  During  the  winter,  she  was  a  third-fourth  grade 
teacher  in  Wilford.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Conrad, 
Jr.  and  Maria  Magdelena  Muni  Ab>egglen,  who  were 
L.D.S.  emigrants  from  Switzerland.  She  was  bom  22 
October  1912,  in  Wilford.  After  she  was  through 
teaching  at  Island  Park,  we  drove  to  Elko,  Nevada  and 
were  married  on  2  May  1939.  We  drove  home  to  the 
farm  the  next  day. 

We  spent  the  next  winter  in  Newdale,  where 
Fay  taught  school  and  I  worked  in  the  potato  cellar. 
The  winters  of  1940  and  1941,  we  lived  in  St. 
Anthony.  On  February  28,  1941,  our  first  child,  a 
son,  was  bom.  We  named  him  Lynn  Clark. 

We  spent  the  next  winter  at  the  house  where  I 
was  born,  near  Drummond,  and  on  December  22, 
1942,  our  next  son,  Larry  was  bom. 

The  World  War  11  was  on  and  being  a  farmer 
with  two  children,  I  was  classified  4F,  Merle  with  I 
son,  and  Max  with  2  sons,  were  likewise  classified  4F 
since  they  were  farming  in  Dmmmond  and  Silvcrdale, 
Washington,  respectivley.  Jake  was  just  out  of  college 
and  joined  the  Marines,  as  a  second  lieutenant.  He 
was  decorated  with  a  purple  heart  during  the  war  at 
Iwo  Jima. 

The  war  brought  fruitful  times  to  the  farmers 
and  in  the  winter  of  1943,  we  bought  a  house  in 
Driggs.  In  1948,  we  bought  a  Piper  Pacer  airplane 
and  enjoyed  nine  years  of  flying.  I  was  Idaho  State 
Flying  Farmer  President  in  1957  and  Fay  was  State 
Queen.  We  flew  to  the  National  Flying  Farmer 
Convention  in  New  Orleans. 

While  in  Driggs,  we  had  two  daughters  bom 
to  us;  Cheryl  on  January  28,  1946  and  Connie  Fay  on 
July  18,  1949.  We  then  bought  a  home  in  Rexburg 
where  wc  spent  the  winters  and  commuted  to  the 


ranch  in  the  summers.  In  Rexburg,  our  yoimgest 
child,  Roger  Kay,  was  bom  on  June  12, 1952. 

We  sold  the  dry  ferm  in  1957  and  bought  a 
1200  acre  farm  ten  miles  south  of  Burley,  Idaho.  In 
1961,  we  moved  to  the  farm  south  of  town.  Due  to 
the  combination  of  low  yields  and  low  prices  we  were 
forced  to  sell.  In  1963,  we  leased  a  farm  two  miles 
north  of  Paul,  Idaho. 

In  1963,  we  purchased  the  Telford  place  in 
Howe,  Idaho.  We  ate  Thankgsiving  dinner  there 
before  we  were  unpacked. 

In  February  1964,  I  saw  the  L.D.S.  mis- 
sionaries. After  hearing  the  lessons,  coupled  with 
living  with  a  shining  example  like  Fay  for  25  years,  I 
was  baptized  into  the  L.D.S.  Church.  In  February 
1965,  Fay  slipped  on  some  ice  at  Howe  and  broke  her 
leg  and  died  two  weeks  later. 

I  met  Geraldine  June  Holbrook  Blinn,  a 
widow  of  a  couple  of  years.  We  were  married  in 
Howe,  Idaho.  Jerry,  as  she  likes  to  be  called,  worked 
very  hard  and  helped  to  make  the  ranch  what  is  was 
worth  in  1974  when  we  sold  it  for  a  considerable 
profit. 

Jerry  and  I  bought  a  motor  home  and  we 
spent  the  winters  in  Arizona.  Wc  purchased  a  home  in 
Carey,  Idaho  where  we  spent  part  of  the  summers. 

In  1986, 1  was  diagnosed  with  cancer.  After  a 
major  operation,  it  was  put  into  remission  and  I 
enjoyed  a  few  more  winters  in  Arizona  and  spending 
some  time  in  the  summers  with  each  of  my  children, 
about  the  children  and  grandchildren. 

(In  1989,  Clark  had  another  bout  with  cancer 
and  passed  away  in  September  1990.) 

MERLE  HARSHBARGER 

and 

FERN  RUMSEY 

The  Harshbargers  moved  from  Beverly, 
Kansas,  to  Squirrel,  Idaho  in  1909.  Earl  Harshbargcr, 
his  wife  Olive,  his  brother  Clay,  and  their  Grandfather 
John  Harshbarger  sold  their  land  in  Kansas  and 
bought  approximately  1000  acres  south  and  west  of 
Squirrel.  Earl  and  Olive  had  one  son  who  was  an 
infant  at  the  time.  Bom  to  Earl  and  Ohve  in  Idaho 
were  Clark,  Merle,  Ellerine,  Jake,  Naomi,  and  Joy,  the 
youngest.  All  are  still  alive  except  for  Uncle  Clark 
who  died  this  year. 

John  Harshbarger  who  was  bom  in  1818  died 
soon  after  they  arrived  in  Idaho  in  1909.  He  is  buried 
in  the  Ashton  cemetery.  Earl  and  Olive  built  their  first 
house  in  the  Conant  Creek  Canyon  south  of  Squirrel. 
Grandpa  Earl  named  the  ranch,  the  "Yellowstone 
Ranch",  getting  the  name  from  the  old  stage  stop 
which  was  in  the  bottom  of  Conant  Creek  where  they 
built  their  first  cabin.  The  stage  stop  was  called  the 
Yellowstone  Stage  Stop  as  it  was  the  last  stop  beft)re 
Yellowstone  Park. 

In  1911,  they  moved  up  out  of  the  creek  area 
to  a  new  home  they  built  on  the  road  between 


Drummond  and  Squirrel.  My  Dad,  Merle,  was  bom 
in  that  house  in  1911.  The  house  still  stands  today. 
Several  years  later  they  built  the  big  house  on  the 
south  bank  of  Squirrel  Creek,  a  mile  or  so  south  of  the 
Squirrel  Store.  By  the  1960's  this  home  was  no 
longer  being  used  and  was  sold  to  Sam  Earl  who  had 
it  moved  to  Ashton.  It  sets  near  the  northeast  comer 
of  the  Ashton  City  Park  and  is  now  owned  and  lived 
in  by  Rudy  Steinman  and  his  family. 

In  the  30's  the  farm  grew  larger  as  more 
ground  around  the  Drummond  area  was  purchased. 
Also,  they  bought  a  farm  over  in  the  Bitch  Creek  area 
of  Teton  County  and  Max,  Clark,  Merle,  and  Grandpa 
Earl  farmed  this  together  with  the  Fremont  property 
from  1935  to  1940.  Max  left  the  farm  in  1937  and 
moved  to  Washington.  In  1940  Uncle  Clark  took 
over  the  Bitch  Creek  property  by  himself  and  that  left 
Dad  and  Grandpa  with  the  Squirrel  and  Dmmmond 
property. 

In  1943,  Dad  married  Fem  Rumscy  and  they 
lived  in  a  small  house  by  the  main  house  on  Squirrel 
Creek.  A  year  later  Dad  bought  the  Simerly  place  just 
south  of  Drummond  and  his  home  and  farm  buildings 
which  were  in  Drummond.  They  made  that  their 
home  until  the  late  1970's  when  they  moved  into 
Ashton.  They  sold  the  Ashton  home  after  a  couple  of 
years  to  move  to  a  home  they  bought  down  by  the 
Fremont  Golf  Course  where  they  still  live  during  the 
summer  months.  Usually,  in  the  winter,  they  head  for 
warmer  weather. 

Dad  said  during  the  depression,  they  were 
offered  some  ground  north  of  Driggs,  1000  acres  for 
$1000  but  could  not  come  up  with  the  money. 

Dad  graduated  from  high  school  in  Ashton, 
but  said  he  didn't  play  any  sports  because  he  always 
had  to  be  home  to  do  chores. 

I  was  born  in  1944  and  grew  up  in  Dmm- 
mond, which  was  a  nice  litde  town  back  then  and  a 
great  place  to  grow  up.  I  went  to  school  in 
Drummond  thru  grade  5,  then  in  to  Ashton  where  I 
graduated  in  1962.  I  attended  college  in  SLC  where  I 
graduated  from  the  University  of  Utah  in  1966.  I 
spent  two  years  in  the  Army  in  1969-70  and  started 
flill  time  farming  in  1971. 

Grandpa  was  afflicted  with  cancer  in  the  late 
40 's  and  struggled  with  and  fought  the  disease  until 
1957  when  his  courageous  struggle  ended.  He  and 
his  wife  Olive  did  manage  to  spend  several  winters  on 
the  Texas  Gulf  Coast  where  he  dearly  loved  to  fish, 
and  Grandma  put  together  a  valuable  sea  shell 
collection  that  my  Aunt  Nancy  now  has.  Grandma 
lived  for  another  18  years  before  quiedy  passing  away 
in  1975.  She  was  able  to  do  a  lot  of  world  traveling 
during  those  years  which  she  spent  a  lot  of  time  in 
Africa  with  her  son  Jake,  who  worked  on  that 
continent. 

While  farming  with  Dad  in  the  70's  and  80's 

we  bought  the  Crouch  place  by  Lamont  and  the 

Kmeger  farm  property  up  above  Lamont.  We  put  the 

,  y .     home  place  (Squirrel  property)  under  irrigation  in  the 


70*s  and  Pimblc  and  Hawkcs  property  under  water  in 
the  80's. 

In  the  late  70's,  I  met  a  gjrl  ftDm  Minnesota, 
Wanda  Weston.  We  were  married  in  1980  and  I 
adopted  a  son  she  had  from  a  previous  marriage  named 
Peter  Scott.  Pete  is  now  16  years  old.  Wanda  and  I 
had  a  son  in  1982,  Brandon. 

Dad  semi-retired  in  1985.  I  continued 
farming  until  1989  when  I  decided  to  rent  the  farm 
out  and  move  to  Florida.  My  wife  and  I  and  our  two 
boys  are  presendy  living  in  Clearwater,  Florida. 

By:  Don  Harshbarger 

CLAY  HARSHBARGER 

and 

CYNTHIA  SQUIRES 


Clay  and  Cynthia  Harshbarger 


Clay  Harshbarger  was  born  September  5, 
1882.  After  the  divorce  from  Cynthia,  he  spent  the 
next  several  years  working  in  various  parts  of  the  west, 
finally  as  a  maintenance  man  for  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad  and  Telegraph  Company.  Thereafter,  he 
worked  mosdy  in  California,  Oregon  and  New  Mexico. 
He  said  he  spent  summers  where  it  was  hot,  and 
winters  where  it  was  cold.  He  enjoyed  hunting,  fishing 
and  skiing  and  did  a  lot  of  each  when  he  was  in  the 
Squirrel  country. 

After  retiring  fix)m  the  railroad.  Clay  bought  a 
cabin  near  Grants  Pass,  Oregon,  where  he  lived  for 
several  years  before  a  stroke  forced  him  to  leave.  (Gold 
was  discovered  there  some  years  after  he  sold  the 
place.)  He  moved  to  Truth  or  Consequences,  New 
Mexico.    His  last  several  summers  were  spent  with  his 


son,  Cliff  and  his  family  at  Squirrel,  and  with  his 
daughter,  Vaughn  and  her  family  at  Lovell,  Wyoming. 

He  died  at  his  New  Mexico  home  November 
30,  1965,  where  he  is  buried.  Cliffs  mother,  Cynthia, 
had  died  there  only  a  few  months  before  on  11  June, 
1965.  She  is  buried  in  Ashton. 

By:  Jack  Reveal 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Clifford  b-  1907 
md-  Alyce  Marsden 

(2)  Vaughn  b- 1911 

md-  George  Tippctts 

CLIFFORD  HARSHBARGER 

and 

ALYCE  MARSDEN 

Cliff  was  bom  at  Ada,  Ottowa  County,  Kansas 
on  the  13th  of  June  1907,  the  first  child  of  Clay  and 
Cynthia  Squires  Harshbarger. 

When  Cliff  was  a  year  old  they  moved  to  the 
Squirrel  country.  His  grandfather,  Jacob  Harshbarger, 
had  come  out  a  year  eariier  and  found  the  hunting  and 
fishing  fabulous,  so  he  decided  to  move  out.  They 
came  by  train,  along  with  Clay's  brother,  Eari  and  his 
family,  accompanied  by  all  the  farming  equipment  and 
horses. 

Clay  and  Cynthia  lived  for  a  year  on  Conant 
Creek,  north  east  of  Drummond,  then  moved  north 
to  Conant  Creek  to  a  home  on  the  bank  of  Squirrel 
Creek.  Their  daughter,  Vaughn  was  bom  at  Ashton 
in  1911. 

Clay  and  his  brother,  Earl  had  one  of  the  first 
steam  threshing  outfits  in  the  area  and  threshed  for 
many  of  the  neighbors. 

ClifFs  parents  were  divorced  in  1917,  and 
Cynthia  and  the  two  children  spent  a  winter  in 
California.  In  the  spring  they  moved  back  to  the 
ranch  at  Squirrel  Creek  and  stayed  with  the  people 
who  were  farming  the  place. 

On  December  4,  1918  Cynthia  married  Axel 
Johnson  and  the  Squirrel  store  became  their  home  for 
the  next  32  years. 

Cliff  attended  grade  school  at  Dmmmond 
and  Squirrel.  At  least  one  year  when  he  attended 
school  at  Squirrel,  it  was  held  during  the  summer 
months  because  of  the  severe  winter.  He  attended 
high  school  in  Ashton  and  graduated  in  1926.  He 
played  football. 

After  high  school  Cliff  worked  around  for 
neighbors,  mainly  Silas  Orme  and  Boone  Jcsscn.  In 
the  early  thirties  he  started  farming  on  his  own. 

Cliff  and  I  were  married  August  24,  1936.  It 
was  that  same  year  that  he  started  his  cattle  herd.  He 
bought  about  40  head  of  cattle  in  Montana  where 
they  were  having  a  drought.  He  was  able  to  get  on 
the  range  above  here.  He  kept  increasing  his  herd  and 
range  right  until  he  now  has  about  120  head.  He  has 
been  in  partnership  with  his  son.  Brent  and  they  now 
lyr     buy  calves  in  the  fall  to  feed  during  the  winter  and 


b.r.  Edgar,  and  Brent  Harshbargcr,  Brcnt  and  Derek  Jensen,  m.r.  Kami  Jensen,  Mamie  and  Phyllis  Harshbarger,  Linda, 
Trida  Jensen,  Nikki  Jensen  Andrcason,  f.r.  Brcnda,  AJyce,  Cliff  Harshbargcr,  Jake  Jensen,  Brady  Harshbarger 


pasture  in  the  spring.  In  fact,  Brent  now  runs  the 
ranch  with  some  help  from  Cliff. 

The  ranch  is  ClifTs  main  interest  and  he  is 
active  in  its  success,  especially  with  the  cattle.  In  our 
50  years  of  married  life  he  has  never  missed  a  round- 
up or  putting  cattle  on  the  range.  He  has  always  been 
available  to  help  the  herder,  also  helping  build  fence, 
back  ride  or  whatever  is  needed. 

Cliff  has  always  loved  to  fish  and  I  guess  his 
best  fishing  trip  was  one  he  took  down  the  Salmon. 
He  and  Don  Marshall,  Neil  Harshbarger  and  others 
went  on  a  hired  boat.  At  that  time  the  steel  head 
fishing  was  unbelievable!  They  ate  all  they  could  and 
put  the  rest  back  in  the  river. 

Cliff  was  an  ASCS  committee-man  for  several 
years,  serving  as  chairman  for  some  time.  He  received 
the  award  in  1980  for  "many  years  of  outstanding 
achievement  in  the  cattle  industry."  It  was  given  by 
the  Fremont -Madison  Cattleman's  Association. 

Other  hobbies  Cliff  has  enjoyed  are  hunting, 
skiing,  snowmobiling  and  packing  into  the  hills.  For 
many  years  he  has  enjoyed  hunting  in  the  country 
around  here,  as  well  as  riding  the  range,  so  he  knows 
the  country  pretty  well.  When  his  eyesight  became 
less  than  good  he  quit  hunting.  He  sometimes  goes 
and  stays  at  the  hunting  camps  with  Brent. 

For  several  years  he  accompanied  Brent  and 
his  fHends  on  their  snowmobile  trips,  but  again,  when 
he  got  so  he  couldn't  tell  depth  perception  in  the 
snow,  he  quit  that  also.  He  still  enjoys  pack  trips  to 
the  mountains. 


Cliff  has  enjoyed  his  family  and  friends.  He  is 
a  good  neighbor,  friend,  husband  and  father. 

By:  Alyce  Harshbarger 

ALYCE  MARSDEN 

I  Alyce  Marsden  Harshbarger,  was  born 
November  25,  1915,  at  Tooele  City,  Utah.  I  was  the 
second  of  five  children  bom  to  Leo  Curtis  and  Mary 
Gordon  Marsden. 

When  I  wa5  six  month  old  my  father,  mother, 
my  older  sister,  Rheva  and  I  moved  to  Squirrel,  Idaho. 

I  got  another  sister,  Ruth  in  1917,  a  brother, 
John  in  1920  and  another  sister,  Gayle  in  1923.  As 
we  lived  so  far  from  town  and  didn't  have  cars  in  the 
early  days,  we  definitely  spent  a  lot  of  time  with  our 
family. 

We  used  to  sing  a  lot  at  home.  Then,  later  on 
Rheva  and  I  sang  at  dances,  etc.  Rheva  was  a  real 
singer.  I  sang  lead  for  her. 

When  we  first  came  here  we  lived  in  a  log 
house  on  a  farm  just  a  mile  south  and  a  littie  east  of 
where  we  live  now.  At  that  time  we  enjoyed  the  S.  J. 
Ormes',  Cooks'  and  Albertson  children  when  we  were 
able  to  see  them. 

Actually  we  were  pioneers,  as  conditions  were 
rather  primitive.  Compared  to  times  now,  we  were 
very  poor,  but  as  everyone  else  was  too,  we  didn't 
actually  notice  it.  I  imagine  our  parents  did. 

In  the  summer  I  especially  liked  to  go 
swimming  in  the  creeks  and  canals. 


176 


Birthdays  and  Christmas  were  always  real 
treats  then.  However,  we  didn't  have  nearly  as  many 
presents,  usually  just  one. 

Our  attendance  at  church,  in  the  early  days 
was  up  and  down,  as  it  was  hard  to  get  there.  When 
we  went  to  high  school  we  went  to  church  and 
mutual,  but  there  wasn't  nearly  the  activities  that 
there  are  now.  I  always  did  and  still  enjoy  going  to 
church  and  the  activities. 

I  went  to  grade  school  at  Highland,  except 
when  we  were  in  Utah  during  the  winter  months. 
Highland  is  3  miles  east  of  Squirrel.  It  was  a  one- 
room  school  house.  Years  later  when  I  substituted 
for  the  teacher  at  Squirrel,  I  found  out  that  teaching 
eight  grades  works  out  a  lot  better  than  you  can 
imagine. 

I  went  to  Ashton  High  School  my  freshman 
and  Sophomore  years.  We  boarded  in  Ashton  as  we 
lived  about  16  miles  from  town.  Then  the  depression 
came  along  and  we  weren't  financially  able  to  go  to 
Ashton.  I  then  went  back  to  Utah  and  stayed  with  an 
aunt  and  uncle  and  graduated  from  Tooele  High 
School  in  1933. 

Then  again,  because  of  the  depression,  I 
stayed  out  of  school  for  a  year.  That  was  the  year  I 
got  acquainted  with  my  husband,  Cliff  Harshbarger. 
We  both  had  lived  here  most  of  our  lives. 

It  was  an  open  winter  that  year  and  not  much 
snow,  but  lots  of  mud.  We  had  a  good  time.  We  had 
both  girls  and  boys  basketball  tejmis.  We  danced  at 
the  Squirrel  hall  and  school  houses  and  at  Warm 
River  in  the  summer.  Of  course  the  dog  races  at 
Ashton  were  a  big  thing  at  that  time. 

I  went  to  school  at  Ricks  for  two  years  and 
graduated  with  a  degree  in  elementary  education. 

Cliff  and  I  were  married  August  24,  1936 
and  we  settled  on  a  place  three  miles  east  of  Squirrel, 
where  we  still  live.  We  have  two  children,  Clifford 
Brent,  born  November  2,  1938  and  Linda  Diane, 
born  September  29,  1940. 

We  have  really  enjoyed  seeing  them  grow  and 
develop.  We  have  had  many  good  times  with  them. 
We  have  been  proud  of  their  honors  and 
accomplishments.  We  have  enjoyed  following  them 
in  sports  and  other  activities  in  high  school  and 
college.  Now,  the  grandchildren  keep  things  really 
interesting.  We  have  our  first  Great  Grandchild,  born 
August  18,  1989  to  Eric  and  Nikki  Jensen 
Andreason. 

My  favorite  hobbies  have  been  swimming, 
skiing  cross  country,  snowmobiles,  handwork,  sewing, 
camping,  traveling  and  picking  huckleberries. 

My  sewing  and  handwork  have  been  the 
cause  of  several  interesting  positions.  I  began  leading 
a  4-H  Club  before  we  were  married,  then  later  I  led 
all  through  Linda's  4-H  years  and  even  after  she  was 
at  Ricks  College.  We  both  retired  then. 

Nearly  all  my  church  positions  have  been  in 
the  R-S.  Homemaking  department,  in  the  Ward  and 
Stake.    I  was  homemaking  leader  and  homemaking 


177 


counselor  twice  in  the  ward  and  homemaking  leader 
in  two  stakes,  Yellowstone  and  the  First  Ashton  Stake. 
I  have  especially  enjoyed  quilting. 

I  have  been  Vice  President  of  the  County 
Extension  Service,  Chapter  Mother  of  the  FHA  while 
Linda  was  in  it.  I  have  judged  for  many  years  at  the 
Country  and  State  Fairs.  I  was  Vice  President  of  the 
Cowbells  for  a  term.  In  1980  I  received  the  award  for 
Cowbell  of  the  year.  At  the  same  banquet  Cliff 
received  the  Cattleman  of  the  year  award.  We  were 
both  surprised. 

We  enjoyed  snowmobiling  for  several  years, 
to  Old  Faithful,  Two  Top,  Flagg  Ranch  and  many 
wonderful  places  around  here.  We  also  took  the  fifth 
wheel  trailer  and  went  south  for  a  few  months  in  the 
winter  for  several  years. 

Cliff  and  I  have  seen  most  of  the  West,  and 
parts  of  Canada  and  Mexico.  One  enjoyable  trip  was 
when  we  followed  Linda  and  her  family  when  they 
went  to  Alaska  one  summer.  We  saw  most  of  the 
South  West  when  ClifTs  dad  lived  in  New  Mexico. 
We  visited  him  every  winter  and  tried  to  go  home  a 
different  way  each  time.  We  went  to  Detroit  and  got  a 
new  car  and  came  back  by  Florida  to  see  Cliffs  dad 
and  the  Earl  Harshbarger's. 

For  several  years  I  took  my  sister,  Rheva  and 
fiiends  for  short  trips  in  the  Western  States.  My  big 
trip  was  when  we  went  on  the  Church  History  tour  to 
New  York  and  the  New  England  States.  We  came 
home  by  the  Southern  States.  I  roomed  with  Thelma 
Kirkham,  Genola  Kandler  and  Thelma  Pence.  It  was  a 
great  trip. 

I  am  grateful  for  the  many  things  I  have  been 
able  to  do  in  my  life  and  for  our  family,  which  is  our 
prized  possession. 

By:  Alyce  Harshbarger 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Clifford  Brent  b- 1938 
md-  Phyllis  Stegelmeicr 

(2)  Unda  Diane  b-  1940 
md-  Brent  Jensen 

BRENT  HARSHBARGER 

Brent  was  our  first  child,  bom  November  2, 
1938.  He  got  a  lot  of  attention  since  both  sets  of 
grandparents  lived  near  by.  Even  as  a  baby  he  was 
never  still.  He  grew  fast  and  was  soon  following  his 
Dad  around,  trying  to  help. 

After  Linda  was  bom  he  had  someone  to  play 
with,  but  she  wasn't  always  mgged  enough  for  some 
of  his  projects.  He  liked  to  get  his  "Smith"  cousins  up 
here  to  play  and  help  with  his  projects.  He  always 
enjoyed  his  cousins,  and  it  didn't  make  any  difference 
if  they  were  younger  or  older  than  he.  He  also 
enjoyed  the  Endccott  children  with  whom  he  went  to 
school.  He  always  seemed  to  be  pretty  rugged  and 
never  did  seem  to  get  cold. 

The  first  year  he  went  to  school  at  Squirrel  (3 
miles)  he  stayed  part  of  the  time  with  his  Johnson 


grandparents.  They  lived  across  the  road  from  the 
school  and  owned  and  ran  the  Squirrel  store. 

Later,  Linda  and  Brent  went  to  school  various 
ways,  by  car,  saddle  horse,  covered  sleigh  and  skiing. 
About  the  only  other  children  going  there  then  were 
the  Endecott's  and  John  Morris  Larsen.  They  had  lots 
of  fiin  together. 

When  Brent  was  in  the  eighth  grade  they 
discontinued  the  Squirrel  school  and  they  bussed  the 
children  to  Ashton  to  school  where  he  graduated  in 
1956.  He  was  very  active  in  high  school,  especially  in 
football  and  FHA.  After  graduating  he  went  to  Idaho 
State  University  at  Pocatello,  where  he  took  trade 
school  for  two  years.  He  took  mostly  diesel  mechan- 
ics. 

By  then  he  was  farming  with  his  dad  and  each 
year  taking  more  responsibility.  Now  his  Dad  helps 
him.  There  was  never  any  doubt  that  he  was  going  to 
be  a  farmer  and  cattleman. 

In  the  winters  before  he  was  married  he 
worked  in  the  timber,  spraying  the  trees  for  bugs.  He 
also  did  a  lot  of  snowmobiling.  They  had  wonderful 
times. 

On  February  4,  1972,  Brent  married  Phyllis 
Stegelmeier,  and  along  with  her  came  an  18  month 
old  boy,  by  the  name  of  Edgar  Frank,  who  was  bom 
July  16,  1970.  "This  Instant  Son  brought  a  lot  of  joy 
to  my  life,"  said  Brent,  as  he  continues  with  the  story 
in  his  own  words. 

The  three  of  us  moved  into  the  little  house  by 
Phyllis's  folks  in  Greentimber.  We  lived  there  for  two 
months  until  we  could  buy  a  trailer  house  and  we  set 
it  up  East  of  the  bam  on  my  folks'  farm  in  Squirrel. 
By  1975  we  moved  into  our  new  home  we  had  built 
just  behind  where  our  trailer  house  once  stood,  and 
we  have  lived  there  ever  since. 

On  March  28,  1973,  Mamie  Alyce  was  bom, 
bringing  even  more  happiness  into  our  lives.  A  few 
days  after  the  Teton  Flood,  June  18,  1975  we  were 
blessed  with  a  husky  baby  boy,  Brody  Cliff,  who 
brought  a  lot  of  zest  into  our  growing  family. 

During  the  first  few  years  of  our  marriage  I 
did  some  snow-  mobile  racing  in  the  winter  and  took 
pack  trips  after  haying  in  the  summer.  Phyllis  went 
along  also  unless  she  was  expecting  a  new  baby. 

We  farmed  with  my  folks,  as  I  had  been 
before.  We  raise  hay,  grain  and  run  a  120  head  cow 
and  calf  operation. 

Last,  but  certainly  not  least,  Brenda  Lila  came 
along  on  March  10,  1978.  What  a  surprise  she  was! 
Now  we  had  two  of  each  kind,  so  we  called  her  the 
"caboose."  She  is  full  of  life  and  loves  to  help  with 
the  cattle  and  ride  horses. 

I  finally  became  active  again  in  our  Church 
about  1983.  Febmary  5,  1985  we  were  sealed  as  a 
family  in  the  Idaho  Falls  Temple.  This  became  the 
happiest  day  of  our  lives. 

Some  of  the  church  positions  I've  held  were 
Pack  Master,  Counselor  in  the  Sunday  School,  Elder's 
Quorum  Counselor  twice  and  President  also.  At  the 
present  time  I  am  Bishop  of  Ashton  4th  Ward.  Being 


Bishop  is  a  huge  responsibility,  but  I  am  honored  that 
the  Lord  and  the  Stake  President  felt  I  could  do  it, 
with  a  lot  of  help. 

Phyllis  has  been  a  Primary  teacher  often,  as 
well  as  Cub  Scout  Leader,  Blazer  Leader,  a  counselor 
in  the  Primary  for  two  short  terms,  and  at  this  time 
she  is  secretary  of  the  ReHef  Society.  Phyllis  has  served 
a  mission  to  Germany  before  we  were  married. 

Our  fiamily  enjoys  many  activities  such  as 
biking,  cross-country  skiing,  walking,  debating, 
friends,  outdoor  cooking,  farming,  gardening, 
neighbhorood  parties,  picnics,  and  running  our  cattle 
on  the  range  east  of  Squirrel,  as  my  own  father  and 
grandfather  Marsden  did  before  us. 

Every  summer  we,  as  a  family,  go  on  a  pack 
trip  for  about  a  week.  Lately  one  or  two  of  the 
children  bring  a  friend  along  also. 

In  the  summer  of  1988  we  had  a  drought,  so 
the  boys  and  I  bought  a  timber  sale  in  which  we  cut 
small  timber  products  and  sold  them.  This  helped  us 
get  through  the  lean  year. 

Edgar  played  basketball  and  wrestled  at  North 
Fremont  High.  He  graduated  in  1989.  He  is  a  good 
worker  and  helped  on  the  farm  and  with  the  cattle. 
He  has  so  far,  attended  one  semester  of  college  at 
Ricks,  and  is  presently  living  in  Rexburg,  while 
working  for  a  fertilizer  company.  He  plans  to  rctum 
to  college  in  the  fall. 

Mamie  is  a  Junior  at  N.F.  She  constantly 
works  toward  a  4.0  grade  average.  She  is  on  the 
Debate  and  Speech  teams.  She  was  one  of  her  team  to 
win  "State"  at  Boise,  Idaho  in  Debate  this  year.  She 
also  enjoys  working  for  the  City  of  Ashton  during  the 
summer,  doing  some  secretarial  chores. 

Brenda  is  in  the  6th  grade  and  loves  to  play 
basketball  and  if  she  could  get  to  town  more  often  she 
would  play  other  sports  also.  She  is  an  all-around  girl. 

This  brings  us  to  April  of  1990.  We  are 
looking  forward  to  work,  fun  and  a  busy  summer. 

By:  Alyce  Harshbarger 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Edgar  Frank 

(2)  Mamie  Alyce 

(3)  Brody  Cliff 

(4)  Brenda  Lila 


b-  1970 
b-  1973 
b-  1975 
b-  1978 


178 


LINDA  HARSHBARGER 

I  was  born  September  29,  1940  in  Idaho 
Falls,  Bonneville,  Idaho  the  daughter  of  Clifford  and 
Alyce  Marsden  Harshbarger  and  raised  at  Squirrel.  It 
was  a  perfect  childhood,  being  raised  with  good 
parents,  grandparents  and  cousins  close  by. 

My  brother  Brent  and  I  went  to  Squirrel 
school  until  I  was  out  of  the  seventh  grade.  It  was  a 
one  room  school  with  varying  amounts  of  children. 
The  lowest  enrollment  I  remember  was  just  the  four 
of  us. 

Brent  and  I  like  to  ski,  but  I  guess  I  conned 
him  into  pulling  me  behind  a  saddle  horse,  covered 


sleigh,  snowplane  or  snowmobile.  It  seemed  like  a 
wonderful  imcomplicated  life  we  lived.  Now,  my 
children  have  enjoyed  coming  to  the  ranch.  Our  little 
Jake  is  now  the  big  ranch  fan. 

Brent  and  I  went  to  North  Fremont  High 
School,  at  Ashton,  Idaho,  where  I  graduated  in  1958. 
I  went  on  to  Ricks  College  at  Rexburg,  Idaho,  in 
1960.  That  is  where  I  met  my  husband,  Brent  Jensen. 
He  was  raised  in  Teton,  Idaho  and  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho. 
We  were  married  July  28,  1961. 

I  graduated  from  Utah  State  College  with  a 
degree  in  Elementary  education  and  I  taught  for  two 
and  half  years  before  I  retired  to  raise  my  family.  I  am 
now  teaching  school  at  North  Ogden. 

We  have  five  children.  Kamiel,  bom  in  1964. 
She  graduated  fi-om  Madison  EUgh  School,  and  Ricks 
College,  at  Rexburg,  Idaho.  She  works  as  a 
bookkeeper  at  Park  City,  Utah.  Derek  Brent  was  bom 
in  1966.  He  graduated  fi-om  Madison  High  School, 
and  Ricks  College  at  Rexburg  Idaho.  He  served  a  two 
year  mission  to  England.  When  he  returned  he 
married  Michelle  Christensen  and  they  live  in  Salt 
Lake  where  each  are  employed.  Derek  goes  to  school 
part  time.  Nickole,  bom  March  3,  1969,  graduated 
fi-om  Madison  High,  and  Ricks  College.  She  married 
Eric  Andreason,  who  had  just  returned  from  a  Spanish 
Speaking  Mission,  in  Los  Angeles,  California.  They 
were  married  June  1988.  They  now  live  in  Orem, 
Utah  where  Eric  goes  to  B.Y.U.  They  have  a  son 
Brick,  bom  August  17, 1989. 

Tricia  graduated  from  HUgh  School  at  Ogden, 
Utah  and  is  now  attending  Ricks  College.  Jake,  our 
little  son,  was  bom  December  26, 1980. 

I  have  had  an  interesting  life,  have  lived  in 
Ogden,  Utah;  Anchorage  Alaska;  Provo,  Utah;  Idaho 
Falls,  Idaho;  Ogden,  Utah;  Overland  Park,  Kansas; 
Caldwell,  Idaho;  Rexburg,  Idaho;  and  now  at  Pleasant 
View,  Utah. 

My  husband  Brent  graduated  from  Weber 
College  at  Ogden,  Utah.  He  is  now  an  Insurance 
Salesman  for  Beneficial  life  Insurance  Company.  We 
have  worked  in  the  church  most  of  our  married  life 
which  we  have  enjoyed  very  much.  I  have  always 
enjoyed  the  outdoors  and  gone  on  a  few  pack  trips  to 
the  mountains  with  my  dad  and  brother  and  also 
friends.  I  have  enjoyed  helping  drive  the  cattle  on  and 
off  the  range  in  the  spring  and  fall.  Other  hobbies  arc 
skiing,  swimming,  camping,  sewing,  traveling,  cooking 
and  raising  my  family. 

We  consider  Utah  our  home  now,  but 
Squirrel  country  will  always  be  dear  to  my  heart.  Our 
married  children  all  live  in  Utah. 

By  Linda  Harshbargcr  Jensen 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Kamiel  b-  1964 

(2)  Derek  Brent         b-  1966 
md-  Michelle  Christensen 

(3)  Nickole  b-  1969 
md-  Eric  Andreason 


(4)  Tricia 

b-  1970 

(5)  Jake 

b-  1980 

VAUGHN  HARSHBARGER 

and 

GEORGE  TIPPETTS 

Vaughn  is  the  daughter  of  Clay  and  Cynthia 
Harshbarger  and  was  bom  in  Ashton,  Idaho  April  7, 
1911.  She  then  went  on  to  graduate  from  Ashton 
High  School  and  later  graduated  from  Utah  State 
Agricultural  College  at  Logan,  Utah.  In  October 
1933  she  married  George  Tippctts  from  Lovell, 
Wyoming.  She  has  lived  there  ever  since.  George 
worked  as  a  chemist  at  the  oil  refinery  there.  Then 
went  into  farming  and  had  a  dairy  for  many  years 
Vaughn  taught  school  and  then  was  a  librarian  in  the 
Jimior  High  School  for  many  years.  She  was  also  a  4- 
H  leader  for  twenty  years.  Vaughn  and  George  loved 
to  fish  and  other  outdoor  activities.  They  have  three 
children,  twelve  granchildren  and  twelve  great  grand 
children. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Sandra 

md-  Dodds 

(2)  Jerry 

md- 

(3)  Gerry 
md- 


b- 
b- 
b- 


< 

C 


AXEL  JOHNSON 

and 

CYNTHIA  HARSHBARGER 


179 


Axil  Johnson  and  Cynthia  Harshburgcr 


Axel  Johnson  came  from  Iowa  to  Squirrel  in 
1909  to  work  for  Charles  Burrell.  They  had  been 
good  friends  in  Iowa,  Axel  was  raised  with  Cynthia  in 
an  orphanage  in  Iowa. 

After  Mrs.  Burrell  died,  Mr.  Burrell  moved  to 
his  new  business  at  Ashton  in  1918,  he  sold  the 
Squirrel  Store,  Post  Office  and  Gas  Station  to  Axel 
Johnson,  tall,  slim,  and  of  Swedish  decent.  Axel  and 
his  wife,  Cynthia,  for  thirty  years  ran  a  classic  coimtry 
store  at  Squirrel  Idaho.  It  was  frill  of  a  variety  of 
goods  and  merchandise,  from  work  clothing,  to 
imported  cheese,  and  kegs  of  pickled  herring.  The 
store  was  not  only  a  place  of  business  but  a  home  as 
well,  for  their  living  quarters  were  behind  the  main 
room  and  on  the  floor  above. 

Axel  was  bom  in  1881,  raised  in  Iowa,  and 
died  in  1956.  Cynthia  was  bom  September  10,  1882, 
raised  in  Iowa  and  died  on  June  11,  1965.  They  were 
married  December  4,  1919.  They  had  two  children 
Cliff  and  Vaughn. 

The  Squirrel  Store  stood  at  the  crossroad.  To 
the  west  was  a  two-room  Squirrel  Elementary  School 
with  its  teacher's  cottage  and  a  bam  for  the  student's 
horses.  Across  the  road  to  the  south  was  a 
Community  Hall  where  dances  were  held  on  Friday 
nights  through  the  winter.  Thus  the  five  buildings 
formed  the  Civic  Center  of  the  community,  with  Axel 
and  Cynthia  Johnson  and  Squirrel  their  center  piece. 

The  Johnsons  retired  in  1950  and  sold  the 
store  to  Griffel.  Thereafter,  they  spent  their  summers 
at  their  ranch  on  Squirrel  Creek,  and  winters  in 
Mexico.  Alyce  Marsden  Harshbarger,  Clifford's  wife, 
wrote  of  them:  "They  were  ardent  fishermen  and 
enjayed  many  fishing  trips.  They  loved  to  just  go  over 
the  bank  into  Squirrel  Creek  and  fish  in  the  evening." 
Cliff  Harshbarger  remembers  that  every  Monday 
moming  the  neighbors  would  come  to  visit  and  leave 
with  a  batch  of  fish.  While  Axel  and  Cynthia  were  at 
the  Squirrel  Store  this  was  the  hub  of  the  community. 
They  found  many  opportunities  to  help  people.  Ax 
bought  eggs  and  cream  and  sold  everything  in  his 
store.  They  would  invite  the  neighbors  in  and  all 
would  take  turns  of  listening  to  the  new  radio.  It 
could  only  be  listened  to  by  one  person  at  a  time  as  it 
had  earphones.  It  was  the  first  radio  in  the 
community.  They  provided  many  services  at  the 
Squirrel  Store.  Ax  would  cut  hair  and  had  a  stapler 
that  he  would  use  to  fix  the  children's  shoes. 

He  would  sneak  an  "all-day"  sucker  to  the 
smaller  children.  He  extended  credit  to  all  and  never 
pushed  anyone  to  pay  his  debt.  They  were  good 
neighbors  to  all 

Ax  loved  to  play  games,  especially  pinochle,  it 
was  always  more  fun  if  there  was  a  small  wager. 
Sometimes  card  games  went  on  all  day  when  the 
parents  brought  their  children  by  team  or  sleigh.  It 
seemed  more  practical  to  just  stay  and  bring  them 
home.  He  had  horseshoe  pegs  and  always  had  time 
for  a  game,  if  any  of  the  customers  had  time. 


JOSHUA  HAWKES 

HORSESHOE  FLAT 

"With  covered  wagon...  we  came  to  the  crest  of  the 
hill  overlooking  the  place  they  had  called  Horseshoe 
Flat... 

a  very  beautiful  place,  covered  with  a  sea  of  tall  grass 
intermingled  with  flowers  of  blues  and  yellows...  what 
a  quiemess...  and  peace." 

Spring  1897...  Joshua  and  Sarah  Ann  Hawkes  and 
children,  Estes,  Adl,  Percy,  Effie,  and  LcGrande.  "On 
the  homesteads...  without  gun  or  tent... 

Build  a  cabin...  use  snow  from  the  bluffs...  posts 
from  the  groves...  dig  a  ditch...  build  a  bowery...  dig  a 
deep  water  well  by  hand... 

plow  one  or  two  acres  of  sod  per  day...  we  will  make 
something  of  this  place."  (memories  of  12  yr.  old  Acil 
S.  Hawkes) 

"For  God  hath  not  given  us  a  spirit  of  fear,  but  of 
power,  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind."  (2 
Timothy  1:7) 

(Thoughts  of  P.  Blaine  Hawkes,  taken  from 
the  manuscript  of  an  unpublished  book.  Luxury  in  a 
Covered  Wagon  by  Adl  S.  Hawkes) 

JOSHUA  HAWKES 

and 

MARY  LEWIS 

and 

SABAH  ANN  SMART 


180 


Mary  Lewis,  Joshua,  Sarah  Smart  Hawkes 

It  has  been  an  eventful  career  which  has  come 
to  the  venerated  subject  of  this  review,  since  his  lot  in 
life  was  early  cast  with  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
movements  which  the  world  has  ever  known,  and  with 
the  many  adverse  drcumstanccs  that  environ  life  in  the 
new  countries  and  which  more  espedally  were  shown 
in  the  early  founding  of  the  Mormon  settlements  of 
Utah  and  other  sections  of  the  Great  West.  Mr. 
Hawkes  was  bom  at  Far  West,  Caldwell  County,  Mo., 
on  August  20,  1836,  a  son  of  Joseph  B.  and 
Sophronia  (Alvord)  Hawkes,  natives  respectively  of 
Maine  and  New  York,  The  father,  in  1826,  helped  to 


"dear  ofF*  the  land  now  occupied  by  the  wealthy  city 
of  Lockport,  N.  Y. 

From  there  the  parents  removed  to  Saginaw, 
Mich.,  where  the  father  developed  a  fine  farm  from 
the  heavily  wooded  lands  and  resided  until  1836, 
when,  embracing  the  Mormon  faith,  they  went  to  the 
gathering  place  at  Far  West,  Mo.,  where  the  mother, 
who  never  fully  regained  her  health  after  the  birth  of 
her  son  Joshua,  died  and  was  buried. 

The  other  members  of  the  family  resided 
there  until  the  fitnaticism  of  the  Gentiles  forced  the 
members  of  the  new  religion  to  abandon  their  homes, 
from  there  returning  east  to  Nauvoo,  111.,  where  the 
father  was  engaged  in  various  occupations  through  the 
years  of  sorrow  and  tragedy,  remaining  until  1846, 
when  he  went  with  his  family  to  Garden  Grove,  Iowa, 
later  proceeding  to  Kanesville,  now  Council  Bluffs, 
where  farming  was  carried  on  until  1851,  when  the 
last  long  link  in  the  westward  chain  of  travel  to  Utah 
was  completed.  Mr.  Hawkes,  of  this  sketch  proceeded 
to  drive  three  yoke  of  ox  teams  across  the  plains  and 
finding  the  Elkhom  River  too  high  to  cross,  a  detour 
was  made  to  Fort  Kearney,  where  on  the  bottoms  of 
the  Platte  River  were  camped  nearly  all  of  the 
immense  Sioux  nation  who  were  negotiating  a  treaty 
with  the  Crows.  Reaching  Utah  in  due  time,  the 
family  proceeded  to  Ogden,  and  two  years  later  to 
Spanish  Fork,  where  they  took  up  eighty  acres  of 
government  land  and  resided  until  after  the  death  of 
the  father,  in  1863. 

In  1853  Mr.  Hawkes  was  enrolled  among  the 
Utah  volunteers,  campaigning  against  the  hostile  Utes 
in  the  Walker  War  under  Colonel  Conover,  serving 
with  distinction  for  fourteen  months  and  in  several 
battles  and  skirmishes,  acting  also  as  an  interpreter  to 
the  Indians.  On  commencing  life  for  himself  Mr. 
Hawkes  engaged  in  farming,  freighting  and  other 
employments,  continuing  to  be  so  occupied  in  Utah 
until  1874,  when  he  came  as  a  pioneer  to  Franklin,  the 
first  incorporated  town  of  Idaho,  where  he  purchased 
about  eighty  acres  of  land,  entered  the  townsite  and 
was  acting  mayor  for  eight  years,  buying  the  land  from 
the  government  and  deeding  it  to  the  people.  When 
the  charter  was  repealed,  the  territorial  laws  came  in 
force  until  Idaho  was  admitted  as  a  state. 

He  was  connected  with  the  progress  and 
advancement  of  the  settlement  for  eighteen  years, 
thereafter  coming  to  Rcxburg,  where  he  became 
possessed  of  480  acres  of  land  and  commenced  its 
development,  having  been  much  of  the  time  since  his 
settlement  engaged  in  the  construction  of  the  Conant 
Creek  Canal,  of  which  company  he  is  a  director  and 
the  vice-president,  the  canal  being  nine  miles  in 
length. 

His  estate  being  so  far  from  Rexburg,  he 
resides  in  the  dty  during  the  winter  seasons  to  afford 
his  children  the  advantages  of  the  excellent  schools, 
and  in  January,  1903,  he  started  the  Academy 
boarding  house.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
from  Oneida  County  from  1876  to  1878  and  was  a     jr>j 


very  efficient  county  commissioner  of  the  same  county 
in  1879  and  1880.  He  was  ordained  an  elder  in  the 
church  in  1854,  served  in  that  office  for  about  eight 
years,  and  was  ordained  one  of  the  Seventies  in  1856. 
which  office  he  still  retains. 

Mr.  Hawkes  married  Miss  Mary  Lewis  on 
December  21,  1859,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ann 
(Johns)  Lewis,  natives  of  Wales,  where  her  mother 
died.  Her  father  came  to  Utah  in  1854,  bringing 
about  twenty-one  people  from  Wales  with  him  to  Box 
Elder  County,  where  he  followed  his  trade  of  mason, 
dying,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years,  in  Utah 
County.  (Mary  Lewis  was  bom  Nov.  22,  1839) 

From  this  marriage  resulted  the  following 
named  children:  Mary  A.,  Lucy,  Levi,  Joseph  B., 
Lewis  J.,  Fredrick,  Sophronia,  Horace  B.,  &  Claude  E. 

By  his  marriage  (Aug.  28,  1879)  with  Sarah 
Ann  Smart,  (born  Oct.  24,  1855)  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  S.  Smart  and  Ann  (Hayter)  Smart,  Mr. 
Hawkes  is  father  to  these  children:  Alsamina,  Estes, 
Acil,  William  T,,  Effie,  Percy,  and  Lc  Grande. 

Fifty-two  years  have  passed  since  Mr.  Hawkes 
came  to  the  feeble  colony  on  the  shores  of  Salt  Lake. 
He  has  witnessed  the  growth  of  that  colony  and 
religious  movement  until  Utah  has  become  one  of  the 
strong  states  of  the  republic.  Idaho  has  known  him  as 
an  active  citizen  on  her  soil  for  nearly  thirty  years, 
which  have  had  their  varied  experiences,  their  trials, 
hardships,  reverses  and  successes,  and  in  the  closing 
years  of  life  he  may  rest  content  in  the  blessings  his 
industry  has  provided,  while  his  children  enjoy  the 
inheritance  built  up  for  them  through  these  long 
eventfiil  years  of  labor  in  pioneer  life. 

(Progressive  Men  of  Bannock,  Bear  Lake, 
Bingham,  Fremont  and  Oneida  Counties,  Idaho,  A. 
W.  Bowen  &  Co.  1904,  page  483-485) 

Joshua  Hawkes  died  March  5,  1914,  and  was 
buried  at  Franklin,  Idaho.  Mary  Lewis  died  Aug.  5, 
1920,  Sarah  Ann  Smart  died  Nov.  3,  1934.  Both 
wives  were  buried  near  their  husband  in  Franklin, 
Idaho. 

CHILDREN  OF  JOSHUA  &  MARY  HAWKES 

(1)  Mary  Ann  (Redd)        b-  1857       d-  1911 
md-  Walter  Wickham 

(2)  Lucy  b-  1860       d-  1919 
md-  John  Hopkins 

(3)  Levi  b-  1862       d-  1862 

(4)  Joseph  Bryant  b-  1864       d-  1929 
md-  Annie  Dowdcll 

(5)  Lewis  Joshua  b-  1867       d-  1943 
md-  Margaret  Ann  Murdoch 

(6)  Charles  Fredrick  b-1870        d-  1957 
md-  Florence  Pratt 

(7)  Sophronia  b-  1873       d-  1907 
md-  John  Robinson 

(8)  Horace  Bertrand  b-  1877       d-  1940 
md-  Rose  Hobbs 

(9)  Claudias  Eugene  b-  1879       d-  1955 
md-  Alice  Miekle 


CHILDREN  OF  JOSHUA  &  SARAH  Al^N 
HAWKES 

1)  Alsamina  b-  1880       d-  1967 
md-  Frank  Owens  Gunnell 

2)  Estcs  b-  1882       d-  1965 
md-  Dora  M.  Godfrey 

3)  Adl  Smart  b-  1885       d-  1963 
md-  Marion  Higgjnbotham 

4)  William  Thomas  b-  1887       d-  1888 

5)  Effie  b-  1889       d-  1975 
md-  Joseph  Bailey  Brown 

6)  Percy  Smart  b-  1892       d-  1946 
md-  Ida  Weyerman 

7)  LaGrande  b-  1894       d-  1937 
md-  Ada  Dahle 

LEWIS  JOSHUA  HAWKES 

and 

MARGARET  ANN  MURDOCH 


L.  J.  Hawkcs  and  Margaret  Ann,  Ixwis  M. 

Lewis  Joshua  (L.  J.)  Hawkes  was  born  July 
23,  1867,  at  WUlard,  Box  Elder  County,  Utah.  His 
parents  were  Joshua  and  Mary  Lewis  Hawkes.  He 
moved  with  his  parents  to  Wellsville,  Utah,  sometime 
between  1871  and  1873.  In  1873,  the  fiimily  moved 
from  Wellsville  to  Franklin.  He  and  his  father  hauled 
rocks  by  ox  team  to  help  build  the  temple  in  Logan, 
Utah. 

The  farm  proved  too  small  to  support  the 
family,  so  he  found  work  at  other  places.  One  of  his 
jobs  was  working  for  the  railroad,  which  took  him  to 
various  places  in  Idaho,  Utah,  and  Montana. 

During  this  time,  he  went  to  visit  some 
friends  and  relarives  in  Heber  City.  While  there,  he 
was  introduced  to  a  pretty  young  lady  named 
Margaret  Ann  (Maggie)  Murdoch.  After  a  short 
courtship  they  were  married  November  7,  1889. 

A  week  after  their  marriage,  November  13, 
1889,  L.  J.  bid  farewell  to  his  bride,  relatives,  and 
friends,  and  departed  for  a  mission  to  New  Zealand,  to 
be  gone  for  almost  three  years. 

Maggie  lived  with  her  parents  while  L.  J.  was 
on  his  mission.  On  August  4,  1890,  their  first  child,  a 
baby  boy,  Lewis  Murdoch  Hawkes,  was  bom.  While 
still  a  baby,  he  was  stricken  with  meningitis,  but  with 


prayers,  fasting,  faith,  and  loving  care,  Lewis 
recovered. 

Following  his  return,  L.J.  worked  again  for 
the  railroad,  and  with  some  of  the  Murdochs  and 
other  friends.  He  also  worked  in  the  mines  at  Park 
City,  Utah.  There  was  talk  of  rich,  fertile  land 
available  in  Idaho  for  homesteading.  After  careful 
study  he  and  his  wife  and  family  took  up  a  farm  in 
Teton,  Fremont,  County,  Idaho  in  the  spring  of  1899. 
In  September  1899  they  filed  for  the  land. 

The  family  stayed  in  Teton  farming  the  land. 
By  1903  L.J.  was  building  a  new  home  at  Lillian. 
Their  plans  were  to  move  into  the  new  home  the  next 
spring. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  G.  Baird  had  a  home 
just  west  of  their  place  in  Lillian.  The  Bairds  and  the 
Hawkes  families  had  been  dose  friends  in  Heber  City, 
and  Maggie  had  dreamed  of  living  near  her  friends. 
These  plans  were  never  realized,  as  Maggie  passed 
away  March  11,  1904,  at  Teton,  Idaho,  just  six  days 
after  their  daughter  Margaret  Ann  was  bom. 

By  this  time  they  had  had  seven  children: 
Lewis,  Hazen,  Isabell,  Golden,  Robert,  Mary  Deon,  & 
Margaret  Ann. 

In  June,  1910,  L.  J.  married  Emily  Povey. 
They  had  a  son,  Arthur,  but  later  were  divorced  in 
1920. 


L.  J.  Hawkes  and  Martha  Dewyer  Hawkes 

In  1925,  L.  J.  married  Martha  Dewyer.  After 
living  on  the  farm  in  Lillian  many  years,  they  moved 
to  St.  Anthony  in  1936.  He  enjoyed  hunting,  fishing, 
and  was  active  in  church  work  and  genealogy. 

After  about  a  week's  illness,  L.  J.  passed  away 
^g2    on  April  23,  1943,  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.    He  was 


buried  beside  Maggie  in  the  Teton  Cemetery  in  the 
shadows  of  the  Teton  Peaks. 

Note:    Compiled  from  Margaret  Ann  Hawkes  (Kerr) 
Murray  history. 

CHILDREN  OF  L.J.  and  MARGARET  ANN 
MURDOCH  HAWKES 


(1)  Lewis  Murdoch 

b-  1890 

d- 

1974 

did  not  marry 

(2)  Hazen  Araho 

b-  1893 

d- 

1975 

md-  Helen  Emery 

(3)  Isabella  Prisdlla 

b-  1896 

d- 

1986 

md-  Francis  Bratt 

(4)  Golden  Murray 

b-  1898 

d- 

1898 

(5)  Robert  Joshua 

b-  1899 

d- 

1983 

md-  Miriam  Blan chare 

i 

(6)  Mary  Deon 

b-  1902 

d- 

198? 

md-  I^mond  Bowler 

(7)  Margaret  Ann  (Kerr) 

b-  1904 

d- 

1988 

md-  Junius  B.  Murray 

HAZEN  A.  HAWKES 

and 

HELEN  EMERY 

Helen  Emery  and  Hazen  A.  Hawkes 

The  following  is  a  verbatim  copy  of  some  Hawkes 
history  as  told  to  Lewis  E.  Hawkes  (Gene)  by  Hazen 
A.  Hawkes  on  October  24,  1972  on  Conant  Creek: 

Joseph  Hawkes  married  Lucy  Alvord  in  Mass. 
(Lynn),  stone  mason.  Worked  on  arches  as  keystone 
man.  In  Michigan,  he  first  heard  Joseph  Smith  preach 
and  joined  Mormon  Church  (probably  1836) 

Joseph  migrated  to  Missouri  -  Joshua  was 
youngest  of  four  boys  and  was  born  in  Far  West, 
Missouri.  Oldest  was  Joseph  Jr.,  then  Uncle  Amos 
and  Uncle  Frank.  Also  a  sister  named  Frannie. 
Joseph  died  in  Nauvoo  about  1839  or  1840. 

Joseph  died  when  Joshua  was  four  years  old  - 
Grandma  remarried  and  came  west  with  a  Samuels 
femily.  Joshua  was  16  or  17  when  he  came  west.  He 
settled  in  Circleville.  Amos,  Frank  and  Joseph  Jr. 
eventually  went  on  to  California.  Frank  Hawkes  (the 
aviator)  may  be  a  descendant. 


183 


Lucy  Alvord  mentally  disturbed  probably 
before  coming  west.  Lucy,  Joseph  Jr.,  Frank  and 
Amos  all  settled  on  church  grants  at  Circleville. 
Probably  10  to  40  acres. 

Joshua  moved  to  Spanish  Fork  when  about 
17.  He  was  with  Lott  Smith  in  Mormon  campaign 
against  Johnson's  army  in  Fort  Bridgcr  area.  Guerrilla 
tactics  drove  off  army  horses  and  mules  and  burned 
army  wagons  and  supplies  (probably  1855)  106  to 
150  volunteers  in  littie  groups. 

Joshua  and  Will  and  Frank  Pratt's  were  in 
charge  of  army  mules. 

Main  body  of  soldiers  was  ahead  of  Guerrillas 
who  burned  wagons  Jind  bacon  and  beans.  Johnson 
was  forced  into  winter  quarters  at  Fort  Bridger. 

Joshua  and  Will  Smart  herded  captiired  army 
mules  and  kept  part  of  them  for  their  wages  (hazed 
some  off  and  kept  them).  In  1864  they  used  some 
mules  to  freight  to  Virginia  City  gold  mines.  A  mule 
kicked  Joshua  and  he  always  had  running  sore  on  calf 
of  leg  that  never  healed  up.  Boys  charge  was  to 
multiply  and  replenish  the  earth  and  fight  the 
Gentiles.  When  family  driven  out  of  Far  West  they 
had  to  hide  out  from  Gentiles  in  river  bottom  and 
houses  were  burned  out.  Mormons  had  to  go  in 
crowds  for  mutual  protection.  When  leaving  Nauvoo 
they  came  in  big  groups. 

Joshua  married  Mary  Lewis  Redd  (a  widow  at 
19  and  Redd  had  been  her  husband)  Aunt  Mary  Ann 
V^ckham  was  Mary  Redd's  daughter.  Joshua  adopted 
her  at  1  year  old.  Mary  Lewis  Redd  Hawkes  inherited 
all  of  Redd's  property  in  both  Utah  and  Idaho 
(Franklin).  Mary  Lewis  kept  property  in  Idaho 
(Horace's  old  place).  She  also  had  property  at 
Willard,  Utah,  (lived  in  Wallsburg  for  a  littie  time) 

Joshua  and  Mary  had  the  following  children: 

(1).  Lucy  Hopkins  -  quit  Mormons  and  left 
with  Johnny  Hopkins  (a  stage  driver)  at  age  15  and 
they  settied  in  Hagerman,  Idaho  (Clear  Lake).  They 
had  3  children,  1  girl  &  2  boys.  Will  Snodgrass  then 
married  the  daughter  (Mamie  Hopkins  Snodgrass) 

(2).  Joseph  -  died  1  or  2  years  old. 

(3).  Bryant  -  married  Annie  Dowdle  -  lived  in 
Franklin,  Rexburg,  and  Pocatello.  Died  in  Pocatello. 
Had  Ethel,  Joseph,  Bryant,  Annie,  Lucy,  Golden, 
Louise,  Mary  and  Glen.  (All  dead  but  Lucy  &  Bryant 
-  1972)  (I  (Gene)  never  did  see  Bryant) 

(4).  L.  J.  Hawkes  (Grandpa)  -  married 
Margaret  Ann  Murdoch  about  1889-  left  on  mission 
immediately  to  New  Zealand  1890  -  92.  Lewis  bom 
Hcbcr,  Utah.  Hazen  Araho  Hawkes  (born  in 
Franklin),  Isabel  born  in  Hcber,  Golden  (died  in 
Heber  -  8  months  old),  Bob  bom  Hebcr,  Deon  & 
Margaret  -  Teton. 

Grandma  (Margaret  Murdoch)  died  1904 
when  Hazen  was  10  years  old  in  Teton  and  when 
Aunt  Margaret  was  5  days  old  in  Teton.  Lewis  and 
Hazen  stayed  with  L.  J.  in  Teton  on  city  lot  and  had 
homestead  south  of  Browns.  Aunt  Bell,  and  Uncle 
Bob  went  to  Aunt  Kate  Hicken  in  Hcbcr.   Deon  went 


to  Aunt  Lucy.  Aunt  Margaret  was  adopted  by  Kerrs 
in  Wellsville.  (Dad  never  saw  Margaret  until  grown  - 
then  came  to  live  with  us).  In  about  1908,  L.  J. 
married  Emily  -  Art  was  bom  1910,  and  spHt  up  in 
1915.  About  this  time  Helen  Hawkes  came  to 
Famum.  L.  J.  married  Martha  in  about  1932  or  33. 

(5).  Fred  married  Florence  Pratt  in  Franklin, 
and  lived  most  of  life  in  Preston  -  farmer,  butcher,  etc. 
Kids  -  Vera,  Annie,  Charlotte,  Pratt,  Virginia,  Harold 
(part  of  them).  He  died  of  old  age  in  Preston. 

(6).  Bert  married  Rose  -  Children  were 
Horace  and  a  brother  who  died  of  rheumatic  fever. 

(7).  Claude  married  twice,  lived  and  taught 
school  in  Preston.  Children  were  Ronald,  Stan,  and  a 
girl;  then  2  girls  by  a  second  marriage. 

(8).  Frannie  married  Eddie  Robinson,  a 
tinhorn  gambler  in  1915.  They  moved  to  Rexburg. 
Had  2  kids,  expecting  third,  hired  girl  later  married 
Eddie  but  admitted  poisoning  Frannie. 

Joshua  married  Sarah  Ann  Smart  -  19  years 
old.  In  about  1881  -  living  in  Franklin.  She  was 
second  wife.  Children  were  Elsie,  Estes,  Acil,  Effie, 
Percy,  &  LeGrande.  Rumor  was  she  married  Joshua 
to  spite  boyfriend  -  a  legend  (the  two  women  (wives) 
never  lived  together). 

Jim  Webster  and  wife  Mary  Smart  moved  to 
Rexburg  in  1882.  Jim  was  brother-in-law  to  Joshua. 
Went  in  sheep  business  with  Will  Smart  (Smart  & 
Webster).  Ran  sheep  on  open  range  in  Leigh 
(Horseshoe)  Valley  area  (open  range).  In  about  1896 
Joshua  and  Sarah  Ann  came  to  Rexburg.  Sarah  Ann's 
sister  married  Jim  Webster.  Sarah  Ann  ran  boarding 
house  at  Ricks  about  1888  and  spent  summers  on 
homestead.  Joshua  took  first  homestead  on  Estas'  old 
place  about  1898  across  from  Brown's  (patented  in 
1904).  Sarah  Ann  homesteaded  about  1899  where 
Ray's  house  sits  (patented  in  1904).  She  was  a  widow 
by  acclamation.  She  also  took  desert  claim  across  road 
but  didn't  get  water  on  it  in  time.  Brown's  home- 
steaded  it  in  1904.  Jim  and  John's  dad  was  a  Pen- 
nsylvania miner. 

William  Pratt  first  filed  on  Conant  Creek  in 
1896.  He  had  a  brother  Frank  who  lived  where 
Harshbarger's  granary  sits  on  Conant  Creek.  First 
survey  ran  by  big  tree  in  Homer  Jones  place.  It  ran 
below  Homer's  but  above  Jack  Niendorf  s  place. 

Next,  Silas,  Wilbur,  Jim  Green,  Simon 
Saunder,  Francis  Ferrin  and  Hans  Nielson  made 
second  filing  in  1896  and  made  2nd  survey  and 
formed  Conant  Creek  Canal  Company  in  1896.  Most 
new  landowners  joined  and  worked  at  $2.50/day  for 
water  stock  at  $1.00/share.  Incorporated  for  about 
1000  shares.  Did  a  little  contracting  and  got  first 
water  out  in  1904.  About  1906  found  they  could 
raise  wheat  without  water. 

Garvers,  Baileys,  etc.  filed  on  some 
homesteads  in  1904  -  but  worked  around  St. 
Anthony  most  of  the  time.  About  1905  rest  of  land 
claimed  as  state  school  land.    State  lands  were  then 


184 


leased  to  sheep  and  cattlemen  (Republicans).  In 
1912,  however.  Governor  Alexander  took  state  lands 
away  and  sold  them  to  farmers  from  .03  cents  to  .50 
cents  per  acre.  Some  couldn't  make  .50  cent 
payments  and  much  land  went  back  to  state  in  1930's 
depression. 

L.  J.  Moved  to  Teton  in  1901,  bought  a  6 
acre  place.  L.  J.  rented  other  20  acre  place  in  Wilford 
in  1904.  He  put  crop  in  there  plus  10  acres  on 
homestead  near  Sloss's  then  sold  homestead  and 
bought  80  acres  on  West  Knoll.  Took  desert  claim  of 
80  acres  in  1901  on  present  Zundel  place,  (patented 
1907)  All  he  had  to  do  was  get  water  on  every  40 
acres  and  could  claim  up  to  320  acres  at  10  to  16 
cents  per  acre. 

Jack  Newby  bought  40  acres  just  east  of  the 
Williams  place.  Harry,  Bob,  Jack,  Jim  Newby  all 
homesteaded  in  Leigh  Valley  (Horseshoe  Valley). 
(1899  to  1902)  Had  to  build  12'X12'  cabin  and 
outhouse  -  live  5  months  annually  for  3  or  5  years  to 
go  to  patent.  Many  never  stayed  full  time  on  claims. 

Dad  worked  on  Conant  Creek  Canal  in  1904 
as  a  water  boy.  Camped  by  Frank  Christensen's  house 
first  year.  In  1917  he  was  doing  assessment  work  with 
Herb  Green  and  Roy  Murdoch  and  discovered  the 
Camp  Henry  Rocks  and  camped  down  by  creek.  They 
found  big  rock  and  dynamited  it  and  started  to  camp 
when  saddle  turned.  Horse  ran  off  -  lost  rock  -  got 
dark.  Years  later  found  again.  V-shaped  rock  writing 
on  edge.  Then  took  sledge  hammer  and  knocked 
corners  off  so  could  lift  (see  better  narrative  by 
Margaret  Hawkes  Lindsley). 

Hazen  A.  Hawkes  bom  1894,  was  the  oldest 
mature  child  of  L.  J.  Hawkes.  Lewis,  Hazen's  older 
brother,  was  afflicted  with  spinal  meningitis  while  still 
a  baby.  Lewis  was  good  with  horses  and  cattle  and 
farm  work,  but  could  never  operate  entirely  without 
some  help  or  supervision. 

Most  of  the  work  that  fell  on  Hazen's 
shoulders  during  early  times  was  to  fumish  the  wood 
and  meat.  The  dry  wood  was  usually  obtained  by 
sleighs  and  horses  in  the  timber  (Targhee  National 
Forest)  about  15  miles  east  of  Lillian.  While  cutting 
wood,  the  pioneers  also  carried  rifles  with  them  in  case 
they  crossed  any  elk  tracks  in  the  timber.  All  deer, 
antelope,  and  buffalo  had  been  eliminated  by  the  early 
1900's. 

Dad  related  his  first  elk  hunt  as  follows:  "I 
was  about  12  or  13  years  old,  and  was  with  L.  J. 
Hawkes  &  a  neighbor  on  a  sleigh  trip  to  the  timber 
for  wood.  I  had  an  old  45-70  rifle  and  I  had  been 
loading  my  own  bullets  with  babbitt  which  was  pretty 
hard.  We  were  in  the  timber  and  found  where  a  herd 
of  elk  had  recently  crossed  the  road.  I  was  delegated 
to  stay  with  the  sleigh  and  horses  while  Dad  and  the 
neighbor  followed  the  elk,  then  I  was  to  bring  the 
horses.  They  had  just  left  when  the  elk  made  a  circle 
and  trotted  right  out  in  front  of  me  and  bunched  up. 
I  started  shooting  and  the  elk  hair  would  fly  and  they 
would  flinch  but  none  were  going  down.    I  kept 


shooting  and  suddenly  three  elk  went  down  and  we 
later  followed  and  killed  two  others  that  I  had  hit. 
The  hard  bullets  were  going  right  on  through  with 
little  expansion.  I  got  all  the  shooting." 

At  one  time  Dad  related  having  four  elk 
hanging  in  the  barn  for  the  winters  meat  (16 
quarters).  He  said  L.  J.  Hawkes  was  quite  active  in 
the  church  and  that  neighbors  would  sometimes  come 
by  and  say:  "Brother  Hawkes  if  I  just  had  a  couple  of 
sacks  of  spuds  and  a  quarter  of  meat,  I  believe  I  can 
make  it  through  the  winter."  There  were  only  two 
quarters  of  meat  left  after  a  busy  weekend. 

Hazen  Hawkes  was  a  great  naturalist, 
outdoorsman,  hunter,  fisherman,  &  trapper.  For 
years  he  made  most  of  his  living  from  such  activities. 
As  I  recall,  he  also  drove  the  mail  route  from 
Drummond  to  Squirrel  for  sixteen  years.  He  was  a 
good  father  and  provider.  He  married  Helen  Emory 
of  Oakley,  Idaho,  in  1918  while  she  was  teaching  at 
Famum. 

By:  Lewis  E.  (Gene)  Hawkes. 

CHILDREN  OF  HAZEN  A.  &  HELEN  EMERY 

HAWKES 

(1)  Margaret  Estello     b-  1919 
md-  Lawrence  B.  Lindsley 

(2)  Alta  Marie  b-  1922 
md-  Lloyd  VanSickle 

(3)  Hazen  Emery  b-  1924         d-  1944  died  in 

action  in  WWII 

(4)  Lewis  E.  (Gene)      b-  1927 
md-  Janice  M.  Hardy 

md-  LaVeme  A.  Duncanson 

HELEN  EMERY  HAWKES 
TEACHING  AT  FARNUM 

"Miss  Helen  Emery?  Mr.  Paul  Bcecher?" 
said  the  pleasant  looking  man  who  met  us  at  the 
Ashton  depot  the  first  of  September  in  1915.  "I'm 
George  Oberhansley  of  the  Farnum  school  board. 
Let's  get  you  folks  and  your  bags  loaded  and  home 
out  of  this  chilly  wind." 

The  white-topped  buggy  he  drove  at  a  smart 
pace  over  the  dusty,  country  roads  to  his  home  where 
we  were  to  board  during  the  school  year  didn't  offer 
much  protection  from  the  brisk  wind  or  the  dust.  At 
Fall  River,  he  began  pointing  out  the  farms,  noting 
and  naming  the  ones  who  would  be  sending  children 
to  the  Famum  school. 

At  his  home,  near  where  Clyde  White  now 
lives,  we  were  welcomed  by  his  vivacious  wife,  Hattie, 
and  introduced  to  their  12-year-old  daughter,  Mat)el. 
Byron,  their  son,  was  going  to  school  in  Albion,  where 
Paul  and  I  had  recentiy  been  students. 

Paul,  who  came  from  Elba,  and  I,  a  rancher's 
daughter  from  Oakley,  had  earned  our  teacher's 
certificates  at  Albion  Normal  School.  Patterned  after 
Ivy  League  schools  of  learning,  with  Eastern  teachers    ^or 


intent  on  making  genteel,  educated  ladies  and 
gentiemen  out  of  Idaho  bumpkins,  the  school  set  high 
standards.  The  location,  in  a  pretty  agricultural 
setting,  was  within  a  day's  journey  by  horse  and  buggy 
of  our  respective  homes,  so  even  though  we  had 
"gone  away  to  school",  neither  of  us  had  ever  been 
really  far  from  home. 

For  the  trip,  we  had  dressed  appropriately,  as 
travellers  and  teachers  did  in  those  days.  Paul  wore  a 
dark  blue  wool,  three-piece  suit  with  a  high-starched 
collar  and  maroon  tie,  and,  of  course,  a  sober  hat.  My 
hat  was  more  frivolous,  fastened  down  to  my  Gibson 
girl  hair-do  with  several  hat  pins,  but  my  second  best 
suit  or  brown  wool  gabardine  was  cut  plain  with 
ankle-length  skirt  and  long,  fitted  coat  over  a  white 
shirtwaist  blouse.  We  both  wore  the  stylish  high- 
button  shoes  that  required  button  hooks  whenever  we 
put  them  on  or  took  them  off. 

We  liked  George  and  Hattie  from  the  first 
day.  They  were  kind,  considerate,  understanding 
people  and  very  pleasant  company.  They  let  me  have 
their  front  room  with  a  wood  heating  stove,  which 
was  really  appreciated  on  cold  winter  mornings,  and 
Paul  was  given  an  upstairs  room. 

They  briefed  us  on  the  other  school  trustees, 
Brigham  Murdoch  and  George  Merrick,  who  lived  not 
far  away.  They  told  us  of  Brig's  brother,  Tom,  who 
had  lived  with  Brig;  and  Hans  Nielson,  a  bachelor, 
who  had  a  place  below  the  Murdochs  on  Fall  River. 

The  day  after  our  arrival,  on  Sunday,  Paul  and 
I  walked  through  the  field  to  the  schoolhouse  to 
check  on  the  equipment  and  books  available.  That 
evening  he  and  I  walked  to  the  church  to  attend 
meeting.  Although  the  church  was  dark,  we  waited 
around  thinking  we  were  early.  On  the  rise  east  of  the 
church  was  the  Wade  home.  A  young  fellow  made  his 
way  down  from  there  to  tell  us  there  was  no  meeting 
that  night.  It  was  too  dark  to  make  out  his  features 
but  later  I  learned  the  young  man  was  Hazen  Hawkes. 

Monday  morning  early  Paul  and  I  were  at  the 
school  to  meet  the  parents  as  they  brought  their 
children  from  the  various  homesteads  within  about  a 
five-mile  radius.  It  was  a  busy  day,  getting  the  60 
children  divided  into  grades,  assigned  seats,  learning 
names.  Paul,  as  the  principal,  had  the  grades  5,  6,  7, 
and  8,  in  one  room  while  I  had  the  four  lower  grades 
in  the  other  school  room. 

Paul  was  a  good  teacher,  maintained 
discipline.  Even  though  he  stood  for  no  foolishness 
from  them,  the  pupils  liked  him. 

I  had  a  good  group,  anxious  to  learn.  Rccd 
Murdoch,  Charles  Merrick  and  Lcland  Watts  were  first 
graders  that  I  have  seen  grow  up  over  the  years, 
become  fathers,  grand  and  great-grandparents.  Charlie 
Merrick's  older  brother  had  tcasingly  told  him  he  had 
to  walk  into  the  school  on  his  hands.  At  a  later  dare, 
Lcland  Watts  brought  his  little  brother  to  school  to 
visit,  for  some  reason,  I  never  did  find  out  why,  he  was 
nervous  and  afraid  and  wouldn't  talk  or  even  look  up 
at  me. 


Dallas  Murdoch,  Frank  Merrick,  Edwin  Hill 
and  Wilfred  Bratt  were  fourth  graders  that  year.  I  sec 
Wilf  often,  Dallas  occasionally. 

There  were  the  Chichester  twins,  girls  who 
couldn't  sit  still;  the  Stakers,  Opal,  who  was  a  boy, 
Ruby  and  Florence;  Dan  Cazier;  Vanda  Hendrickson; 
two  Schofields;  Dan  Gibson  brought  his  young  son 
Marion  to  school;  Johnnie  Van  Sickle's  daughter,  Alta, 
had  heart  trouble,  didn't  live  too  long.  Her  mother 
used  to  bring  her  to  school  on  horseback.  The  older 
Van  Sickle  girls,  Margaret  and  Vella,  were  out  of 
school. 

Paul  had  Marian  and  Harold  Bratt,  Melvin 
and  Glen  Chichester,  several  of  the  Hendrickson's  in 
the  upper  grades. 

The  Famum  community  was  a  friendly,  busy 
place  with  the  school  activities,  church  meetings, 
parties  and  dances.  Hattie  Oberhansly  played  the 
piano,  Paul  Beecher  the  violin,  for  many  of  the  dances. 
There  were  many  teenagers  in  the  community. 
Parents  took  children  to  dances,  made  places  on 
chairs,  benches  for  them  to  sleep.  Nearly  always  the 
ladies  supplied  refreshments,  sandwiches,  cakes,  for  all 
who  attended  the  get-togethers. 

The  winter  of  1916  was  cold  and  stormy. 
Paul  and  I  walked  or  skied  to  school,  as  did  some  of 
the  children.  Some  of  the  parents  brought  their 
children  by  horse  and  wagon  or  sleigh.  Other  children 
rode  horses  to  school,  tying  them  up  out  behind  the 
school.  All  of  us,  teachers  and  children,  packed  a 
lunch  and  ate  together.  After  lunch,  and  during 
recess,  we  often  played  games  with  the  children.  Ant- 
Tover,  baseball  in  the  spring  and  fall,  fox-and-gcese 
when  the  snow  was  on  the  ground. 

On  the  road  to  Ashton  the  fence  posts  were 
covered  with  snow.  Famum  Ward  celebrated  March 
17th  with  a  dance.  The  Oberhansley's  and  Paul 
attended  but  I  had  a  cold  so  stayed  home.  One  of  the 
worst  blizzards  of  the  winter  blew  in.  Most  of  the 
people  had  to  spend  the  night  at  the  church  waiting 
for  the  storm  to  end.  I  was  glad  I  remained  home. 

Looking  back,  I  can't  remember  any  old 
people.  It  was  a  young  community  in  more  ways  than 
one.  There  were  more  people  in  their  20's  and  30's 
than  in  their  40 's  and  none  of  the  married  couples  had 
yet  celebrated  their  silver  wedding  anniversary.  Most 
of  the  people  had  recently  moved  from  some  place  else 
to  settle  in  Famum,  so  they  were  more  inclined  than 
in  an  old,  settled  community  to  make  friends  with 
other  newcomers,  make  them  feel  at  home. 

One  of  the  friendliest  was  Isabell  Hawkes,  a 
pretty,  brown-eyed  miss  with  an  abundance  of  shining 
black  hair,  who  soon  had  me  spending  weekends  with 
her,  meeting  the  rest  of  her  family.  It  was  a  hospitable 
household,  a  gathering  place  for  many  of  the  young 
people  in  our  age  group.  Isabell  kept  house  for  the 
family,  was  a  good  cook,  lots  of  fun,  with  many 
friends. 

Isabell's  father,  Lewis  Joshua  Hawkes,  never 
seemed  to  mind  that  his  house  was  full  of  company 


most  every  weekend.  It  took  me  years  to  understand 
how  patient  he  really  was,  and  how  good  he  was  to  all 
his  relatives  and  friends,  never  begmdging  the  inroads 
on  his  larder  or  getting  testy  about  the  high-jinx  of 
the  young  people.  It  was  there  I  got  to  know  Bob, 
Deon,  Lewis  and  Percy  Hawkes;  Frank  and  Walter 
Bratt;  Vera  Wickham;  the  young  married  couple,  Acy 
and  May  Higginbotham  Hawkes,  who  had  lost  their 
first  infant  and  were  expecting  their  second  child, 
Raymond;  Montcll  and  Charlotte  Cazier  Wickham, 
who  were  expecting  their  first  child,  Boyd.  May 
Hawkes  had  been  a  teacher,  too,  at  Farnum  as  had 
Acy's  older  sister,  Effie.  They  had  taught  in  the  log 
cabin  schools  that  were  used  before  the  new  stone 
building  was  erected. 

In  the  spring  of  1916, 1  signed  up  to  teach  at 
Famum  another  year,  at  a  salary  increase  from  $65  to 
$75  per  month.  Since  there  would  be  no  salary  in  the 
three  summer  months,  I  was  always  careful  to  put 
away  money  to  see  me  through  the  summer,  provide 
railroad  fare  from  Burley  to  Ashton,  buy  a  couple  new 
outfits  for  school  and  at  least  one  for  best,  to  wear  to 
the  annual  Teacher's  Institute,  and  have  enough  left 
over  to  pay  my  board-and-room  of  S16  per  month  in 
advance,  and  cover  miscellaneous  expenses. 

Paul  Beecher  had  obtained  a  position  in  his 
home  town  of  Elba.  His  replacement  was  to  be 
Melvin  Neeley. 

I  left  to  spend  the  summer  with  my  older 
sister  on  my  Dad's  Goose  Creek  Ranch.  Here  we 
cooked  for  Dad  and  four  brothers  who  were  busy 
putting  up  hay  on  several  ranches. 

Hazcn  drove  down  in  his  new  Studebaker  for 
the  24th  of  July  which  was  always  celebrated  in  a  big 
way  in  Oakley.  He  was  very  popular  with  my  family, 
driving  us  here  and  there,  in  the  stylish  open-touring 
car  with  the  canvas  top.  One  day  he  took  me,  my 
sister,  Lou,  and  the  fellow  she  later  married,  Charley, 
to  see  the  Barnum  and  Bailey  Circus  in  Twin  Falls, 
which  we  all  enjoyed  immensely. 

On  the  way  home,  the  dusty  country  road  we 
were  travelling  on  crossed  an  unbridgcd  irrigation 
ditch.  Lou  and  Charley  were  in  the  back  seat.  When 
Hazen  gunned  the  motor  and  bounced  over  the  ditch, 
everybody  in  the  car  bounced,  too.  Unfortunately, 
Charley  bounced  the  highest.  Some  strands  of  his 
curly  dark  hair  caught  between  the  canvas  top  and  one 
of  the  braces  and  stayed  there,  while  Charlie  returned 
to  his  seat.  Charley  always  remembered  that  ride. 

When  I  came  back  to  teach  that  fall,  I  missed 
having  Paul  for  the  principal.  Melvin  Neeley,  once  he 
met  Hazel  Brower  of  Marysville,  was  more  interested 
in  her,  than  he  was  in  the  school  or  the  Farnum 
community. 

I  started  out  the  school  year  boarding  and 
rooming  nearer  the  school,  things  didn't  work  out  so, 
I  went  begging  to  Hattie  and  George  to  take  mc  in 
and,  much  to  my  relief,  they  did. 

Before  the  winter  was  over,  Hazen  and  I  were 
■.o>^    engaged,  making  plans  to  be  married  in  the  fall. 


When  school  was  out  in  the  spring,  I  went  home  to 
spend  the  summer  on  the  ranch,  again  cooking  for  my 
Dad  and  brothers. 

The  summer  months  went  by  quickly  and 
pleasantly.  Besides  cooking,  riding,  enjoying  the 
company  of  my  Dad  and  brothers  on  Goose  Creek,  I 
spent  some  time  on  the  home  place  below  the  Oakley 
Dam  with  my  mother  who  kept  busy  with  her 
gardening,  her  chickens,  milk  cows  and  rug  weaving. 

Hazen  and  I  were  married  November  23, 
1917  in  Albion.  We  spent  a  few  days  in  Twin  Falls 
before  returning  to  Famum.  Hattie  and  George,  who 
were  not  well,  had  asked  Hazen  to  stay  on  at  their 
place  and  look  after  the  stock  and  place  while  they 
spent  the  winter  in  Ashton,  so  that  is  where  we  started 
our  married  life. 

Shortly  after  we  setded  in  at  the  Oberhansley 
place,  the  Farnum  teachers  became  dissatisfied  and 
resigned.  The  trustees  came  to  me  and  asked  if  I 
would  finish  out  the  term,  along  with  Mrs.  Pete 
Madsen.  This  time  I  had  the  upper  grades  which  kept 
me  busy  keeping  ahead  of  the  pupils  after  the  easier 
curriculum  in  the  lower  grades.  Both  the  seventh  and 
eighth  grades  had  to  be  prepared  for  the  state 
examinations  in  the  spring.  Those  were  not  easy  tests. 
The  students  had  to  know  their  geography,  history, 
civics,  grammar,  punctuation  and  arithmetic  and 
demonstrate  that  knowledge  by  answering  essay  type 
questions,  drawing  maps,  doing  calculations,  no  true- 
false,  multiple  choice  guessing  games  then.  By  the 
time  they  got  out  of  the  eighth  grade,  students  had  a 
good  basic  education  in  those  days. 

In  the  spring  we  bought  a  house  and  small 
acreage  opposite  William  G.  Baird,  where  Lillian  used 
to  be,  and  moved  in.  I  rode  back  and  forth  on  a  littie 
roan  horse  belonging  to  Hazen  for  about  six  weeks. 
By  the  time  school  was  out  in  the  afternoon  that  littie 
horse  was  so  anxious  to  get  home  he  would  take  off 
on  the  run,  whipping  around  the  gate  post,  and  get 
me  home  in  a  hurry. 

Hazen  and  his  Dad  farmed  together  that 
spring,  Hazen  putting  80  acres  into  wheat. 

Most  of  Europe  was  at  war  with  Germany. 
When  World  War  I  started  in  1914,  not  many  of  us 
thought  of  it  as  having  any  effect  on  our  lives.  By 
1916,  when  Woodrow  Wilson  ran  for  re-election, 
people  were  getting  concerned  that  our  country  might 
be  drawn  into  the  conflict. 

Women  had  been  voting  in  Idaho  since  it 
became  a  state  in  1890.  They  had  the  vote  in  most  of 
the  western  states,  too.  So,  when  Woodrow  Wilson 
campaigned  on  the  promise  to  keep  us  out  of  the  war, 
most  of  the  women  voted  for  him.  The  sinking  of  the 
Lusitania  by  a  submarine  turned  public  opinion 
against  Germany,  and  the  German  ambassador  and  the 
Mexican  government  to  join  in  making  war  on  the 
United  States.  After  the  war,  it  was  said  the 
documents  were  forged,  there  was  no  such  plot.  At 
the  time,  it  was  the  straw  that  broke  the  camels  back. 
Congress  had  declared  war  in  April  of  1917.   Hazcn's 


brother,  Bob,  lied  about  his  age  and  joined  the 
Marines. 

By  the  spring  of  1918  the  draft  began  taking 
men  between  the  ages  of  18  to  26. 

Hazen  and  most  all  the  other  young  men 
from  Fremont  County  were  called  up.  On  August 
5th,  1918,  many  of  us  were  at  the  depot  in  St. 
Anthony  to  see  them  off.  They  were  sent  to  Camp 
Fremont,  near  Palo  Alto,  California.  Hazen  was  put 
in  the  mounted  police. 

Wheat  crops  were  good  that  fall,  prices  high, 
as  all  grains  were  needed  by  us  and  our  allies. 

When  our  crop  was  being  threshed  it  rained, 
stopping  the  work.  While  the  crew  was  idle,  I  hired 
on  a  young  Irish  man  to  put  siding  on  our  log  house 
and  dig  a  cellar  under  the  house.  He  came  in  for 
coffee  in  the  next  day  or  two,  started  making  not-so- 
subtle  remarks  about  how  much  help  a  married 
woman  with  an  absent  husband  needed  to  get  along. 
I  gave  him  his  hat  and  his  walking  papers,  told  the 
hired  man  to  pay  him  off  and  see  him  down  the  road 
and  make  sure  he  didn't  come  back. 

We  had  been  hearing  about  the  flu  epidemic, 
and  lots  of  people  were  worried  about  it.  Many 
people  were  stricken,  many  died,  particularly  those 
who  developed  pneumonia.  The  Drummond  school- 
house  was  turned  into  a  nursing  center. 

Since  I  was  expecting  a  baby  in  a  few  months, 
Dr.  Meacham  wanted  me  isolated.  He  had  me  move 
into  Ashton,  stay  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Neiland.  There 
was  no  hospital  in  the  area  but  Mrs.  Neiland  took  care 
of  Dr.  Meacham's  confinement  cases. 

Hazen  had  been  sent  to  the  Eastern  states  to 
ship  out  to  Europe,  was  on  the  ocean  five  days  when 
the  Armistice  brought  the  war  to  an  end  on 
November  11,  1918.  He  was  back  in  New  York  for 
Thanksgiving,  then  mustered  out,  arriving  home  in 
December. 

My  sister,  Louise,  came  up  to  stay  near  me. 
My  Dad  came  up  for  several  days.  He  spent  the  time 
at  Hazen's  Dad.  Finally,  at  7  O'clock  on  January  9th, 
a  very  cold  day,  we  had  a  baby  gjrl.  Hazen  was  able  to 
be  with  me  and  we  were  botii  so  pleased  with  the  new 
arrival.  We  named  her  for  his  late  mother,  Margaret, 
and  Estella,  for  my  mother.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baird  came 
into  Ashton  ten  days  later  and  drove  me  and  the  baby 
home  in  their  covered  sleigh. 

The  Famum  trustees  asked  me  to  teach  again, 
beginning  the  fall  of  1919.  To  qualify,  I  studied 
during  the  summer,  passed  the  qualifying  teacher's 
county  exam. 

The  other  teacher,  Isabel  Donaldson,  was  a 
widow  with  a  little  boy,  Hemon,  about  two  years  old. 
We  had  a  brand  new  cottage  to  live  in,  one  built  by 
the  trustees  to  house  the  Famum  teachers.  We  hired 
Manila  Hcndrickson  to  come  in  daily  to  baby  sit 
Hemon  and  Margaret. 

The  1920-1921  school  year  I  was  hired  at  a 

considerable  increase  in  salary  to  teach  at  Drummond. 

,«y    After  that  I  scttied  down  to  have  and  raise  a  family, 


Alta,  born  1922;  Emery,  1924;  Gene,  1927.  I 
returned  to  teaching  in  1947  and  kept  at  it,  in 
Marysville,  Dnimmond  and  Ashton,  for  the  next  25 
years.  Before  retirement  in  1962,  I  not  only  taught 
ofifepring  of  those  students  I'd  had  in  the  early  years, 
but  taught  several  of  my  own  grandchildren. 

Note: 

Hazen,  in  his  reminiscences,  said  there  was  a 
one-room  school  located  in  the  field  north  of  Harold 
Bratt's  place  where  his  aunt,  Effie  Hawkes  (later 
Brown)  taught;  in  addition,  there  was  a  similar  school 
on  the  Rogers'  place  where  Mary  Frances 
Higginbotham,  who  married  his  uncle,  Acy  Hawkes, 
taught.  These  two  schools  were  combined  when  the 
Famum  school  was  built. 

Dr.  Hargis's  sister.  Miss  (Mary  Frances) 
Hargis,  taught  at  Famum  about  1914. 

Mr.  Duke  was  a  teacher  at  Lillian,  students 
included  Hazen  Hawkes,  Alan,  Lester  and  Rothwell 
Hendrickson. 

By:  Margaret  Hawkes  Lindsley 

LEWIS  E.  (GENE)  HAWKES 

I  was  born  at  Lillian,  Idaho  in  the  old 
store/post  office  log  building  across  the  road  (north) 


bu5,  he  would  leave  Drummond  early  and  make  a  loop 
south  to  pick  up  the  Bowersox  and  Garver  kids,  then 
west  and  north  up  Leigh  (Horseshoe)  Valley  to 
Lillian,  through  to  Drummond  picking  up  the 
Carlson,  Miller,  Baird,  Hawkes,  and  Oberhansley 
children  enroute. 

I  walked  to  Drummond  to  school  fi-om  the 
age  of  eleven  to  thirteen  and  so  did  the  two  Newcomb 
children  (Doris  &  Daryll)  and  four  Julius  Garz  girls 
(Gladys,  Margaret,  Alice,  and  Clara). 

All  farmers  had  snow  teams  and  would  get 
out  early  and  break  out  the  snow  roads  so  the  school 
bus  and  mail  sleighs  could  get  through.  Dad  ran  the 
mail  route  from  Drummond  to  Squirrel  for  many 
years. 


Alu  Hawkes  VanSicklc  &  Samoycd  team 


Lewis  E.  (Gene)  and  LaVcme  D.  Hawkes 


Doyd  VanSicklc  8c  lead  dog  1948 


fi-om  the  W.  G.  Baird  desert  claim. 

In  1938  the  highway  to  Drummond  was 
constructed  and  the  right-of-way  took  most  of  our 
fi-ont  yard  at  Lillian.  Dad  used  the  money  he  received 
for  the  right-of-way  and  purchased  the  old  Jenny  Beltz 
homestead  on  Conant  Creek  in  1938. 

While  at  Lillian  1  can  vividly  remember  riding 
to  the  Drummond  School  about  5-6  months  of  the 
year  in  a  covered  sleigh  pulled  by  a  team  of  horses. 
The  sleigh  was  equippyed  with  a  pot-bellied  stove  and 
that  was  our  school  bus.  Hazen  Hawkes,  W.  R. 
Miller,  and  Orville  McFarlin  all  drove  this  school  bus 
at  various  times.    When  Orville  McFarlin  drove  the 


Most  of  the  sleigh  roads  were  out  in  the  open 
fields  and  we  used  to  do  a  lot  of  ski  jouring  with  long 
ropes  behind  the  sleighs.  If  you  fell  down,  however, 
you  had  to  grab  your  skis  and  run  like  hell  to  catch  the 
sleigh. 

The  highway  was  finished  fi-om  Drummond 
to  Ashton  in  about  1941  and  a  school  bus  was  started 
to  Ashton.  Prior  to  then  my  older  sisters  (Margaret  & 
Alta)  and  brother  (Emery)  had  to  move  to  Ashton  and 
board  out  during  the  school  year.  They  boarded  the 
daily  train  at  Drummond  to  get  to  Ashton. 

Pearl  Harbor  was  on  Dec.  7,  1941.  I  was  a 
,gg    sophomore  in  the  Ashton  High  School  at  the  time. 


Fifty-seven  students  started  our  class  but  only  27 
finished  in  1944  and  only  9  of  these  were  boys. 
Almost  all  of  these  boys  also  went  into  the  service  as 
soon  as  they  turned  eighteen.  Hazcn  Emery  Hawkes, 
my  brother,  and  Ki  Murakami  from  Drummond  were 
killed  in  World  War  II. 


T-Sgt.  Hazcn  Emery  Hawkes  1943 

I  joined  the  navy  in  the  fell  of  1944,  about 
three  months  before  reaching  my  eighteenth  birthday. 

I  was  married  to  Janice  J.  Hardy  in  1951.  We 
had  two  children,  Marc  (1956)  and  Vallerie  (adopted 
1961).  Both  of  them  now  live  in  Bozcman,  MT. 

I  separated  from  my  first  wife  in  1977  and 
married  LaVerne  A.  Duncanson.  She  had  two 
children  Dana  (1960)  and  David  Allard  (1962).  Dana 
now  lives  in  Seattle,  Washington,  and  David  lives  in 
Oakland,  California.  Both  graduated  from  Montana 
State  University. 

My  love  for  Conant  Creek  and  its  remarkable 
hunting  and  fishing  opportunities  prompted  me  to 
become  a  professional  wildland  manager  as  covered  in 
my  resume'. 

Author's  note:  With  the  above  history  we  received  a 
detailed  4  page  resume'  of  Lewis  E.  Hawkes  covering 
the  years  1944  to  1990  which  shows  his  work  record, 
educational  progress,  &  positions  of  responsibility,  as 
he  achieved  an  outstanding  career  in  the  National 
Forest  Service  serving  in  many  western  states  and  in 
Washington  D.  C.  Although  he  is  retired  he  still 
serves  as  a  Consultant  in  Energy,  Forestry,  Natural 
Resources,  Management  Analyst,  and  Public  Access. 
He  is  currently  the  Executive  Director  of  the  Public 
Land  Access  Association,  Inc.  of  Montana,  and  he  has 
written  a  500  page  history  of  the  Gallarin  National 
Forest.  He  and  his  wife  live  in  Bozeman,  Mont. 


ACIL  SMART  and  FRANCIS  MARION 

HAWKES 

and 

RAYMOND  H.  and  LEAH  BELLE  DAVIDSON 

HAWKES 


189 


Francis  Marion  H.  and  Acil  Snnart  Hawkes 

My  fethcr,  Acil  Smart  Hawkes,  first  came  to 
the  area  in  1896  as  a  boy  of  12  years,  with  his  father 
Joshua  Hawkes  and  several  others,  which  has  probably 
been  told  already.  In  1908  my  mother,  Francis 
Marion  Higginbotham,  came  from  North  Ogden 
where  she  had  graduated  from  Weber  College  and  had 
taught  school  several  years.  Her  mother,  Mary 
Elizabeth  Higginbotham,  had  homesteaded  a  piece  of 
land,  along  with  her  son  Gene  Higginbotham's 
homestead,  which  were  both  located  straight  south  of 
the  old  Famum  schoolhouse.  It  was  one  of  the  first 
places  in  that  big  hollow  on  the  east  side  of  the  road 
leading  to  the  Dave  Rogers  place.  She  decided  to 
come  up  and  help  her  mother  and  became  the  first 
teacher  in  the  new  Famum  schoolhouse.  It  was  the 
year  1908.  During  that  year  she  was  courted  by  25- 
year-old  Acil  Smart  Hawkes,  and  they  were  married  in 
November  1909.  They  settled  about  a  mile  east  from 
her  mother's  homestead,  or  across  the  big  hollow 
south  of  the  old  Farnum  church  house,  by  the  Joe 
Cazier  place.  The  home  he  built  cost  about  $100.00 
for  lumber.  They  stayed  there  until  approximately 
1914  or  1915  when  they  moved  to  a  little  frame 
house  just  north  of  the  present  Mark  Albertson  home. 
Here  I,  Raymond  Higginbotham  Hawkes,  was  bom 
December  15, 1915. 

When  we  went  to  the  old  Farnum  school, 
which  is  still  standing,  it  consisted  of  two  rooms  with 
four  grades  in  a  room.  The  first  to  fourth  grades  were 
in  one  room  and  the  fifth  to  eighth  grades  were  in  the 
other  room  with  a  teacher  in  each  room.  The  school 
was  heated  by  a  big  pot-bellied  stove  in  each  room. 
The  boys  were  always  happy  for  a  little  break  from 
class  to  get  a  bucket  of  coal  or  to  stoke  up  the  fire. 
One  of  my  teachers  was  Mrs.  Madscn  who  lived  north 
and  west  of  the  school  house.  She  told  the  story  of 
how  one  of  their  horses  had  died  in  their  yard  and  she 
couldn't  get  her  husband  to  move  it.  The  chickens 
kept  eating  it  and  it  made  a  real  mess.  So  she  devised 
a  way  to  get  him  to  move  it.  She  plucked  a  hair  from 
the  horse's  tail  and  poked  it  into  an  egg  by  making  a 


small  hole  in  it  with  a  pin.  Mrs.  Madscn  cooked  the 
egg  for  Mr.  Madsen's  breakfast  and  when  he 
discovered  the  hair  in  the  egg,  it  wasn't  long  until  he 
moved  the  dead  horse! 

HISTORY  OF  OUR  FARM 

By  picking  up  a  piece  of  ground  now  and 
again  as  it  came  up  for  sale  we  were  able  to  increase 
our  acreage  of  tillable  acres  over  the  years.  At  the 
present  time,  (1990)  we  are  farming  the  original 
Joshua  Hawkes  homestead,  which  he  filed  on  in  1896. 
In  another  six  years  it  will  have  been  in  the  family  100 
years.  Also,  we  have  the  Bill  and  Leona  Miller 
property  on  the  west  side  of  the  road  as  well  as  the 
east  side.  The  fields  on  the  east  side  have  several 
quaking  aspen  groves  that  come  down  in  them  from 
the  brow  of  the  hill  and  it  makes  farming  rather 
interesting  because  of  an  occasional  deer,  elk,  or 
moose  that  we  see  as  we  drive  by  on  the  tractor.  Also, 
if  the  season  has  been  mild  without  any  frost,  we  have 
been  able  to  pick  our  fill  of  chokecherries  in  these 
groves.  Ernest  and  La  Preal  Carlson  sold  us  their 
place  a  few  years  ago  (that  was  originally  owned  by 
John  and  Jim  Brown  and  was  farmed  by  them  many 
years)  when  they  decided  to  move  away.  Included  in 
this  place  was  the  Elmer  Carter  place  which  we  now 
operate.  Recently,  the  boys,  Jim  and  Richard  who 
have  been  running  the  farm  the  last  few  years,  bought 
a  sizeable  acreage  from  Max  H.  Parkinson  which 
borders  our  place  on  the  south.  Also,  we  were  able  to 
pick  up  the  Benjamin  Diesel  place  a  few  years  ago 
which  used  to  be  farmed  by  Sam  Reese.  Henry  Kidd 
had  the  place  before  him  and  it  will  be  rcmcml>crcd  as 
the  place  with  the  big  red  rock  house  which  has  been 
torn  down  in  the  meantime.  It  was  originally  built  by 
Swen  Jacobs.  At  our  other  ranch  which  is  located 
about  two  miles  directly  west  of  the  present  farmstead, 
we  have  what  we  call  the  Costley  place,  the  Wade 
place,  and  the  Cazier  place.  Each  of  these  places  had 
cisterns  on  them  and  we  have  filled  them  in  so  we 
could  farm  over  them. 

As  a  boy,  it  was  part  of  my  work  to  go  to  the 
"other  ranch"  and  work  all  day  with  six  head  of  horses 
on  a  rod  weeder  to  kill  the  weeds  on  the  summer- 
fallow.  It  was  the  most  isolated  and  loneliest  spot  in 
our  entire  farming  operation,  and  I  would  never  see 
another  soul  from  morning  until  evening.  Lester 
Hendrickson  referred  to  it  as  "the  Indian 
Reservation".  We  are  also  farming  a  piece  of  ground 
at  Lamont  that  was  owned  by  Walter  Clark  a  few  years 
ago. 

At  this  point,  I  would  like  to  inject  a  bit  of 
humor  that  I  heard  from  Stan  Bratt  before  he  died. 
He  said  at  the  time  of  the  flood  in  Noah's  days, 
Famum  got  a  half  inch  of  rain.  I  am  not  the  only  one 
who  has  noticed  that  Farnum  didn't  get  its  share  of 
rainfall.  It  is  located  out  in  the  middle  of  the  Upper 
Snake  River  Valley,  and  all  my  life  I  have  noticed, 
especially  in  the  summertime,  that  the  clouds  will    ,g^ 


follow  along  the  mountains  on  the  south,  cast  and 
north  and  drop  a  little  rain.  Famum  doesn't  get  any 
of  this  moisture  except  from  a  general  rainstorm  that 
covers  the  whole  valley. 

After  graduating  from  four  years  of  high 
school  in  Logan  and  two  years  at  San  Mateo  Junior 
College  in  California,  I  served  a  mission  for  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints  to 
Germany  from  February  1937  to  October  1939,  and 
was  released  as  World  War  II  started  when  Hitler 
marched  into  Poland  September  1,  1939.  We  were 
evacuated  to  Copenhagen,  Denmark  and  from  there 
in  unmarked  ships  in  a  northern  route  to  escape  the 
German  submarines.  We  were  put  on  cots  in  the  hold 
of  a  ship  and  were  very  thankful  to  see  the  Statue  of 
Liberty  in  New  York  Harbor  once  again!  I  attended 
Brigham  Young  University  for  two  and  a  half  more 
years  and  graduated  in  June  1942,  shortly  after  the 
bombing  of  Pearl  Harbor  and  America's  entrance  into 
the  War.  After  being  deferred  to  help  with  the  1942 
harvest,  I  entered  the  United  States  Navy  in  October 
1942  and  served  in  the  South  Pacific  Theater  about 
ten  months  as  a  storekeeper  on  the  USS  Thuban,  a 
cargo  ship.  After  being  in  the  Navy  for  three  years,  I 
was  released  in  October  1945,  after  being  married 
seven  months  earlier  to  Leah  Belle  Davidson  from 
Rcxburg,  Idaho.  When  I  was  released  from  the  service 
I  sold  insurance  in  Provo,  Utah  one  winter  while  she 
finished  her  degree  at  BYU.  I  then  ran  for  State 
Representative  from  Fremont  County  in  November 
1946  and  won.  I  served  in  the  spring  of  1947  in 
Boise  while  my  wife  finished  her  pracrice-teaching  in 
Provo.  In  March  1947,  we  moved  to  the  ranch  to 
help  with  the  spring  work,  as  I  had  been  doing  ever 
since  getting  out  of  the  navy.  We  had  spent  the 
summer  before,  also,  helping  on  the  farm.  At  that 
time,  my  parents,  Acy  and  May  Hawkes,  decided  to 
retire  from  the  farm  and  make  their  home  in  Arcadia, 
California,  where  they  lived  until  1963,  coming  back 
each  spring  and  fall  to  help  with  the  farming 
operation.  Acy  worked  at  the  Visitor's  Center  at  the 
Los  Angeles  Temple  a  number  of  years  and  also  served 
in  the  Monrovia  Ward  bishopric.  He  passed  away  July 
21,  1963,  at  which  time  May  came  to  live  with  us  six 
months  out  of  the  year  and  their  daughter  Peggy,  who 
lived  in  Provo,  six  months  out  of  the  year.  She  spent 
the  last  twelve  years  of  her  Hfe  in  a  wheelchair  and 
lived  to  the  age  of  89  years,  passing  away  in  October 
1972  in  Provo,  Utah.  They  are  both  buried  in  the 
Ashton  Cemetery  along  with  their  children  Francis, 
Mary,  and  Helen. 

Going  back  in  their  history,  their  first  child, 
Francis,  passed  away  from  a  dysentery  which  came 
through  the  country,  being  sick  only  two  days.  He 
was  only  three  years  old,  being  bom  in  November 
1911  and  dying  October  1914.  On  December  15, 
1915,  I,  Raymond  Higgjnbotham  Hawkes,  was  bom. 
In  September  1917  my  sister  Helen  was  born  and 
passed  away  April  25,  1937  of  streptococcus  infection 
of  the  heart.    Mary  was  bom  in  September  1920  and 


passed  away  in  November  1929  at  9  years  of  age  with 
rheumatic  fever.  Peggy  Lucille  was  born  in  April 
1925.  She  graduated  from  Madison  High  School  in 
Rexburg  and  attended  Brigham  Young  University 
several  years.  She  served  a  mission  for  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints  to  the  Eastern  States 
Mission  from  1946  to  1948.  She  married  Paul  Peter 
Forstcr  in  the  Mesa  Temple  in  December  1949  and 
had  four  children,  two  girls  and  two  boys.  Her 
husband  was  an  artist  and  taught  at  BYU  in  oil 
painting  and  also  did  several  paintings  for  the  various 
temples  and  visitor's  centers  for  the  church.  They 
served  a  three -year  mission  for  the  church,  developing 
an  English  and  an  art  program  in  the  church  high 
school  in  Tonga.  Peggy  passed  away  in  January  1988 
of  liver  cancer  at  Draper,  Utah. 

We  took  over  the  ranch  in  June  1947  when 
my  father,  Adl,  retired,  and  have  farmed  it  ever  since. 
We  lived  at  the  ranch  until  1952,  leaving  every  winter 
for  California,  Arizona,  or  Rexburg,  for  the  first  few 
years,  and  then  deciding  we  needed  a  permanent 
home  where  we  could  live  the  year  around,  we  bought 
a  home  and  farm  just  north  of  the  overpass  out  of 
Sugar  City  in  November  1952.  I  travelled  back  and 
forth  from  then  on  to  work  at  the  ranch  in  the 
growing  seasons,  and  gradually  our  boys  were  able  to 
assist  me  along  with  my  father,  until  his  passing.  Since 
then,  our  seven  sons  have  helped  farm.  We  have  had 
nine  children,  seven  boys  and  two  girls.  They  are 
Raymond,  Elaine,  Douglas,  Brian,  Kelly,  James, 
Richard,  Grant,  and  Betty.  Our  oldest  son,  Raymond, 
was  killed  in  a  car  accident  in  March  1976  at  age  28, 
three  months  before  the  Teton  Flood.  He  had  served 
a  mission  to  Brazil  and  graduated  from  Brigham 
Young  University  and  was  just  ready  to  start  on  his 
Master's  Degree  at  the  time  of  the  accident.  We  lost 
our  farmstead,  home,  and  all  our  out-buildings  at 


Sugar  City  in  the  flood,  and  lived  in  our  ranch  house 
that  summer.  We  were  thankful  for  it  and  the 
preservation  of  our  crops  up  here  that  year.  We  had 
just  finished  putting  the  crops  in  the  day  before  the 
flood  occurred.  At  the  time  of  the  flood,  I  was  up 
here  at  the  ranch  with  two  of  my  sons  and  rushed 
down  to  help  the  rest  of  the  family  in  Sugar  when  we 
heard  of  it  on  the  radio.  We  arrived  just  20  minutes 
before  the  water  arrived,  and  found  our  family  had 
left.  We  saw  the  water  coming  through  the  field  and 
rushed  to  the  overpass  which  was  about  two  blocks 
south  of  our  house  and  my  son,  Brian,  and  I  spent  the 
next  four  hours  on  the  overpass  watching  everything 
we  owned  disappear.  A  heUcopter  came  and  took  us 
off  about  5:00  p.m.  to  Teton  City,  and  from  there  we 
made  our  way  on  the  higher  ground  to  Ricks  College 
where  we  found  the  rest  of  the  family.  We  came  back 
up  here  that  night  and  found  our  son,  Richard,  who  I 
had  sent  through  Hog  Hollow  in  our  old  truck  with 
sand  bags  and  tools.  He  never  arrived  before  the 
water  and  we  greatly  feared  he  had  been  caught  in  the 
Wilford  area  without  a  radio  in  the  truck  or  any 
warning.  We  were  gready  relieved  to  find  him  at  the 
ranch  when  we  arrived  there  via  Felt  that  night  of  the 
flood  about  11:00  p.m!  We  lived  in  the  HUD  trailers 
in  Sugar  City  the  next  winter  and  until  Christmas  of 
1977  when  we  moved  into  our  new  home.  Our  sons 
built  our  home  right  in  Sugar  City,  where  we 
presendy  live.  We  have  continued  to  travel  back  and 
forth  to  the  ranch,  staying  there  during  the  busy 
seasons. 

All  of  our  sons  have  served  missions  for  our 
church,  serving  in  Brazil,  Argentina,  Paraguay,  Chile, 
California  Arcadia  Spanish  Speaking  mission,  England 
and  Wales,  and  Minnesota-Manitoba.  Our  youngest 
daughter,  the  only  one  not  married,  is  currently 
serving  in  Uruguay.   We  served  a  mission  from  1986 


b.r.  Brian,  Douglas,  Kelly,  Jiminy,  Raymond,  Richard  f.r.  Grant,  Leah  Belle,  Ray,  Betty,  Elaine  Hawkes 

191 


to  1988  in  the  Ohio  Akron  Mission  as  the  mission 
office  couple,  which  we  enjoyed  greatly.  At  that  time, 
we  retired  and  turned  the  farming  operation  over  to 
our  sons  Richard  and  Jim.  Grant  and  Brian  and  Doug 
have  been  able  to  help  many  times,  too,  in  the  busy 
seasons.  Doug  is  a  CPA  in  Sandy,  Utah,  and  he  and 
his  wife  Elizabeth  have  six  children.  He  is  serving  as 
bishop  of  the  Sego  Lily  Ward.  Elaine  and  husband 
Allen  Schauerhamer  live  in  Ely,  Nevada  where  he 
teaches  school,  having  a  master's  degree  in  education. 
They  have  eight  children.  Elaine  teaches  music  and 
received  her  bachelor's  degree  in  music  from  Brigham 
Young  University.  Brian  and  La  Ree  have  four 
children  and  he  has  his  master's  degree  in  mechanical 
engineering  and  they  live  and  work  in  Idaho  Falls  at  E 
G  &  G.  Kelly  and  his  wife  Marianne  have  four 
children  and  he  has  his  master's  degree  in  electrical 
engineering  and  works  for  ESL  in  San  Jose,  California. 
He  is  currendy  working  on  his  doaorate  at  Stanford, 
and  serves  in  a  bishopric.  He  and  his  wife  graduated 
from  Brigham  Young  University  the  same  day.  Jim 
and  Kathy  live  on  the  family  farm  and  have  three 
children.  He  received  his  bachelor's  degree  in  Ag- 
Business  from  Utah  State  and  she  graduated  in 
Education  from  Brigham  Young  University.  Richard 
and  Niki  also  have  been  managing  the  family  farm  in 
Drummond  and  living  in  Drummond.  They  are 
currendy  getting  his  Master's  Degree  in  Agricultural 
Engineering  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  They  have  four 
children.  Niki  attended  Ricks  and  BYU.  Grant 
received  his  Master's  Degree  in  Mechanical 
Engineering  from  BYU  and  is  currendy  working  for  E 
G  &  G  in  Idaho  Falls  and  helping  out  during  the  busy 
seasons  at  the  ranch.  He  and  his  wife,  Heidi,  have 
four  children.  Heidi  attended  Ricks  College.  Betty 
graduated  in  the  nursing  program  from  Ricks  College 
and  got  her  bachelor's  degree  in  nursing  from  the 
University  of  Utah,  and  worked  at  the  LDS  hospital 
prior  to  her  mission  call  to  Uruguay. 

CHILDREN  OF  ACIL  &  MARION  HAWKES 


(1)  Francis  b- 1911 

(2)  Raymond  H.  b-  1915 

md-  Leah  Belle  Davidson 

(3)  Helen  b-  1917 

(4)  Mary  Ann  b-  1920 

(5)  Peggy  Lucille  b-  1925 

md-  Peter  Paul  Forster 


d-  1914 


d-  1937 
d-  1929 
d-  1988 


CHILDREN  OF  RAYMOND  &  LEAH  BELLE 
HAWKES 

(1)  Raymond  Davidson     b-  1948       d-  1976 

(2)  Elaine  b-  1950 

md-  Harold  David  Fuller 
md-  Allen  Schauerhamer 

(3)  Douglas  Davidson  b-  1952 

md-  Elizabeth  Joyce 

(4)  Brian  Davidson  b-  1954 

md-  LaRee  Hope 


(5)  Kelly  Davidson  b-  1956 

md-  Marianne  Johnson 
(6)JamesAcil  b- 1958 

md-  Kathryn  GrifFeth 

(7)  Richard  Davidson        b-  1960 

md-  Niki  Powell 

(8)  Grant  Lynn  b-  1962 

md-  Heidi  Haertel 

(9)  Betty  b-  1966 

md-  Glenn  Andrew  Ishoy 

PERCY  SMART  HAWKES 

and 

IDA  WEYERMAN 


192 


Percy  Smart  and  Ida  Wcycrman  Hawkcs 

Percy  was  born  December  2,  1892,  at 
Richmond,  Utah,  the  son  of  Joshua  and  Sarah  Ann 
Smart  Hawkes.  Shortly  after  his  birth,  his  mother 
moved  back  to  the  Hawkes  farm  at  Franklin,  Idaho, 
where  he  resided  until  1897,  when  his  parents  with 
their  family  moved  to  Fremont  County,  settling  at 
Famum. 

This  being  a  new  country,  they  were  the  first 
settlers  at  this  place,  and  of  the  original  eight  families 
that  homesteaded  there,  they  were  the  only  family  that 
remained  there,  all  the  other  having  given  up  and 
moved  away.  His  early  life  was  spent  in  pioneering, 
and  helped  in  the  building  up  of  this  country.  The 
summers  were  spent  on  the  ranch,  and  in  the  winter 
they  moved  to  Rcxburg,  where  he  attended  the  public 
school. 

After  having  established  her  family  in  this  new 
country,  his  mother  moved  to  Logan,  Utah.  He  spent 
some  time,  at  Logan,  where  he  attended  the 
Agricultural  College  for  a  time,  and  later  he  took  the 
missionary  course  at  the  Brigham  Young  Academy. 

He  attended  the  first  meeting  in  what  became 
the  Famum  Ward.  He  worked  on  the  farm  with  sheep 
and  catde  and  planting  and  harvesting  the  crops. 

In  World  War  I,  he  enlisted  in  the  Navy, 
December  16,  1917,  and  served  until  January  15, 
1919. 

He  served  a  mission  for  the  LDS  Church  in 
England  from  November  1923  to  December  1924. 


He  came  home  early  with  the  retiring  mission 
president  David  O.  McKay,  as  his  health  was  failing  in 
the  British  Isles. 

He  returned  home,  and  when  his  health 
improved,  began  his  farming  operation  which  he 
continued  the  rest  of  his  life. 

In  January  of  1927  he  met  Ida  Weyerman  at  a 
Stake  MIA  dance  in  Logan  9th  Ward  Chapel.  She  was 
working  at  the  Logan  LDS  Hospital.  He  was 
spending  the  winter  with  his  mother  in  Logan. 

In  the  spring  he  returned  to  run  the  farm  in 
Horseshoe  Flat.  They  corresponded  through  the 
summer. 

On  August  3,  1927,  he  married  Ida  Weyer- 
man in  the  Logan  Temple.  They  went  to  the  ranch  as 
it  was  harvest  time.  They  lived  in  the  two  room  log 
homestead  cabin  that  the  Hawkes'  had  built.  Ida 
cooked  for  the  men  as  they  helped  with  the  threshing. 

Percy  loved  farming  with  the  horses,  but 
turned  to  using  tractors  as  soon  as  they  were  available. 
He  was  a  progressive  farmer  and  helped  introduce  the 
deep-furrow  drill,  which  planted  the  seed  down 
deeper  in  the  moist  dirt,  but  left  more  space  between 
the  rows.  He  taught  his  sons  the  best  methods  of 
farming  and  allowed  them  to  operate  either  the 
animals  or  the  machines. 

In  November  1938,  he  and  his  brother,  Acil, 
traded  farms.  Acil  moved  to  the  Horseshoe  Flat 
ranch,  and  Percy  moved  to  the  place  in  Famum  where 
Mark  Albertson  now  lives.  The  better  home,  a  place 
for  livestock,  irrigated  crops,  and  closer  access  in  the 
winter,  made  this  an  ideal  trade. 

Percy  was  called  to  be  the  Bishop  of  the 
Famum  Ward,  September  17,  1933,  and  served  until 
he  was  released  Nov.  17,  1940.  There-after  he  served 
in  the  Yellowstone  Stake  High  Council. 

Two  months  or  so  after  the  birth  of  their 
sixth  child,  David,  who  was  born  March  31,  1946, 
Percy  passed  away,  June  12,  1946,  with  pneumonia 
due  to  a  blood  clot  lodging  in  his  lungs. 

His  children  and  wife  ran  the  farm  together 
until  1948  when  the  oldest  son,  Blaine,  and  his  wife, 
Bonnie,  rented  the  farm  from  Ida.  Ida  took  the 
remaining  children  and  moved  to  Utah,  living  in 
Providence  and  then  Logan  until  she  passed  away 
Sept.  1,  1988. 

The  Famum  farm  was  eventually  split  up  and 
sold:  80  acres  to  F.  W.  Bratt;  80  acres  to  Bill  Bishoff; 
and  80  acres  to  Mark  Albertson. 

Percy  came  from  a  polygamous  family. 

His  father,  Joshua,  and  Mary  Lewis  Hawkes, 
the  first  wife,  had  the  following  children:  Mary  Ann, 
Levi,  Lucy,  Joseph  Bryant,  Lewis  Joshua,  Charles 
Fredrick,  Sophronia,  Horace  Bertrand,  and  Claudias 
Eugene. 

Joshua  and  his  second  wife,  Sarah  Ann  Smart 
Hawkes  had  the  following  children:  Alsamina,  Estes 
Smart,  Acil  Smart,  William  Thomas,  EfFie,  Percy 
Smart,  and  LaGrande. 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Percy  Blaine  b-  1928 
md-  Bonnie  Marie  Clark 

2)  Lawrence  Weyerman  b-  1930 
md-  Shirley  Fielding 

3)  Lloyd  b-  1933 
md-  Donna  Jeanette  Prisbrey 

4)  Norma  Ruth  b-  1936 
md-  Fred  Von  Niederhausem 

5)  Richard  Reed  b-  1940 
md-  Glenda  Eileen  Dees 

6)  David  Weyerman        b-  1946 


d-1967 


Note:  Each  of  the  above  children  have  a  history  with 
their  spouses  in  this  book  except  David  who  died 
before  marriage. 

David  was  bom  March  31,  1946,  soon  moved 
to  Utah  in  1948,  lived  in  Providence  with  his  mother 
and  siblings.  At  the  age  of  6  was  stricken  with 
rheumatic  fever,  which  impaired  his  health.  He  still 
participated  in  baseball  and  basketball  to  some  extent 
and  became  quite  proficient  in  drawdng  pictures  taken 
from  photographs.  He  was  active  in  scouting  and  the 
trips  they  took.  He  had  his  third  attack  of  rheumatic 
fever  in  Olympia,  Washington,  where  he  was 
employed  on  an  oyster  farm  for  the  summer.  He 
made  a  miraculous  recovery  back  in  Logan.  He  began 
raising  pigeons  and  had  a  particular  pet  pigeon  that 
would  ride  on  the  seat  of  his  motorcycle  with  him,  or 
fly  along  side  as  they  would  tour  around  the  area. 

After  high  school  and  seminary  graduation,  he 
completed  two  quarters  of  college  at  the  USU,  prior 
to  receiving  a  mission  call.  He  had  also  earned  his 
Duty  to  God  Award  while  scill  in  high  school  and 
participated  in  an  All-Church  baseball  tournament 
play  off  in  Salt  Lake  City. 

On  April  26,  1965,  he  entered  the  mission 
home  in  SLC  for  training.  He  successfully  served  in 
the  Northern  California  Mission  for  18  months,  prior 
to  having  to  come  home  for  heart  surgery.  He  did  not 
survive  the  surgery  and  passed  away  Jan.  8,  1967.  He 
is  buned  in  the  Pineview  Ccmeftry  in  Ashton,  Idaho. 

PERCY  BLAINE  HAWKES 

and 
BONNIE  MARIE  CLARK 

In  the  beginning. ...Adam  Hawkes,  born 
1608,  in  England,  a  Puritan,  came  with  the  John 
Winthrop  fleet  June  12,  1630  (ten  years  after  the 
Mayflower),  to  Charleston,  then  later  to  Saugus, 
Massachusetts.  We  descend  through  his  son,  John 
1632,  Ebenczcr  1677,  Ebene/xr  1702,  Benjamin 
1730,  Joshua  1767,  Joseph  Bryant  1799  (joined  LDS 
in  1831),  Joshua  1836,  &  Percy  Smart  1892. 

Percy  Blaine  Hawkes  was  bom  July  1,  1928, 
the  oldest  child  of  Percy  Smart  Hawkes  and  Ida 
Weyerman  (ten  generations  from  Adam).  Ida  was 
from  Logan,  Utah,  from  a  Swiss  ancestry. 


193 


f.r.  Billy,  Don,  Steve,  Bonnie,  Blaine,  Mike,  Jeff,  Philip,  f.r.  Cindy,  Suzanne,  Toni,  Robert  (Bob)  Hawkcs 


Until  November  1938  we  lived  in  the 
homestead  log  cabin  in  the  south  end  of  Horseshoe 
Flat.  My  parents  farmed  deeded  and  state  land,  giving 
us  children  the  opportunity  to  learn  first  hand,  how  to 
farm  with  horses,  and  later,  with  tractors.  We  lived 
just  across  the  road  east  of  John  and  Jim  Brown.  I 
developed  a  great  love  for  that  area,  which  has  carried 
over  to  my  adult  life. 

I  attended  school,  grades  1-4,  at  Drummond. 
Dorothy  Rogstad  was  my  first  grade  teacher.  The 
comings  and  goings  to  school  and  church,  and 
association  of  friends  and  neighbors  are  vivid  in  my 
mind  to  this  day. 

In  1938,  my  father  and  his  brother,  Acy, 
traded  farms.  Acy  moved  to  Horseshoe  Flat,  and  we 
moved  to  the  place  where  Mark  Albertson  now  lives  in 
Famum.  There,  we  had  some  irrigated  farmland  with 
pasture  and  a  variety  of  crops.  We  had  a  bigger  and 
better  home  and  were  closer  to  school,  church,  and 
town. 

My  brothers,  Lawrence  and  Lloyd,  and  sister. 
Norma  Ruth,  were  born  before  coming  to  Famum. 
Richard  and  David  were  bom  after  the  move. 

We  attended  the  Farnum  school.  My  5th 
grade  teacher  was  Dorthea  McLaine;  6th,  Margaret 
Moon;  7th,  Jennie  Ritchie;  &  8th,  Ruby  Hammond 
Schofield.  Ardella  Rogers  and  I  were  the  8th  grade 
graduating  class  (1942). 

I  attended  the  first  semester  of  high  school  in 
Ashton  and  then  transferred  to  Rexburg,  where  I 
graduated  in  1946.  On  June  12,  1946,  my  father  pas- 
sed away,  leaving  my  mother,  myself,  and  the  other 
children,  to  operate  the  farm. 

We  were  also  running  the  Lee  place  in  the 
upper  Hog  Hollow  country.   We  were  leasing  it  from 


194 


the  state.  There  was  a  40  acre  plot  in  the  southwest 
comer  of  this  place  that  had  never  been  broken  out  of 
native  sod.  During  that  summer  and  fall,  I  used  a  WC 
Allis  Chalmers  wheel  tractor  and  a  two-bottom  plow 
to  tum  this  virgin  sod  into  farming  ground.  I  may 
have  the  distinction  of  having  broken  up  the  last 
parcel  of  native  soil  in  this  upper  valley.  We  planted  it, 
and  the  rest  of  the  Ixe  place,  into  fall  wheat  the  next 
year,  and  harvested  it  in  1948. 

While  attending  Ricks  College  in  1947,  I  met 
Bonnie  Marie  Clark.  We  dated  for  a  few  months  and 
then  on  July  21,  1948,  we  were  married  in  the  Idaho 
Falls  Temple.  She  is  the  daughter  of  William  Edward 
and  Lula  Brown  Clark,  from  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  Her 
brothers  and  sisters  are:  Helen  Clark  (Kron),  Billy 
Clark,  Burke  Clark,  Betty  Lou  Clark  (Waddell),  and 
Terry  Clark. 

My  mother  decided  to  move  to  Providence, 
Utah,  with  the  rest  of  the  children,  and  leased  the  240 
acre  farm  to  Bonnie  and  I.  We  farmed  it  and  other 
rented  ground,  to  make  about  a  600  acre  operation. 

We  feel  fortunate  to  have  been  able  to  have  7 
boys  and  3  girls,  all  bom  while  we  were  still  on  the 
ranch.  They  were  able  to  learn  to  work  with  livestock 
and  in  the  fields  with  machinery. 

By  1959,  we  could  see  that  with  the  large 
family  to  provide  for,  and  the  amount  of  income  we 
were  getting  from  the  farm,  that  we  had  to  take  a 
different  course  in  life.  We  moved  to  Logan  the 
winter  of  1959-60,  so  I  could  finish  enough  college 
credits  to  start  teaching.  I  began  the  1960-61  school 
year,  teaching  6th  grade  at  Central  school  in  St. 
Anthony,  where  I  taught  until  I  retired  in  1989. 

Bonnie  started  back  to  school  at  Ricks 
College  in  1963-64  year  to  become  a  teacher  also.  By 


the  school  year  1965-66,  she  began  teaching  at  Parker 
Elementary,  where  she  taught  until  1989  when  we 
both  retired  together. 

We  moved  to  our  present  home  in  St. 
Anthony,  in  the  fall  of  1964.  Mother  sold  the  home 
80  acres  to  Mark  Albertson,  the  adjoining  east  80 
acres  to  Francis  W.  Bratt,  and  the  80  acres  up  near  the 
Whitmore  ranch,  to  Bill  BishofF. 

I  served  as  Bishop  of  St.  Anthony  Fourth 
Ward  from  1968  to  1974.  May  18,  1975,  the 
Yellowstone  Stake  was  divided  to  form  the  Ashton  and 
St.  Anthony  Stakes.  I  served  as  Exec.  Sec.  to  the  new 
stake  presidency  until  1981.  From  1981  to  1990,  I 
was  the  first  counselor  in  the  St.  Anthony  Idaho  Stake 
Presidency. 

In  the  summer  months  when  we  were  not 
teaching  school,  we  formed  an  outdoor  recreation 
summer  program  which  our  family  owned  and 
operated  fi-om  1970-1980.  We  took  groups  of  people 
on  bus  trips  in  the  intermountain  west,  hiking  in  the 
mountains,  and  using  a  fleet  of  canoes  on  the  rivers 
and  lakes,  as  part  of  our  program. 

Now,  about  the  dog  teams.  It  all  started 
when  I  was  a  boy  of  8  years  of  age.  Edwin  Smith  and 
his  wife  would  drive  their  dog  team  from  their 
tcacherage  home  at  the  Farnum  School  up  to  our 
place  in  Horseshoe  Flat.  They  would  visit  until  late  at 
night  and  then  go  back  home  in  the  dark.  I  was 
hooked  right  then.  Lloyd  VanSickle,  who  married 
Alta  Hawkes,  gave  me  some  encouragement  and 
instructions.  I  have  had  various  Siberian  Husky  dog 
teams  (84  dogs  total)  throughout  the  years,  at  the 
ranch,  and  in  St.  Anthony.  We  finally  gave  them  all 
away  in  1988,  but  not  the  sleds  and  harnesses. 

In  1980  the  Ray  Hawkes  family  deeded  25 
acres  of  waste  land  to  us,  just  north  of  the  Woodard 
Sloss  place.  We  have  developed  the  quaking  aspen 
groves,  and  the  tall  pointed  hill  in  the  middle,  the  flat 
part  into  a  ball  park,  and  the  whole  area  into  a  family 
reunion  camp.  We  have  enjoyed  building  cabins,  etc., 
and  enjoying  the  beautiful  scenery  of  the  upper  Snake 
River  Valley.  It  has  such  a  quiet  peaceful  atmosphere, 
we  love  to  visit  friends  and  loved  ones  there.  I,  of 
course,  being  there,  am  filled  with  the  nostalgia  of 
living  the  first  ten  years  of  my  life  nearby  in  the  south 
end  of  Horseshoe  Flat. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Percy  William  b- 1949 
md-  Luisa  Rita  Frias 

(2)  Donald  Clark  b-  1950 

md-  (1)  Toni  Gardner  (2)  Mardi  Robertson 

(3)  Steven  b-  1952 
md-  Carolyn  Lambert 

(4)  Michel  Blaine  b-  1953 
md-  Wendy  Sue  Graham 

(5)  Jeffrey  Lynn  b-  1954 
md-  Lynda  Kay  Briscoe 

(6)  Philip  C.  b-  1955 
md-  Georgia  Diane  Wood 


(7)  Cindy  b-  1957 

md-  (1)  John  O'Toole  (2)  Alan  Kingsford 

(8)  Suzanne  b-  1958 
md-  Ray  Dean  Peterson 

(9)  Toni  Marie  b-  1960 
md-  Terry  Lynn  Miller 

(10)  Robert  Allen  b- 1962 
md-  Sharlene  Wells 

LAWRENCE  WEYERMAN  HAWKES 

and 

SHIRLEY  FIELDING 


195 


Lawrence  Hawkes 

Lawrence  was  born  Oct.  31,  1930,  at 
Drummond,  Idaho,  the  second  son  of  Percy  Smart 
and  Ida  Weyerman  Hawkes.  He  was  bom  in  the  little 
log  house  on  the  farm  in  Horseshoe  Flat.  Dr.  Hargjs 
of  Ashton  was  the  attending  physician.  Ella  Brown,  a 
neighbor,  was  on  hand  to  help  out  and  care  for  him 
and  his  mother  until  she  was  able  to  do  her  work 
again. 

Lawrence  went  to  school  for  a  couple  of  years 
at  Drummond,  then  the  family  moved  to  Farnum 
where  he  finished  the  elementary  grades.  He  attended 
high  school  in  Ashton  and  Rexburg. 

As  he  grew  up  he  had  an  adventurous  spirit 
and  sometimes  had  to  be  located  (found)  playing  off 
in  one  direction  or  another  away  from  the  house.  He 
had  a  love  of  the  out-of-doors  and  the  animals  in 
nature.  He  would  often  bring  home  various  baby 
birds  or  animals  he  found  and  try  to  raise  them  in 
captivity. 

He  was  very  mechanical  and  loved  to  tinker 
on  and  fix  things.  This  line  of  work  became  his 
livelihood.  He  became  a  mechanical  construction 
worker,  owning  his  own  bnd  developing  company  in 
Auburn,  Calif 

He  joined  the  Navy  as  a  young  man,  and  was 
stationed  in  Calif 

He  met  Shirley  Fielding  of  Shelley,  Idaho. 
They  were  married  in  Idaho  Falls,  on  July  6,  1950. 
They  were  divorced  in  1961.  He  later  married  Vema 
Hanks  Angus,  and  later  Joyce  F.  Hart.    He  passed 


away  in  Auburn,  California,  on  May  8,  1981,  of  a 
heart  attack. 


standing-  R.  Jay,  seated-  Harr,  I  I.iv.kc5, 
Shirley  Fielding  Hawkcs  Coffey 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Barry  Lawrence  b- 1951 
md-  Patsy  Dawn  Simon 

(2)  "R"  Jay  b-  1953 
md-  Lula  Mae  Nelson 

R.  Jay  and  Lula  and  their  family  live  in 
American  Falls  and  own  a  portable  welding  and  repair 
business. 

LLOYD  HAWKES 

and 

DONNA  JEANETTE  PRISBREY 

I,  Lloyd  Hawkes,  was  bom  Mar.  29,  1933,  in 
Logan,  Utah,  the  son  of  Percy  Smart  and  Ida 
Weyerman  Hawkes.    I  had  one  sister  and  four 


brothers.  They  were:  Blaine  born  July  1,  1928; 
Lawrence  born  Oct.  31,  1930;  Norma  Ruth  born 
Aug.  17,  1936;  Richard  Reed  bom  Nov.  18,  1940; 
and  David  Weyerman  bom  Mar.  31,  1946. 

My  first  home  was  in  a  small  log  cabin  at 
Horseshoe  Flat  in  Drummond,  Idaho.  I  lived  there 
until  age  5.  Our  neighbors  across  the  street  were  Jim 
and  John  Brown.  I  remember  taking  a  bath  in  a 
round  metal  tub  that  was  in  the  front  yard.  In  the 
winter  we  would  cover  the  snow  bluff  over  with  straw 
and  it  would  last  most  of  the  summer.  We  would  use 
the  snow  to  keep  our  food  cool  during  the  summer. 
We  also  had  a  well  about  30  feet  deep  that  we  could 
let  a  bucket  down  and  pull  up  water  for  drinking.  We 
would  keep  food  down  in  the  well  because  of  its  cool 
temperature. 

At  age  6,  my  father  and  his  brother,  Acy, 
traded  farms.  So  we  then  moved  to  our  new  home  on 
a  farm  in  Famum,  just  4  miles  away.  Our  new  home 
was  a  nice  modem  home  for  that  day.  We  even  had 
an  inside  bathroom.  At  first  electricity  came  from 
large  storage  batteries  that  were  kept  charged  by  a 
wind  charger.  Our  home  was  surrounded  by  large 
Cottonwood  trees  that  were  so  numerous  that  it  was 
like  a  forest.  We  soon  cut  many  of  them  down  which 
gave  our  home  a  more  open  feeling.  Back  of  our 
home  was  a  large  green  pasture  that  went  up  a  gende 
hill.  Being  on  a  hill  made  it  easy  to  irrigate,  so  it  was 
always  green  and  grassy  for  our  cows  and  horses. 

Our  crops  consisted  of  alfalfa,  grain,  and 
potatoes.  The  hay  was  formed  in  small  piles  and  then 
loaded  on  the  hay  wagon  with  pitch  forks.  For  many 
years  it  was  my  job  to  get  on  the  wagon  and  tramp  the 
hay  while  others  pitched  it  on.  Once  I  got  stuck  with 
a  pitch  fork  on  the  side  of  the  head. 

Our  home  was  very  beautiful  with  its  trees, 
green  pastures  and  fields.  We  had  a  chicken  coop,  a 
large  bam  for  hay  and  milk  cows,  a  granary,  a  pump 


Linda,  Chris,  Becky,  Larry,  Julie,  Gregory,  Kimberly,  Donna,  Doyd,  Angela  Hawkes 

196 


house,  and  a  shop  to  keep  the  farm  equipment  in 
repair.  We  had  chickens,  cows,  horses,  pigs,  and 
sheep.  We  milked  the  cows  by  hand  and  ran  the  milk 
through  a  strainer  into  ten  gallon  cans.  The  cans 
would  be  picked  up  by  a  milk  truck  and  taken  to 
Ashton.  I  developed  very  strong  hands  from  milking 
the  cows  each  day. 

Because  of  my  younger  age,  it  was  my  job  to 
herd  the  cows  along  the  roadsides  to  make  use  of  the 
grass  there.  I  would  get  on  a  horse  and  take  the  cows 
out  for  much  of  the  day.  From  this  I  learned  to  enjoy 
the  things  of  nature.  It  was  always  fun  to  see  the 
bluebirds.  I  still  look  for  them  to  this  day  along  with 
many  other  animals  which  I  learned  to  love.  Once  I 
remember  going  to  sleep  on  the  back  of  my  horse  and 
falling  off. 

Our  closest  neighbors  were  the  Hendricksons 
who  lived  about  a  half  mile  north.  My  dose  friends 
were  Abe  Rogers,  Keith  Hendrickson,  Clair  Benson, 
and  Melvin  Hammond  who  is  now  a  general  authority 
of  the  church. 

I  went  to  school  my  first  six  years  in  a  one- 
room  school  at  Famum.  One  teacher  taught  all  the 
elementary  grades.  Each  year  there  were  about  10  to 
15  kids  and  6  or  7  different  grades.  During  the  warm 
months  I  walked  through  the  fields  one  and  one-half 
miles  to  school,  which  seemed  a  long  way.  In  the 
winter  we  rode  to  school  in  a  covered  sleigh  which 
looked  like  the  covered  wagons  the  pioneers  used.  It 
had  a  small  wood  stove  to  keep  us  warm.  We  would 
sit  close  to  the  stove  and  listen  to  the  cold  snow 
crunch,  as  the  sleigh  runners  slid  over  it. 

My  fether  and  mother  were  both  good  people 
and  very  hard  working.  Mother  was  a  good 
housekeeper  and  mother,  and  Dad  was  a  good  farmer 
and  father.  We  had  family  prayer  and  a  blessing  on 
the  food  as  we  ate  our  meals  together  as  a  family. 
Never  did  I  hear  my  parents  in  a  fight.  My  father  was 
a  Bishop  for  7  years.  We  went  many  times  to  the 
church  to  clean  it  and  get  things  in  order  for  Sunday. 
Many  times  I  would  go  early  to  the  church  and  light 
the  fire  so  the  buildings  would  be  warm  for  the 
meetings.  On  July  5,  1941,  I  was  baptized  by  Lester 
Henrickson  in  the  canal  between  our  home  and  theirs. 
My  fiither  was  to  baptize  me,  but  something  in  his 
church  work  came  up  and  he  asked  Lester  to  do  it. 

My  life  in  Famum  was  the  most  memorable 
of  my  growing  up  years.  Some  things  that  stand  out 
in  my  memory  are:  going  swimming  down  to  Conant 
Creek,  skiing  behind  a  horse  as  it  pulled  us  with  a  long 
rope,  skiing  on  the  little  hill  about  a  half  mile  west  of 
the  house,  being  blamed  for  shooting  one  of  our 
horses,  shooting  a  hole  through  the  living  room  wall 
with  a  shot  gun  which  went  into  a  bedroom  between 
bunk  beds  where  David  and  Richard  were  sleeping 
(they  didn't  even  wake  up  until  the  next  morning), 
driving  the  kids  for  a  ward  party  to  Pincocks  in  a  grain 
truck  when  I  was  only  13  years  old,  working  for 
Walter  Clark  on  his  farm  for  a  summer,  going  to  cut 
our  Christmas  tree  each  year,  going  to  the  timber  to 


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cut  wood  for  winter,  running  my  hand  in  the  wringer 
of  a  Maytag  washer,  having  a  firecracker  go  off  in  my 
hand,  when  Jane  and  Effie  Anderson  would  come  and 
stay  with  us,  the  bees  that  swarmed  in  the  big  tree  in 
front  of  our  house  each  spring,  skiing  at  Bear  Gulch, 
going  on  church  outings  to  Warm  River,  sitting  on  my 
dad's  lap  and  putting  my  head  against  his  white  shirt, 
getting  the  worst  spanking  of  my  life  when  Lawrence 
and  I  drove  our  car  all  over  a  grain  field  when 
everyone  else  was  gone,  eating  mother's  fresh  bread 
out  of  the  oven  with  jam,  and  working  in  the  potatoes 
during  spud  harvest. 

At  age  14  my  father  died  which  was  very  hard 
on  me.  On  July  21,  1948,  my  oldest  brother,  Blaine, 
married  Bonnie  Clark  and  they  begin  operaring  the 
farm.  Two  months  later  in  Sept.,  mother  and  the  rest 
of  us  children  moved  to  Providence,  Utah. 

After  high  school,  I  went  to  an  electronics 
school  in  Chicago.  While  there  I  was  drafted  into  the 
army  on  June  17,  1953.  While  home  on  leave  I  met 
Donna  Prisbrey.  After  getting  out  of  the  army,  I 
served  a  mission  for  the  church  in  Georgia. 

Three  months  after  my  mission,  on  Sept.  6, 
1957,  I  was  married  to  Donna  Jeanette  Prisbrey.  We 
went  to  Yellowstone  Park  on  our  honeymoon.  My 
wife  and  I  finished  college  and  are  both  teachers.  We 
live  in  Pleasant  View,  Utah,  and  are  the  parents  of 
eight  children. 

CHILDREN: 
(1)  Larry 

md-  Terry  Lynn  Krebs 
(2) JuUe 

md-  Michael  Jon  Grange 

(3)  linda 

md-  Mark  Warren  Taylor 

(4)  Chris 

(5)  Becky  Jean 

(6)  Gregory 

(7)  Angela  Mae 

(8)  Kimbcrly  Sue 

NORMA  RUTH  HAWKES 

and 

R.  FRED  VON  NIEDERHAUSERN 

I  was  bom  August  17,  1936,  the  daughter  of 
Percy  Smart  and  Ida  Weycrman  Hawkes,  at  the  home 
of  my  Grandmother  Weycrman  in  Logan,  Utah.  My 
arrival  seemed  to  be  a  joyous  one  as  I  was  the  first  girl 
bom  to  our  family  after  three  boys. 

I  turned  out  to  be  the  only  girl  in  a  family  of 
five  brothers  which  proved  to  be  an  advantage  at 
times,  and  at  others  a  disadvantage,  as  my  brothers 
and  their  friends  teased  mc  a  great  deal. 

My  first  recollections  of  life  were  living  at 
home  with  my  parents  and  three  older  brothers  in  our 
beautiful  frame  house  in  Farnum,  Idaho.  I  was 
around  two  years  old  when  my  mother  and  father 
moved  from  Horseshoe  Flat  to  Farnum.    I  do  not 


%r^iS 


Teresa,  Mike,  David,  Nathan,  Tina,  Aicnc,  f.r.  Norma  Ruth,  Fred,  Steven  Von  Niederhausem 


i  h    i 
'I  „    I 


II 


recall  anything  about  this  time;  but  Mother  said  that 
after  we  moved  from  Horseshoe  Flat,  I  would  stand 
by  the  window  and  cry  to  go  home.  She  said  this 
lasted  for  about  a  month  daily;  then  one  day  she  put 
me  in  the  car  and  took  me  back  to  the  old  house  and 
let  me  look  at  it  as  it  was  and  then  explained  that  it 
was  no  longer  my  home.  She  said  I  seemed  satisfied 
and  never  wanted  to  go  back  anymore.  My  days  at 
Famum  were  filled  with  excitement  and  contentment 
and  a  lot  of  learning  experiences  as  a  little  girl. 

Much  time  was  spent  with  my  mother  helping 
her  with  canning,  picking  berries,  helping  her  raise 
beautiful  flower  gardens  and  many  other  household 
duties. 

My  first  piano  teacher  was  Leah  Belle 
Hawkes.  Once  a  week  she  would  come  to  our  house 
and  give  me  lessons. 

I  remember  great  times  with  my  dad  in 
Drummond  and  Farnum  as  I  would  follow  him 
around  as  he  did  his  chores,  and  when  he  took  me 
with  him  into  the  fields  when  he  irrigated.  Sometimes 
we  would  pick  wild  flowers  for  my  playhouse. 

My  first  recollections  of  going  to  church  was 
in  the  church  house  in  Farnum.  My  first  Sunday 
School  teacher  was  Ella  Brown.  I  remember  attending 
someone's  funeral  in  the  church  and  Frank  Bratt 
playing  his  violin  for  the  services.  As  he  played,  a  bee 
kept  bothering  him  and  flying  around  his  head.  It 
finally  lit  on  his  hand  and  he  began  playing  a  few  off 
key  notes.  I  was  very  intrigued  by  the  situation  and 
became  mesmerized  watching  him  and  the  bee.  I  was 
sad  when  this  church  was  condemned  and  torn  down. 
After  this,  we  attended  church  at  the  old  Drummond 
school  and  later  went  to  Marysville  to  church. 


I  started  school  at  the  age  of  six.  At  the  time, 
there  were  eight  grades  being  taught  in  a  one-room 
school  at  Farnum  by  Mrs.  Ruby  Schofield.  Wc 
traveled  to  school  in  the  winter  in  a  covered  sleigh 
warmed  with  a  little  stove.  My  brothers,  Lawrence 
and  Lloyd,  and  I  were  the  ones  that  attended  that 
year.  Mary  Ella  Henry  and  I  were  the  only  two  first 
graders.  When  I  was  in  the  second  grade  we  went  to 
school  at  Ashton,  as  the  Famum  school  was  dosed.  In 
the  summertime,  Mary  Ella  and  I  would  go  there  and 
play  school,  as  all  the  chairs  and  desks  were  left  there. 

Christmas  time  to  me  was  a  very  outstanding 
and  happy  experience.  About  two  weeks  before 
Christmas  my  dad  would  hitch  up  a  team  of  horses  to 
his  sleigh,  put  some  hay  in  it,  put  bells  on  it,  and  oflf 
we  would  go  through  the  field  to  the  woods  to  obtain 
our  tree.  We  sang  songs  and  had  a  great  time  on 
these  trips.  We  would  come  home  to  hot  chile,  fresh 
bread,  and  cake  or  cookies  to  eat.  Then  we  would 
trim  the  tree  in  the  evening. 

Daddy  was  a  carpenter  and  Mother  was  an 
excellent  seamstress  so  our  gifts  were  made  primarily 
by  them.  Daddy  made  skis  for  the  boys  and  my  doll 
fiimiture.  Mother  made  my  doll  clothes,  and  also  my 
clothes  and  blankets. 

Some  of  the  people  I  remember  were;  Ella 
Brown  who  always  had  a  lot  of  trinkets  and  clothes  at 
her  house  for  me  to  play  with,  and  Brother  and  Sister 
Marsden  and  their  granddaughter,  Beverly.  Beverly 
and  I  spent  a  lot  of  time  riding  horses  at  their  ranch.  I 
remember  Grandma  Bratt,  who  Mother  and  I  visited  a 
lot  when  she  was  sick.  I  also  remember  Vera  Bratt 
who  tended  us  when  our  parents  were  out  of  town, 
and  her  sons,  Lloyd,  Francis,  and  Stan  and  their  wives. 


198 


Herbert  and  Alta  Benson  had  to  put  up  with  me  at 
their  place  a  lot  and  I  would  help  her  tend  children. 
We  spent  time  with  the  Rogers  family,  William  and 
Willard,  and  Abe  and  their  parents,  also  with  Aunt 
May  and  Uncle  Acy  Hawkes  and  their  family,  and  with 
Walter  and  Rhea  Clark,  and  others  too  numerous  to 
mention. 

When  I  was  eight  or  nine  my  father  became 
very  ill.  My  duties  around  the  house  increased  as 
Mother  and  the  boys  were  more  involved  in  the  duties 
of  the  farm.  When  I  was  ten  my  father  passed  away  in 
the  St.  Anthony  Hospital.  Having  a  new  baby 
brother,  David,  to  take  care  of  seemed  to  help  fill  the 
void  of  losing  my  father. 

After  this  time  my  mother  moved  our  family 
which  consisted  of  Lloyd,  Richard,  myself,  and  David, 
to  Providence,  Utah.  Blaine  and  Bonnie,  my  oldest 
brother  and  his  wife  were  married  shortly  after 
Daddy's  death  and  they  took  over  the  farm. 

I  attended  seventh  and  eighth  grades  at 
Providence  and  attended  South  Cache  High  in 
Hyrum. 

I  served  a  mission  to  the  Northern  States. 
Later  worked  as  an  executive  secretary  for  the 
Hercules  Company. 

While  attending  Utah  State  University  and 
working  part  time  in  the  computer  center,  I  met  Fred 
Von  Niederhausern.  He  was  teaching  a  class  in 
Landscape  Architecture.  We  were  married  June  11, 
1964.  We  have  six  children  and  one  foster  child.  We 
live  in  Logan,  Utah. 


CHILDREN 

(1)  Nathan 

LDS  mission  to  Tulsa  Oklahoma 

(2)  David 

LDS  mission  to  Rapid  City  South  Dakota 

(3)  Mike 

LDS  mission  to  North  Carolina 

(4)  Tina 

Attending  USU 

(5)  Teresa 

Attending  USU 

(6)  Alene 

Senior  in  High  School 

(7)  Steven 

Junior  High 

RICHARD  REED  HAWKES 

and 

GLENDA  EILEEN  DEES 

My  memories  of  Famum  took  place  before  I 
was  8  years  old,  and  my  mother  moved  our  family  to 
Cache  Valley,  in  Utah. 

One  of  the  first  things  that  comes  to  mind, 
was  on  a  beautiful  winter  day,  my  dad  was  up  early, 
had  breakfast  and  was  out  putting  the  harness  on  the 
horses.  It  was  the  day  that  the  family  would  go  and 
find  a  beautifiil  Christmas  tree  down  on  Fall  River.  I 
remember  as  we  were  coming  back,  the  older  boys 
would  hook  long  ropes  on  the  horse  drawn  sleigh  and 
ski  back  and  forth  in  the  white  fluffy  snow. 

It  was  the  time  for  me  to  start  school.  It 
wasn't  so  bad  to  walk  out  through  the  field  to  the 
highway  to  catch  the  bus,  but  when  the  snow  came 
and  the  winds  started  to  blow,  it  was  very  hard  for  me 


Kathy,  Bradley  Kim,  Glcnda  Eileen  Decs,  Richard  Reed  Hawkes 

to  ski  or  snow-shoe  out  that  far.  I  remember 
sometimes  we  would  get  out  there  and  the  bus 
wouldn't  come,  so  we  would  try  to  keep  warm  by 
staying  in  an  A-frame  the  boys  had  made  out  of  2 
sheets  of  plywood.  Finally  the  bus  would  come  and 
take  us  to  Ashton  to  school  (1947). 

Another  winter  experience  I  remember  was 
the  day  my  little  baby  brother,  David,  was  brought 
home.  It  was  early  April  and  we  had  just  had  a  large 
snow  storm  which  filled  in  the  roads.  With  the  help  of 
the  tractor,  and  lots  of  pushing,  and  snow  moving,  we 
finally  got  Mother  and  David  to  the  house. 

It  was  our  family's  turn  to  go  over  to  the 
Famum  Ward  on  a  Saturday  night  &  build  the  fire  and 
have  things  ready  for  Sunday.  I  remember  my  brothers 
taking  me  with  them  that  night.  We  rode  the  horses 
to  the  church.  As  I  recall  the  furnace  (stove)  was 
downstairs  to  the  north  end  of  the  building.  It  felt  so 
good  when  they  finally  got  the  fire  burning  and  wc 
could  take  our  coats  off  and  get  warm. 

It  was  spring  now  and  the  warmth  of  the  sun 
felt  so  good  to  us.  We  could  now  get  out  and  plant 
the  crops.  As  a  5  year  old,  this  was  the  best  time  of 
my  life,  when  I  could  get  out  and  help  drive  the 
tractors.  I  loved  to  be  with  my  Dad  and  help  him  on 
the  farm.  I  remember  one  day  he  was  getting  the 
combine  ready  for  fall.  He  had  me  crawl  back  inside 
the  combine  and  hold  a  wrench  on  a  bolt  while  he 
took  the  nut  off  from  the  outside.  As  you  can  tell  I 
was  his  right  hand  man. 

It  was  always  fiin  in  the  summer  to  watch  for 
Mr.  McFarlin,  our  mailman.  He  would  deliver  the 
mail  with  his  horse  and  buggy,  and  I  was  always  there 
to  meet  him  (1945). 

I  also  remember  each  day  as  Mr.  Manwaring 
would  come  and  pick  up  the  cans  of  milk. 

To  the  north  of  us  was  the  Bcnsons  and  the 
Kidds.    It  was  so  fiin  when  my  Mom  would  let  me 


199 


walk  down  over  the  hill  and  play  with  them.  One 
thing  I  remember  most  was  the  large  windmill  at  the 
Benson  place.  I  believe  the  uprights  are  still  standing 
on  the  place. 

As  a  6  year  old  I  had  lots  of  memories  of  the 
old  bam  that  was  west  of  the  machine  shed.  It  was 
fun  playing  with  my  brothers  and  sister  in  the  hay  loft 
and  helping  bring  the  cows  in  to  be  milked.  I  will 
never  forget  the  time  when  they  decided  to  tear  the 
bam  down.  That  was  a  sad  day  of  my  life.  I  can  still 
remember  Jim  and  John  Brown  coming  and  taking 
the  bam  down  piece  by  piece,  and  stacking  the  lumber 
(1945  or  46). 

I  remember  after  my  Dad  passed  away  it 
seemed  like  everything  was  coming  down.  It  was  fun 
to  play  in  the  old  machine  shed.  There  were  all  kinds 
of  tools  to  play  with.  It  broke  my  heart  when  my 
brothers  tore  it  down. 

It  was  later  that  summer,  I  remember  some  of 
the  large  beautiful  trees  were  being  cut  down.  My 
brother,  Lawrence,  was  topping  out  a  large  cotton- 
wood  tree.  As  the  top  fell  over  it  caught  his  hand  and 
one  of  the  brothers  had  to  hurry  up  the  tree  to  cut 
him  loose. 

We  had  lots  of  good  times  as  a  family.  One  of 
those  times  was  in  the  fell  when  we  cleaned  a  pig  for 
winter  meat.  We  were  all  in  the  kitchen  cutting  up  the 
meat  and  wrapping  it  with  paper.  We  also  made  some 
bacon  by  mbbing  a  special  salt  into  the  meat,  and  then 
letting  it  cure  for  a  few  weeks.  One  of  the  main  things 
I  remember  was  the  boys  would  take  the  pig's  bladder 
and  blow  it  up  and  then  play  ball  with  it  in  the 
kitchen. 

There  was  only  one  time  I  can  remember  my 
dad  getting  mad  and  that  was  the  day  my  sister, 
Norma,  was  riding  Kenneth  Henry's  horse  up  and 
down  the  hill  south  of  our  house.  Something  had 
spooked  the  horses  and  they  were  running  away  with 
her.  As  the  horse  came  mnning  down  around  the 
house,  Norma  fell  off.  I  can  still  see  my  dad  whipping 
the  horse  and  speaking  at  them. 

I  remember  so  well  my  mother  cooking  at  the 
old  wood  stove  in  our  kitchen,  and  the  good  food  that 
came  out  of  the  stove.  If  I  was  ever  wet  or  cold  she 
would  open  the  large  oven  door,  so  I  could  dry  out  or 
get  warm. 

One  day  my  brother,  Lawrence,  brought 
home  some  baby  ducks.  He  fixed  up  a  place  for  them 
by  the  front  steps  of  the  form  house.  There  was  a 
small  run  for  them  and  a  cut  off  barrel  for  them  to 
swim  in.  As  a  young  lad,  I  knew  that  ducks  should 
swim  under  water,  and  these  ducks  weren't  doing 
that.  So  I  was  going  to  teach  them  how.  I  took  each 
duck  and  held  it  imder  the  water  until  I  felt  they  could 
swim  on  their  own.  Much  to  my  surprise  they  didn't 
come  back  up.  Well,  you  can  guess  that  when 
Lawrence  brought  home  some  baby  pheasants,  I 
didn't  get  to  play  with  them  (1945). 

One  of  the  last  things  I  remember  on  the 
form  was  helping  my  brother,  Blaine,  build  a  new  road 


200 


from  the  fermhouse,  west  through  the  field  to  the 
highway.  We  had  this  very  old  road-grader  which  had 
to  be  pulled  by  the  tractor.  It  was  my  job  to  run  the 
large  wheels  which  raised  and  lowered  the  blade  of  the 
grader. 

The  ferm  was  my  life.  After  we  moved  to 
Cache  Valley  I  would  return  to  the  ferm  each  summer 
and  fell  to  work. 

I  still  retain  country  living  and  live  in  a  nice 
home  east  of  Rigby. 

Richard  Reed  was  born  Nov.  18,  1940,  the 
son  of  Percy  Smart  Hawkes  and  Ida  Weyerman 
Hawkes.  He  married  Glenda  Eileen  Dees,  Dec  6, 
1963.  They  have  two  children:  Bradley  Kim  Hawkes, 
and  Kathy  Hawkes. 

1st  gen. 
IVER  CHRISTIAN  HENDRICKSON  JR. 

and 
ANNA  CHRISTINA  HENRIETTA  MADSEN 

My  father,  Iver  Christian  Hendrickson  Jr., 
was  bom  the  1st  day  of  February,  1865  at  Gunnison, 
Utah.  A  son  of  Iver  Christian  Hendrickson  Sr.  and 
Mcttie  Katrina  Jensen.  When  a  young  man,  my  fether 
played  a  piccolo  in  the  band.  I  have  often  heard  him 
tell  of  them  marching  through  town  playing  at 
Election  time.  He  worked  mosdy  with  sheep  at  that 
time,  as  a  herder  and  at  shearing. 

My  mother,  Anna  Christina  Madsen,  was 
bom  the  6th  of  July,  1870  in  Ncstrup,  Denmark,  the 
daughter  of  Peter  Madsen  and  Anna  Kathrine 
Kristofersen.  Her  fethcr's  femily  came  to  the  United 
States  when  mother  was  3  years  old.  After  landing  in 
New  York  City,  they  moved  to  Gunnison,  Utah.  At 
the  age  of  12  years  mother  had  to  leave  school,  and 
work  to  help  make  a  living.  On  the  1st  day  of 
December  1886,  when  but  16  years  of  age,  she 
married  my  fether. 

After  their  marriage  they  lived  in  Gunnison 
and  raised  sheep  for  a  few  years.  After  which  they 
moved  to  West  View  and  took  up  a  homestead.  Here 
father  built  a  canal  and  after  five  years  wairing  for 
water,  lost  it  the  next  year  in  a  law-suit  to  an  old 
company  who  claimed  it.  From  here  they  returned  to 
Gunnison  where  father  worked  in  12  mile  canyon 
building  dug-ways  and  making  a  road  to  a  sawmill.  In 
the  fell  of  the  year  he  drove  horse  power  for  threshing. 

When  they  had  been  married  five  years  their 
first  child,  a  son,  was  born  and  when  they  left 
Gunnison  in  1900  they  had  four  boys  and  one  girl, 
their  baby,  a  boy,  was  only  six  months  old.  They 
started  traveling  in  September  with  team  and  wagon, 
and  Wyoming  as  their  goal.  The  baby,  Delbert,  who 
had  a  severe  case  of  whooping  cough,  died  the  night 
they  camped  in  Nephi,  just  two  days  from  home,  and 
was  buried  there.  After  this  sad  experience  they 
continued  slowly  on  their  way  up  through  this  country 
and  for  a  distance  of  five  hundred  miles  where  they 
spent  the  winter  on  Sage  Creek,  near  Boulder, 


Virgil,  Cora,  Alien,  Luclla,  Lester,  Vanda,  middle.  LeRoy,  f.r.  Manila,  Christina,  Iver,  Rothwell  Hendrickson 


Montana.  Father  worked  all  that  winter  helping  put  a 
railroad  into  Cowley,  Wyoming.  In  this  camp  many 
people  died  with  typhoid  fever  and  my  one  brother, 
Rothwell,  was  very  ill  with  the  disease,  but  recovered. 

Toward  spring  of  1901  they  moved  down 
into  Wyoming  and  made  another  camp  a  few  miles 
north  of  Cowley.  Here  Grandfather  Madsen,  who  had 
come  with  them  from  Gunnison,  riding  in  a  buggy 
trailed  behind  the  wagon,  died  from  old  age.  Aunt 
Stcna,  Father's  sister  and  Aunt  Trena,  Uncle  Jim's 
wife  also  died  and  all  three  were  buried  in  Cowley, 
Wyoming. 

Sometime  that  spring  they  drove  to  Laval, 
Wyoming  to  attend  a  conference  of  the  Church.  They 
had  planned  on  settling  in  Wyoming  as  the  L.D.S. 
Church  was  colonizing  that  section  of  the  country, 
but  after  having  so  much  sorrow  and  trouble  felt  they 
could  not  stay  there,  so  about  the  1st  of  June,  the 
work  having  been  completed  on  the  railroad  they 
headed  north  into  Montana.  They  traveled  to  within 
a  few  miles  of  the  Canadian  border  to  a  place  called 
Lewiston.  Here  father  worked  his  team  on  a  large 
canal  on  which  they  were  going  to  build  a  power 
plant.  When  this  was  finished,  they  turned  back  to 
Gunnison,  Utah.  They  were  more  than  a  month  on 
the  road,  traveling  everyday. 

The  winter  following,  father  and  my  oldest 
brother,  Lester,  started  for  the  west  desert  with  about 
one  hundred  buck  sheep  and  fifty  dollars  worth  of 
supplies  for  sheep  camps  that  were  located  on  the 
desert.  They  were  gone  about  six  weeks  and  after 
returning  stayed  in  Centerfield  until  April  where  the 
older  boys  were  going  to  school. 

About  April  15,1902  father  and  my  two  older 
brothers,  Lester  and  Allan,  and  a  family  by  the  name 
of  Gribble,  loaded  2  freight  cars  with  cattle,  horses 


and  wagons  and  left  for  St.  Anthony,  Idaho  arriving 
there  the  18th  of  April  1902.  On  the  1st  of  May  they 
drove  their  outfits  into  Marysville  and  a  few  days  later 
to  Squirrel,  Idaho  where  they  plowed  sod  for  2 
months.  Sometime  in  July  father  started  to  work  on 
the  Conant  Creek  Canal.  He  and  Mother  decided  to 
go  back  to  Wyoming  by  way  of  Jackson  Hole  when  the 
snow  would  permit,  but  when  he  started  work  on  the 
canal  he  had  to  take  part  water  stock  for  pay,  so  he 
traded  some  catde  for  3  lots  in  St.  Anthony  and  five 
head  of  cattle  for  the  homestead  in  Horseshoe  Flat, 
here  they  stayed. 

On  the  10th  of  August  the  water  was  turned 
into  the  canal  for  the  first  time  and  father  was  put  in 
charge.  It  took  five  men  to  get  it  through  as  they  had 
several  bad  breaks,  but  after  quite  a  long  time  they 
finally  got  it  running  the  length  of  the  canal  and  into 
the  laterals. 

Mother  and  2  children,  Rothwell  and  Manilla, 
had  remained  in  Gunnison  this  summer  and  on  August 
the  20th,  another  girl,  Luella,  her  6th  child  was  bom. 
They  came  to  St.  Anthony  on  the  1st  of  October  1902. 

In  November  of  1902  they  moved  to 
Horseshoe  Flat  to  the  old  Hawkcs'  place  and  the  next 
spring  1903  to  the  homestead.  That  summer  father 
started  riding  the  Conant  Creek  canal  and  was  the 
ditch  rider  for  24  years.  He  operated  a  separator  on  a 
threshing  machine  for  31  falls. 

More  people  began  coming  in  until  quite  a 
settlement  had  sprung  up.  They  named  it  "Lillian" 
after  the  first  postmistress. 

In  the  spring  of  1904  another  daughter,  Cora, 
was  bom,  she  being  the  first  gjrl  bom  in  that  locality 
and  in  1906  a  son,  Virgil,  arrived. 

A  school  was  organized  and  held  in  mother's 
large  front  room  of  her  log  house.    The  last  2  of 


201 


mothers  10  children  were  born  here  on  the 
homestead.  A  daughter,  Vanda,  1908  and  a  son, 
LeRoy,  1910.  The  settlement  continued  to  grow  and 
soon  boasted  a  schoolhouse  just  across  the  street.  My 
oldest  brother,  Lester,  was  called  on  a  mission  to  the 
Southern  States  and  left  in  1911.  He  came  home  in 
February  of  1914,  just  a  month  after  the  oldest  boy, 
Allan,  was  married. 

Father  was  chose  as  a  counselor  to  Bishop 
Brigham  Murdoch  of  the  Famum  Ward,  Yellowstone 
Stake  in  1913.  He  labored  in  this  capacity  6  years 
until  1919  when  he  was  put  in  as  Bishop  upon  the 
release  of  Bishop  Murdoch,  when  Bishop  Murdoch 
moved  to  Rupert,  Idaho. 

In  1915  father  sold  the  homestead  and 
moved  to  a  larger  ranch  on  Conant  Creek  in  Famum. 

During  the  9  years  of  his  work  as  Bishop,  he 
was  very  sincere  in  his  duties.  His  was  a  large  country 
Ward  and  many  times,  when  the  ward  teachers  have 
been  tied  up  with  other  things,  he  had  to  cover  the 
many  miles  on  foot,  visiting  his  people  to  make  sure 
they  were  all  well  and  not  in  need. 

Mother  also  lived  a  life  of  service  in  the 
church,  working  in  Sunday  School  and  primary;  she 
held  one  office  or  another  in  Relief  Society  for  over  25 
years,  being  President  a  goodly  share  of  that  time. 
Whenever  anyone  in  the  ward  was  very  ill  father  or 
mother,  or  both  were  at  their  bedside  and  they  were 
always  ready  at  call  to  help  in  times  of  trouble,  sickness 
or  death. 

During  this  time  their  own  children  were 
growing  up  and  marrying.  Father  married  three  of  the 
girls  at  home. 

Mother's  health  broke  and  the  fell  of  1927 
the  Doctors  ordered  her  to  Arizona  for  the  winter. 
Father  and  my  youngest  brother,  LeRoy,  took  her 
down.  They  were  gone  for  6  months. 

The  fell  of  1928  fether  decided  he  couldn't 
keep  up  his  work  in  the  ward  and  be  gone  half  the 
year  so  he  was  honorably  released  from  the  Bishopric 
at  his  own  request,  made  solely  for  the  sake  of 
Mother's  fe^t  felling  health. 

The  winters  of  1928,  1929,  and  1930  were 
likewise  spent  in  Arizona.  The  last  time  Father 
worked  in  the  Temple  at  Mesa  all  winter.  After  that 
Mother  didn't  want  to  leave  home  so  they  remained  in 
Famum. 

On  the  11th  of  September  1929,  my  older 
brother,  Allan,  was  hurt  on  the  threshing  machine  and 
taken  to  the  Idaho  Falls  L.  D.  S.  Hospital.  He  died  5 
days  later  and  was  buried  in  Ashton,  Idaho.  He  left 
his  wife  and  7  children.  It  was  a  great  blow  to  my 
parents  as  it  had  been  the  first  really  dose  death  in  the 
family  for  29  years. 

The  youngest  son,  LeRoy,  last  of  the  children 
to  leave  home  was  married  in  June  1930.  After  that  in 
the  summer  time  Mother  stayed  with  different  ones  of 
the  children  and  fether  rode  the  range.  In  the  winters 
he  put  in  all  his  time  caring  for  mother,  she 
continually  grew  weaker,  finally  after  almost  64  years    ^^^ 


of  loving  service,  early  on  Sunday  morning,  of 
Febmary  25,  1934  with  all  her  children  present,  she 
gradually  sank  in  to  the  deep  slumber  of  death. 
Leaving  her  husband,  8  children  and  31  grandchildren 
to  mourn  her  passing.  She  has  gone,  her  love,  prayers 
and  abounding  faith  will  forever  abide  with  her  loved 
ones. 

For  2  1/2  years  more  fether  remained  with 
us.  Living  in  Pocatello,  Idaho  with  a  daughter,  Cora, 
and  making  an  occasional  visit  with  the  others  in  the 
winter  time;  riding  the  range  as  usual  in  the  summer. 
He  stayed  alone  except  for  short  visits  from  the 
children  with  his  dog  for  a  companion.  Though  never 
complaining,  we  all  knew  his  work  was  very  strenuous, 
riding  25  miles  most  days  on  horse  back  for  a  man  of 
70  was  no  small  undertaking,  but  he  refused  to  give 
up  his  work. 

Summer  passed  and  fall  came.  The  boys 
helped  round  up  the  herd  and  bring  them  home. 
Father  returned  to  the  range  to  ride  to  the  upper 
camp  for  a  few  strays  believed  to  be  left  there,  refusing 
my  oldest  brother,  Lester's,  offer  of  accompanying 
him,  saying  he  would  meet  him  at  the  lower  camp  the 
end  of  the  week. 

On  the  moming  of  the  1st  of  October  1936, 
Thursday,  fether  saddled  his  horse  and  with  his  2  dogs 
started  for  the  upper  camp  ten  miles  distant.  A  short 
way  on  the  trail  he  met  a  neighbor  on  a  load  of  wood, 
passed  a  cheery  good-morning,  waved  a  ferewell  and 
disappeared  among  the  trees 

On  Saturday  noon,  word  was  sent  to  my 
oldest  brother  that  fether's  horse  had  returned  to  the 
cabin  without  a  rider,  still  saddled  and  bridled  and 
with  one  dog.  Lester  immediately  hurried  to  the  hills 
in  a  car  and  kept  right  on  to  the  upper  camp.  Here  he 
discovered  that  fether  had  arrived  there,  hobbled  out 
his  pack  horses,  left  the  packs  unopened  by  the  tent 
and  gone  again  on  the  saddle  horse.  A  call  for  help 
was  sent  back  to  all  the  friends  and  neighbors. 
Everyone  in  the  community  and  even  from  Ashton 
and  St.  Anthony  responded  to  the  summons,  hurrying 
to  the  scene  with  tmcks,  cars  and  horses.  Men  begged 
for  rides  and  reaching  the  hills  organized  and  searched 
on  foot.  Walking  miles  in  an  effort  to  locate  the 
missing  man.  The  children  were  notified  and  came 
rushing  to  help,  hoping  and  praying  that  he  would  not 
be  lying  some  where  in  the  cold  suffering  and  fearing 
for  what  might  be  found. 

Late  Sunday  evening  fether's  other  dog  came 
into  the  lower  camp  starved.  My  youngest  brother, 
LeRoy,  tied  him  up  and  fed  it  intending  to  turn  it 
loose  at  daylight  and  follow  it.  My  other  brother, 
Virgil,  arriving  from  Preston  and  hearing  of  the  dogs 
returning,  hastened  to  be  with  LeRoy  on  his  search. 
Monday  morning  after  the  C.C.C.  Camp  came  and 
was  checked  into  the  reserve,  over  500  men  were  on 
duty. 

Just  at  daylight  on  Monday  October  5th, 
Virgil  and  LeRoy  turned  the  dog  loose  and 
accompanied  by  a  neighbor,  William  Miller,  got  on 


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their  horses  and  followed.  The  dog  went  straight  up 
the  trail.  For  some  four  miles  it  kept  right  on  and 
then  turned  into  a  side  trail  a  short  cut  which  came 
back  into  the  main  road  a  half  mile  ahead.  The  horse 
Virgil  was  riding,  being  the  one  that  came  home, 
riderless,  broke  into  a  run.  Then  the  other  older  dog 
which  had  disappeared  the  night  before  came  down 
and  tried  to  lead  them  in  another  direction,  but  they 
continued  after  the  younger  dog  which  was  still  going. 
There,  about  half-way  through  the  short  cut,  they 
found  him.  Lying  as  one  asleep;  no  evidence  of 
struggle  or  pain,  but  Rill  assurance  of  a  faithfiil  dog's 
protection.  Virgil  remained  with  him  while  LeRoy 
went  on  to  the  upper  camp  to  tell  the  men  the  search 
was  over  and  to  get  my  older  brothers,  Lester  and 
Rothwell,  who  had  never  closed  an  eye  or  stopped  to 
eat  since  the  search  began.  Mr.  Miller  went  back  after 
a  car. 

The  Doctor  pronounced  death  due  to  heart 
failure.  We  finally  decided  he  had  become  ill  and 
getting  his  horses  taken  care  of  at  the  upper  camp  had 
started  back  to  the  cabin.  He  had  evidently  given  his 
horse  a  free  rein  since  it  had  taken  the  short  cut.  His 
tracks  indicated  where  he  had  dismounted,  taken  three 
steps  and  fell. 

They  lifted  him  gently  and  placed  him  in  the 
back  of  a  car  to  carry  him  home.  When  they  reached 
the  lower  camp  not  one  man  had  checked  out,  but  all 
had  waited  and  formed  a  single  line  on  each  side  of 
the  road  from  the  reserve  and  back  into  the  timber 
and  as  the  car  passed  slowly  down  between  them,  with 
all  heads  bared  and  eyes  wet  they  paid  their  final,  silent 
tribute  to  a  beloved  friend  and  leader. 

On  a  beautiful,  warm  fall  day,  the  7th  of 
October  1936,  we  buried  him  there  in  Ashton,  beside 
the  loved  one  who  was  waiting,  and  through  our  tears 
we  visualized  the  sweet  reunion  on  the  other  side  and 
smiled 

ANNA  CHRISTINA  HENRIETTA  MADSEN 

I,  Anna  Christina  Madsen  Hendrickson,  was 
born  6  July  1870,  in  Denmark.  There  were  two 
brothers.  Christian,  Marion,  and  one  sister  Jane, 
besides  myself  in  the  family  and  my  grandmother  lived 
with  us.  As  a  child  I  was  very  healthy. 

The  buildings  in  Denmark  were  different  than 
what  they  are  here.  Everything  was  built  under  one 
roof,  first  the  house  then  the  woodshed,  and  then  the 
water- house,  the  people  never  had  to  go  outside  for 
anything. 

The  wood  was  different  too,  in  the  summer 
they  dug  it  out  of  the  ground  and  cut  it  in  square 
blocks  and  piled  them  up  for  use  when  the  winter 
came.  The  wood  would  bum  a  very  long  time  and  it 
m.ade  a  very,  bright  light.  It  had  a  very  dark  color. 

My  father  came  to  Utah  when  I  was  three 
years  old.  They  were  six  weeks  in  coming.  We  came 
by  boat  to  New  York  and  from  there  we  went  to 
Gunnison,  Utah. 


I  was  nearly  seven  years  old  when  I  started  to 
school.  I  had  to  walk  to  school.  I  liked  sp>elling  and 
geography  best  of  all  my  studies.  The  schools  then 
were  not  like  they  are  at  the  present  time.  It  was  a  log 
house  with  seats  that  went  around  the  room  and  we 
had  to  study  with  books  on  our  laps. 

When  I  was  eleven  years  old  I  fell  from  a  wall 
and  sprained  my  ankle  and  was  in  bed  for  three  weeks. 

When  I  was  seventeen  years  old  I  weighed 
126  lbs,  had  black  hair  and  blue  eyes. 

I  married  Ivcr  Christian  Hendrickson  on  1 
December  1886,  when  I  was  only  about  seventeen 
years  old.  I  and  my  husband  stayed  in  Gunnison  for  a 
number  of  years,  here  five  of  my  children  were  bom, 
Lester,  Allen,  Rothwell,  Manilla,  and  Delbert.  From 
here  we  went  to  Wyoming  to  look  for  land,  starting  in 
the  summer.  One  the  way  our  young  baby,  Delbert, 
died  at  Nephi,  Utah.  When  we  got  to  Wyoming,  my 
fether,  Peter  Madsen,  and  my  husband's  sister  and 
sister-in-law  died.  We  found  no  land  in  Wyoming  that 
we  liked  so  we  went  back  to  Gunnison  where  another 
girl,  Luella,  was  bom. 

My  husband  and  our  two  oldest  sons  went  to 
Lillian,  Idaho  where  there  was  only  three  houses. 
Then  I  moved  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  I  stayed  in  St. 
Anthony  two  months  and  then  went  on  to  Lillian, 
Idaho.  Here  four  more  of  my  children  were  born, 
Cora,  Virgil,  Vanda,  and  LeRoy.  There  was  no  Post 
Office  or  store  in  Lillian  then. 

By:  Anna  Christina  Madsen  Hendrickson 

Later  the  family  moved  to  Farnum,  Idaho, 
where  she  lived  with  her  family  the  rest  of  her  life. 
Another  son  preceeded  her  in  death.  Allen  died  in 
1929.  She  passed  away  at  the  age  of  64  having  lived  a 
full  and  useful  life  rearing  her  family  and  working  in 
the  different  organizations  of  the  church.  At  the  time 
of  her  death  she  left  a  husband,  eight  children  and 
thirty  two  grandchildren.  She  died  on  the  25th  of 
February,  1934  from  cancer. 

CHILDREN: 

( 1 )  Lester  Christian  b- 1 89 1 

md-  {l)Cere  LeVera  Christensen 

(2) 

(2)  Joseph  Allen  b-1893         d-1929 

md-  Luella  Christiansen 

(3)IverRotiiwell  b-1895 

md-  Helen  Ardis  Wilson 

(4)  Mabel  ManUa  b-1898 

md-  Thomas  Ellsworth  Walston 

(5)  Delbert  James  b-1900         d-1900  Infant 

(6)  Luella  b-1902 

md-  James  Theron  Miller 

(7)  Cora  Geneva  b-1904 

md-  Lester  Richard  Mittelstedt 

(8)  VirgU  Fremont  b-1906 

md-  Edith  Esther  Shaffer 

(9)  Vanda  Elena  b-1908 

md-  Edward  Earl  Mittelstedt 


204 


(lO)FrancisLcRoy  b-1910 

md-  Mary  Ann  Pearl  Covert 

LESTER  C.  HENDRICKSON 

and 

CERE  LEVERA  CHRISTENSEN 

Lester  C.  Hendrickson  was  born  Aug.  23, 
1891  at  Gunnison,  Sanpete  County,  Utah.  He  was  the 
oldest  child  of  Iver  Christian  Hendrickson  Jr.  and 
Anna  Christina  Henrietta  Madsen. 

In  Sept.  1900  three  families  left  the  Gunnison 
area.  We  had  a  big  covered  wagon  with  three  horses 
pulling  it,  also  a  light  buggy  trailed  behind  for  Grandpa 
Madsen.  The  second  day  out,  at  Nephi,  Utah,  our 
baby  brother  died,  we  had  to  bury  him  on  the  trail. 

Uncle  Jim,  dad's  brother,  and  his  wife  and 
three  litde  boys  had  a  covered  wagon  and  one  team. 
Uncle  Charlie  Jenson,  whose  wife  was  Dad's  sister  and 
their  six  children,  had  two  covered  wagons,  one  trailed 
behind  the  other.  He  had  eight  head  of  beautiful 
horses. 

We  traveled  through  northern  Utah  and 
eastern  Idaho,  finding  poor  roads  and  no  bridges, 
except  one,  across  the  North  Fork  of  the  Snake  River 
at  St.  Anthony. 

We  traveled  on,  crossing  the  mountain  north 
of  where  Ashton  now  is,  fording  the  river,  (there  were 
no  dams  on  any  of  the  rivers). 

We  crossed  over  Island  Park,  fording  Buffalo 
river  1/4  mile  west  of  where  Pond's  lodge  is  now. 
Over  the  flats  and  on  up  to  the  Madison  River;  then  to 
Madison  Junction;  on  up  to  Norris  Basin,  then 
Mammoth.  Next  down  to  Gardiner,  Montana;  then  to 
Livingston,  up  through  Big  Timber  and  on  to  Fort 
Bridger.  Then  to  Prior's  Gap,  we  camped  at  the  mouth 
of  the  canyon  on  Sage  Creek. 

My  brother  Rothwell,  almost  died  there  of 
typhoid  fever.  About  March,  1901  we  moved  down  to 
Cowley,  Wyoming,  to  work  on  another  one  mile 
contract  of  railroad  grade.  An  apostle  came  and 
organized  our  camp,  leaving  a  presiding  Elder  Nokes 
in  charge. 

Father's  sister,  Stcna,  Aunt  Trina,  and 
Grandpa  Madsen  died  and  were  buried  in  Cowley, 
Wyoming. 

About  a  year  after  leaving  Gunnison,  they 
started  back  over  the  same  trail,  arriving  home  in  about 
six  weeks. 

Allan,  my  brother  was  baptized  in  April,  1901, 
also  my  father  and  mother  went  through  the  Manri 
Temple  and  had  us  children,  including  the  baby  that 
passed  away,  sealed  to  them. 

April  18,  1902,  Father,  Allan,  and  I  arrived  in 
St.  Anthony,  Idaho  on  the  railroad  train  with  livestock, 
wagon,  and  some  equipment.  We  camped  by  the  stock 
yards  for  two  weeks.  Then  we  herded  the  cattle  along 
the  Snake  River  and  up  through  the  country  to 
Marysville.  There  we  met  three  families  we  knew  back 
at  Westvicw  near  where  we  had  lived.  What  a  happy 
surprise! 


205 


In  two  weeks  we  headed  southeast  for  Squirrel 
Creek,  fording  Fall  River  on  the  way.  At  Squirrel, 
Father  did  some  custom  plowing.  Then  we  crossed 
over  to  Conant  Creek  and  hired  out  working  on  the 
Conant  Canal  for  six  weeks,  finishing  up  August  2, 
1902. 

Father  traded  five  fat  cows  for  80  acres  of  land 
and  3  more  cows  for  three  lots  and  a  Uttle  house  in  St. 
Anthony.  We  fixed  up  the  house  so  the  rest  of  the 
family  could  come  and  live  here. 

Mother  had  a  new  baby  girl,  Louella,  Aug.  20, 
1902.  The  family  came  up  in  October. 

In  November  the  folks  decided  to  move  to 
their  80  acres  on  Horseshoe  Flat.  We  rented  a  two 
room  log  house  from  the  Hawkes  two  miles  south  of 
our  farm  that  winter.  Father  worked  for  others,  taking 
hay,  potatoes,  meat,  etc.  as  pay.  The  milk  cow  helped 
Father  feed  the  family. 

In  the  spring  Father  and  I  tore  the  house 
down  in  St.  Anthony  to  get  the  material  to  build  our 
home  on  the  farm,  which  we  finished  in  the  summer  of 
1903. 

That  Sept.  7th  we  had  a  big  hailstorm  and  lost 
our  crop.  Father  cut  the  battered  grain  for  hay  and 
traded  some  of  it  for  wheat  to  make  flour  for  the 
family.  A  neighbor  loaned  Father  an  extra  milk  cow 
for  the  winter,  and  with  the  extra  grain -hay  we  could 
make  it  through. 

March  26,  1904,  my  sister  Cora  Geneva  was 
bom.  I  worked  in  Twin  Groves  that  summer  for  a 
farmer  for  50  cents  a  day.  That  fall  Allan  and  I  hauled 
the  winters  wood  from  the  quaking  aspen  groves  in  the 
area. 

Rothwell  and  Manilla  went  to  summer  school 
through  the  8th  grade.  Allan  and  I  worked  in  the 
summer,  but  were  promoted  out  of  the  sixth  grade. 

We  boys  worked  for  Swen  Jacobs  when  we 
were  not  helping  out  on  our  farm.  Father  rode  the 
canal  for  24  years.  He  figured  he  rode  one  little  bay 
horse  about  25,000  miles,  as  fer  as  around  the  world. 

The  fall  of  1905,  I  helped  Swen  Jacobs  haul 
red  sandstone  from  a  quarry  10  miles  down  the  hog 
hollow  road.  He  used  this  stone  to  build  a  fine  rock 
house  on  his  farm  right  in  the  heart  of  Horseshoe  Flat. 

In  1906  the  community  rented  the  old  Jacobs 
house  and  started  a  winter  school.  This  was  the  first 
school  my  brother  Allan  and  I  had  attended  since  we 
left  Utah.  We  held  school,  Jan.,  Fcb.and  March.  I  was 
put  in  the  sixth  grade.  We  had  a  young  widow  teacher, 
named  Loomes.  She  and  a  13  year  old  girl  stayed  at 
the  school  house  during  the  week,  and  every  Friday 
night  I  would  take  them  home  and  then  bring  them 
back  Sunday  evening.  She  was  living  on  her 
homestead  5  miles  away.  The  next  spring  the 
community  built  a  school  house  across  the  road  from 
Father's  place. 

The  house  Father  and  I  moved  from  St. 
Anthony  was  rebuilt  on  the  south  end  of  our  farm. 
The  main  county  road  running  east  and  west  was  built 
on  the  north  end  of  the  farm  so  Father  moved  the 


nll> 

ll 
''  llllli 
"  mill 


(   ■ 


house  up  to  that  road.  The  road  through  the  flats  ran 
south  from  that  point.  The  main  reason  for  building 
down  there,  the  south  end  sloped  to  the  south  and  we 
wanted  to  get  the  house  as  near  to  where  we  could 
build  a  well  as  possible.  This  was  the  lowest  part  of  the 
farm  and  two  miles  south  of  there,  was  a  good  well  on 
each  side  of  the  road  15  ft.  deep  with  plenty  of  water. 

Father  had  dug  two  wells  1/2  mile  south  of 
our  house,  one  on  each  side  of  the  road  for  our 
neighbors,  Swen  Jacobs  and  J.  E.  Morrison,  they  were 
35  feet  deep.  So,  of  course  we  thought  we  could  get  a 
well.  Allan,  Father  and  I  proceeded  to  dig  with  three 
poles  for  a  tripod,  a  couple  of  pulleys  at  the  top,  and 
staked  to  the  bottom  of  one  of  the  poles.  A  derrick 
rope  with  a  gende  horse  and  a  wooden  box  made  of 
2X8  plank.  Father  would  do  the  digging,  one  of  us 
would  lead  the  horse.  When  the  box  came  to  the  top, 
it  took  both  of  us  to  empty  it.  We  had  a  great  surprise. 
Father  dug  that  well  80  feet  into  the  ground  but  no 
water!  That  is  why  we  moved  to  the  north  end  of  the 
farm.  Don't  think  that  eighty  feet  was  a  mistake,  I  was 
there! 

On  April  20,  1906  another  boy  was  born, 
Virgil  Fremont  Hendrickson. 

Father  bought  the  house  from  Bro.  Jacobs 
that  we  had  held  school  in  and  with  some  neighbors 
and  a  big  threshing  machine  engine  we  moved  it  up 
and  joined  it  onto  the  old  house.  Our  neighbor, 
William  G.  Baird  lived  across  the  road  east  of  us  had 
drilled  a  well  150  ft.  deep.  We  bought  water  from  him 
for  a  year,  then  we  dug  a  big  dstem,  built  a  big  tank 
out  of  galvanized  tin  4  ft.  wide  by  4  ft.  high  by  8  ft. 
long.  This  we  could  slide  in  a  wagon  box  and  fill  and 
have  water  for  several  days. 

A  neighbor  on  the  north  of  us  put  up  a  little 
store  on  the  corner  and  we  finally  got  a  postoflfice. 
There  were  4  miles  from  here  to  the  mail  route  that 
came  from  St.  Anthony  to  Squirrel  Creek.  Father  got  a 
contraa  to  carry  the  mail,  it  was  8  miles  round  trip. 
Allan  and  I  were  considered  old  enough  to  carry  the 
mail.  We  carried  it  on  horseback  in  the  summer  and  in 
a  sleigh  in  the  winter. 

The  spring  of  1907  we  were  all  interested  in 
building  the  new  Farnum  church.  I  helped  dig  a 
basement  with  a  team  and  scraper;  then  a  contractor 
from  St.  Anthony  by  the  name  of  Perum  came  to  do 
the  fi-ame  work  on  the  building.  Money  was  hard  to 
get  and  it  was  slow  going.  It  was  made  of  handmade 
cement  blocks.  It  as  not  completed  until  1909,  and  not 
paid  for  until  1914.  However  we  commenced  using  it 
in  1909. 

I  worked  for  a  Mr.  Langley  on  the 
Yellowstone  Ranch  and  Cattle  Company  about  5  miles 
from  our  place.  Dick  Thorsted  and  I  tended  the 
livestock  and  built  fence  around  about  3  sections  of 
land  for  pasture.  I  was  getting  $15.00  per  month. 
Later  I  worked  on  the  Highland  Ranch  and  Cattie  Co. 
and  received  $25.00  per  month.  I  also  worked  on 
Bishop  John  Ervin  Morrison's  place  with  John  Brown 
who  was  a  real  fast  hard  worker. 


The  17th  of  March  was  always  a  "Hey  day". 
Annually  we  had  a  get-to-gether,  and  a  program  and 
big  lunch.  We  would  play  horse  shoes,  running  and 
jimiping  contests,  wresding,  horse  team  pulling,  then 
another  meal  and  an  evening  dance,  with  a  violin  and 
guitar  for  music. 

November  1910  I  started  a  5  month  mis- 
sionary training  course  at  Ricks  College.  We  studied 
reading,  writing,  English,  and  studies  from  the 
scriptures.  I  really  caught  up  on  my  schooling  that 
winter. 

April  1911,  I  helped  on  the  family  farm  and 
put  in  some  grain  of  my  own  on  rented  ground  just 
east  of  Drummond.  In  the  fall  I  sold  my  wheat  and 
put  4  or  5  hundred  dollars  in  the  bank  for  my  mission. 
I  also  worked  for  John  and  Jim  Brown  and  made 
enough  extra  to  buy  a  gold  watch  and  some  clothes. 

Soon  I  had  a  call  to  go  to  the  Southern  States 
Mission  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.  At  my  mission 
farewell  the  ward  gave  me  $85.00  cash  and  Mother 
had  a  surprise  party  with  all  the  young  people  of  the 
ward  there.  Cera  La  Vera  Christensen  and  I  agreed  to 
write  to  each  other  while  I  was  on  my  mission,  which 
we  did. 

I  went  to  Salt  Lake  City  Dec.  12,  1911,  was 
set  apart  for  my  mission.  Next  day  received  my 
endowments  in  the  temple.  Charles  A.  Callus  was  the 
mission  president.  I  taught  my  first  family  on 
Christmas  morning.  I  had  a  very  successful  mission 
and  returned  home  Feb.  7,  1914. 

I  helped  farm  again  that  summer.  Did  various 
jobs  the  next  year  and  was  married  Oa.  7,  1915  to 
Cera  LaVera  Christensen  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple. 

Father  soon  sold  out  at  Horseshoe  Flat  and 
bought  300  acres  near  the  mouth  of  Conant  Creek 
1/2  mile  east  of  the  Fall  River  bridge.  We  moved 
there  Jan.  1916  and  helped  run  the  farm  as  Father  was 
still  riding  the  canal  in  the  summer. 

(Authors  note:)  We  refer  you  now  to  the  thirty  six 
page  detailed  personal  history  of  Lester  C. 
Hendrickson,  and  will  conclude  with  a  few  special 
highlights  that  pertain  to  this  area. 

Lester  and  Vera  adopted  two  boys,  Hcber  Jay, 
in  1930  and  Keith  in  1933. 

Lester  and  Vera  were  active  in  civil  and 
church  affairs  holding  many  positions  of  leadership. 
Lester  served  as  Bishop  of  the  Farnum  Ward  from 
Nov.  1940  to  Nov.  1942. 

He  had  lived  in  the  Farnum  community  for 
40  years,  from  1902  to  1942.  On  Nov.  27,  1942  they 
moved  to  a  40  acre  place  two  miles  northeast  of 
Rigby. 

June  24,  1945,  Lester  was  set  apart  as  the 
Bishop  of  the  2nd  Ward,  East  Rigby  Stake,  and  served 
until  released  Feb.  20,  1947. 

Vera  passed  away  Aug.  30  1951  after  a  year  of 
intense  suffering.  She  is  buried  in  Rigby  Pioneer 
Cemetery. 


206 


CHILDREN: 

(l)HcbcrJay  b- 1930 

md-  Louclla 
(2)  Keith  b-  1933 

md-  Joan  Frances  Lux 

Editor's  note:  "Bud"  and  Junior  "June"  Jensen,  and 
an  older  half-brother,  Vern  Hickenlooper,  were 
nephews  of  Vera,  and  occasionally  lived  with  the 
Hendricksons  while  they  were  in  Farnum.  Their 
mother  was  Wanda  Maria  (Juanita),  Vcra's  sister. 

2nd  gen. 

JOSEPH  ALLEN  HENDRICKSON 

and 

LUELLA  CHRISTLANSEN 

Joseph  Allen  Hendrickson  was  bom  April  21, 
1893,  at  Gunnison,  Sanpete  County,  Utah  He  was 
the  second  son  of  Iver  Christian  and  Anna  Christina 
Madsen  Hendrickson.  On  April  15,  1902,  Allen's 
father  and  older  brothers  loaded  the  train  cars  with 
cattle,  horses,  and  wagons  and  left  for  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho,  arriving  there,  April  18,  1902.  The  first  day  of 
May,  they  left  for  Marysville,  and  a  few  days  later 
arrived  at  Squirrel,  Idaho,  where  they  plowed  sod  for 
two  months. 

In  July,  his  father  worked  on  the  Conant 
Creek  Canal.  He  had  to  take  some  water  stock  for 
pay.  He  traded  five  head  of  cattle  for  a  homestead  in 
Horseshoe  Flat.  On  the  10th  of  August  1902,  the 
water  was  turned  into  the  canal  for  the  first  time. 

A  school  was  organized  and  held  in  the 
parent's  front  room  of  the  log  house.  It  was  just  west 
of  the  W.  G.  Baird  home. 

Joseph  Allen  and  Luella  Christiansen  were 
married  January  14,  1914,  at  Farnum,  Fremont 

9     "   ^  ^^ 


County,  Idaho.  They  were  married  by  Brigham 
Murdoch  at  the  Iver  Hendrickson  home  at  Farnum. 
Both  the  Hendrickson  and  the  Christiansen  families 
were  living  in  the  Drummond,  Idaho  area  at  the  time. 
Both  families  were  engaged  in  the  business  of  helping 
to  build  the  railroad  line  from  the  Conant  Creek 
bridge  to  Drummond.  Luella  Christiansen  and  her 
mother,  Hannah,  helped  cook  the  meals  for  the  train 
crews  and  her  father  helped  prepare  the  laying  of  the 
railroad  tracks  with  his  team  of  horses.  It  was  in  this 
setting  that  my  mother  met  my  father  and  in  time  they 
were  married. 

They  continued  working  for  the  railroad  for 
some  months  and  then  Iver  Hendrickson  and  his  sons 
purchased  a  home  on  the  Fall  River,  with  farm  land 
near  the  home.  They  farmed  in  this  manner  until  the 
sons  married  and  secured  farms  and  homes  of  their 
own. 

Shortly  after  their  marriage,  Allen  and  Luella 
learned  that  help  was  needed  in  building  the  railroad 
to  West  Yellowstone.  In  about  their  fifth  or  sixth  year 
of  marriage  they  moved  to  West  Yellowstone, 
Montana,  where  they  continued  working  for  the 
railroad.  By  this  time  three  children  were  born  to 
them,  Elden,  Allen,  Stella,  and  Una  Mae.  Luella 
enjoyed  their  home  in  West  Yellowstone,  but  Allen 
was  needed  on  the  family  farm,  and  so  they  returned 
to  Farnum. 

Allen  secured  a  farm  not  far  from  the  original 
homestead  on  Conant  Creek.  It  consisted  of  80  acres 
with  quite  a  few  rockpatchcs  in  it,  but  it  afforded  a 
substantial  living,  and  the  family  was  happy  there. 
Three  more  children  were  bom  to  Allen  and  Luella: 
Evelyn,  Lucille,  and  Leo  Ken.  About  this  time  Allen's 
mother  developed  an  illness  that  left  her  quite 
incapacitated  and  which  required  that  she  spend  the 
winters  in  a  warm  climate.  So  each  winter  she  and  her 


b.r.  Leo  Ken,  Stella,  Allen,  Jr.,  Evelyn,  f.r.  Luallc,  LucUa,  Una  Mac,  and  Eidcn  Allen  Hcndnckson 


207 


i  • 


£': 


■  '9  ' 

'"  mil'  • 

.111-": 


husband  and  other  members  of  the  family  would 
spend  the  winter  months  in  Arizona.  In  the  fall  and 
winter  of  1928-1929,  Allen  and  his  family  spent  the 
winter  in  the  Mesa,  Phoenix  area  of  Arizona. 

The  children  of  school  age,  namely  Elden, 
Stella  and  Una  were  required  to  attend  school  in 
Arizona,  which  they  disliked  very  much.  Things  were 
so  much  different  than  at  the  small  Famum  school. 

When  they  returned  to  Famum  in  the  spring, 
the  children  resumed  their  schooling  at  the  Famum 
school  and  were  able  to  pass  to  their  next  grade  along 
with  their  classmates.  When  the  three  families-Allen's 
mother  and  father,  his  sister  Manila,  his  brother  Virgil 
and  family,  his  brother  LcRoy  and  Allen  and  his  family 
returned  to  Farnum,  it  was  springtime.  Soon  work 
was  started  to  get  the  machinery  ready  for  spring 
planting. 

The  spring  planting  was  carried  on  as  usual. 
The  summer  crop-growing  period  was  uneventful,  and 
soon  fall  came  with  the  cutting  and  harvesting  of  grain 
for  use  during  the  long  winter  months.  One  thresher, 
and  machine  to  operate  it,  took  care  of  the  needs  of  all 
the  farmers  in  the  Famum  area.  As  the  harvest  on  one 
farm  was  completed,  all  the  farmers  would  then  follow 
the  threshing  machine  to  the  next  farm,  and  so  on, 
until  all  the  formers  were  taken  care  of. 

It  was  Allen's  job  to  take  care  of  the  thresher 
and  to  see  that  all  was  running  properly.  He  had 
worked  many  years  on  the  thresher  without  mishap, 
but  this  particular  moming,  a  small  string  was  hanging 
from  the  sleeve  of  his  shirt  and  it  somehow  got  caught 
in  the  large  belt  that  runs  from  the  engine  to  the 
thresher.  His  forearm  was  caught  between  the  belt 
and  the  flywheel  of  the  thresher  and  was  mashed 
horribly.  He  was  immediately  taken  to  the  hospital  in 
Idaho  Falls,  but  infection  had  set  in  and  he  died  in  the 
Idaho  Falls  hospital  September  29,  1929.  Allen  Jr.  was 
bom  January  14,  1930. 

Luella,  with  the  help  of  her  children,  tried  to 
run  the  farm  for  several  years,  but  it  was  too  much  of  a 
struggle  so  she  moved  to  Marysville,  Idaho,  to  be  near 
her  mother  and  father.  Luella  Hendrickson  died 
November  30, 1970. 

By:  Stella  Hendrickson 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Elden  Allen 

b- 

1914 

md-  Susie  P.  Richards 

(2)  Stella 

b- 

1916 

(3)  Una  Mac 

b- 

1919 

md-  WiUard  Stringh 

am 

(4)  Evelyn 

b- 

1922 

md-  Richard  Gleb 

(5)  Lucille 

b- 

1924 

md-  James  Davidson 

(6)  Leo  Ken. 

b- 

1928 

md-  Annetta  Clark 

(7)  Allen  Jr. 

b- 

1930 

md-  Doreen  Mae  Flake 

d-1990 


2nd  gen. 

IVER  ROTHWELL  HENDRICKSON 

and 

HELEN  ARDIS  WILSON 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Harold  Rotiiwell        b-1920 

md-  (l)Nadean  W.  Summerhill  dc'd 
(2)Mable  Jackson 

(2)  Joyce  Kathryn  b-1922 
md-  Gail  Biom 

(3)  Dexter  Wmand  b-1925 
md-  Leona  Mae  Cherry 

3rd  gen. 

DEXTER  HENDRICKSON 

and 

LEONA  CHERRY 

Dex  Hendrickson,  son  of  Roth  and  Helen 
Hendrickson,  was  bom  7  August,  1925. 

In  1930,  when  Dex  was  five  years  old,  he 
started  school  in  Drummond,  Idaho.  He  attended 
school  there  for  the  first  four  years.  He  attended  the 
5th  and  6th  grades  in  St.  Anthony;  the  7th  and  8th 
grades  back  in  Drummond.  While  there,  he  was  the 
only  student  in  the  7th  grade. 

His  high  school  years  were  spent  in  Ashton, 
where  he  lived  in  an  apartment  with  Joyce  and  Hal 
because  the  roads  from  home  had  too  much  snow  to 
be  traveled  regularly  during  the  winter  months. 

At  age  16,  Dex  attended  I.S.U.  for  a  year  and 
then  at  17  he  went  to  Helena,  Montana,  where  he  was 
enrolled  in  Aeronautical  School. 

At  18,  he  joined  the  Air  Force.  He  served  in 
the  South  Pacific  as  an  armorer  on  a  B-24  bomber. 
He  saw  action  in  Borneo,  Burma,  the  Philippines, 
New  Guinea,  and  during  the  China  offensive. 

After  his  duty  in  the  service,  he  returned 
home  and  was  married  to  Leona  Cherry. 

They  started  their  life  together  on  the  Brig 
Murdoch  place  in  Famum  where  they  farmed  for  six 
years.  This  was  where  they  were  living  when  their 
sons  were  bom:  1st  -  Les,  and  then  4  years  later,  Jeff. 

They  added  their  daughter,  Jan,  in  1955. 
They  moved  to  Rigby  and  Dex  worked  for  various 
Ford  dealers  in  the  valley. 

In  1970,  Dex  went  back  to  Pocatello  to 
I.S.U. ,  this  time  as  a  teacher  in  the  trade  school. 
When  he  left  there  he  worked  for  Roy  J.  Keller  and  C. 
Ed  Flandro. 

In  1977  he  went  to  teach  at  the  Vo-Tech 
school  in  Idaho  Falls.  He  taught  there  for  10  years 
and  retired  in  1987. 

He  and  his  wife  now  spend  their  time  at  their 
home  in  Rigby  enjoying  their  grandchildren, 
gardening  and  relaxing. 

By  Dex  Hendrickson  26  July  1988 


208 


CHILDREN: 
(1)  Leslie  Boyd 


b-  1948 


md- 

Ccdia  Scott 

(2)  J.  D. 

b-  1952 

(3)  Jan 

b-  1955 

md- 

Jan  Browning 

2nd  gen. 

VIRGIL  FREMONT  H  KNDRICKSON 

and 

EDITH  ESTHER  SHAFFER 

Virgil  Fremont  Hcndrickson 

Virgil  Fremont  was  born  April  20,  1906,  at 
Lillian,  Fremont  County,  Idaho,  the  eighth  child  and 
fifth  son  of  Iver  Christian  Hendrickson  Jr.  and  Anna 
Christine  Madsen.  His  parents  had  moved  to  Idaho 
from  Sanpete  County,  Utah  in  1902. 

His  father  was  the  range  rider  and  a  rancher 
and  all  the  family  had  to  help  with  the  work.  His 
three  older  brothers  took  him  with  them  often  when 
they  worked  in  the  fields  or  rode  in  the  hills  for  the 
catde.  Dad's  love  for  the  out-of  doors  grew  at  a  very 
early  age  and  has  continued  through  his  whole  life. 
Whenever  possible  he  can  be  found  out  fishing  well 
known  streams,  or  high  up  in  the  mountains  and  deep 
in  the  forest,  just  as  deep  as  his  little  red  jeep  can  get 
him.  Then  at  night  over  a  large  campfire  he  will  tell 
you  many  tales  of  the  early  days  in  Idaho  and 
especially  the  sunny-side  of  the  Tetons. 

The  school  house  was  right  across  the  road 
from  their  house  so  when  he  turned  six  years  old  the 
school  teacher  took  him  to  school  for  the  last  six 
weeks  of  the  year.  Dad's  schooling  therefore  started 
much  as  the  youngsters  are  taught  today  with  a  six 
week  kindergarten  class  before  the  first  grade.  The 
teacher  was  very  good  to  him  and  gave  him  a  good 
foundation  for  his  school  years  ahead. 

For  some  years  his  father  was  Bishop  and  his 
mother  was  Relief  Society  president  so  he  was  left  in 
the  care  of  his  older  brothers  and  sisters  as  they  carried 


209 


out  their  duties.  Dad's  mother  was  very,  very  good 
with  the  sick  and  she  was  called  many,  many  times  to 
help  with  the  sickness  in  the  area,  b>oth  day  and  night. 

So  he  grew  and  worked  and  studied  and 
played  on  the  sunny-side  of  the  great  Tetons.  A  place 
which  still  remains  a  very  important  part  of  his  life. 
Where  he  returns  to  visit  many,  many  times  either  in 
memory  or  when  possible  in  person. 

He  recalls  the  recreation  for  the  little 
homesteading  community  revolved  completely  around 
the  church.  The  Relief  Society  always  had  a  large 
celebration  on  the  17th  of  March  in  remembrance  of 
the  founding  of  this  great  organization.  Always  there 
would  be  a  celebration  on  the  4th  of  July  and  on  one 
such  occasion  his  brother  Allan  Joseph  was  acting  the 
part  of  the  pony  express  rider  who  was  captured  by 
Indians  and  burned  at  the  stake.  He  recalls  how  upset 
this  made  him  until  after  the  program  Allan  came  back 
to  him  with  a  banana  for  a  treat  and  explained  that 
they  burned  a  straw-dummy. 

In  the  winter  they  would  gather  at  the  church 
for  supper  and  dance  and  if  the  snow  came  a  little  too 
heavy  and  they  weren't  able  to  get  home  after  the 
dance  the  men  would  build  up  the  fires,  take  up  a 
collection  for  the  musicians  and  dance  all  night.  I'm 
sure  those  pioneer  grandmothers  were  always  prepared 
with  a  litde  extra  food  for  just  such  emergencies.  The 
children  would  be  put  to  bed  on  the  chairs  and 
benches  while  the  grown-ups  danced  the  night  away. 
When  dayhght  came  they  would  all  work  to  dig  out 
the  roads  and  get  everyone  home  safely. 

As  he  puts  it  in  his  own  history  time  passes 
and  before  long  a  young  man  starts  his  own 
prospecting  and  he  was  no  different.  In  due  time  he 
struck  a  vain  of  pure  gold  which  in  time  came  to  be 
his  wife,  Edith  Esther  Shaffer,  and  she  has  remained 
his  life-long  companion. 

Edith  Esther  was  born  May  27,  1898,  in 
Preston,  Oneida  County,  Idaho,  the  first  bom  child  of 
George  Washington  Shaffer  and  Christina  Jensen. 
Her  lot  in  life  seems  to  have  been  to  care  for  the  sick 
and  the  unhappy  and  she  started  out  at  a  very  early  age 
in  life  filling  this  assignment.  Her  parents  brought 
nine  more  children  into  this  world  and  so,  very  young 
she  was  given  responsibility  in  helping  to  care  for  these 
other  children.  Their  family  was  not  well  to  do  so, 
everyone  in  the  family  had  to  learn  to  do  their  share  of 
work  so  they  could  all  share  in  the  food  and  the 
clothing  they  produced. 

She  remembers  helping  her  grandmother  with 
the  wool  as  she  cared  for  it  in  preparation  for  spinning 
it  into  cloth  and  then  the  tedious  work  at  the  spinning 
wheel.  Then  the  work  of  cutting  and  sewing  as  the 
suits  and  dresses  were  made  for  the  family. 

There  were  always  animals  to  feed,  eggs  to 
gather,  cows  to  milk,  butter  and  cheese  to  make.  The 
many  loaves  of  bread  to  mix  and  bake  and  the  washing 
all  to  be  scrubbed  out  by  hand. 

She  started  school  in  Preston  as  a  child.  She 
was  also  active  in  the  L.  D.  S.  church 


Ml!' 
'  llilt' 


She  tells  of  the  time  in  1918  when  the  great 
flu  epidemic  was  so  very,  very  bad  that  she  was  the 
only  member  of  the  family  that  didn't  get  the  flu.  She 
cared  for  all  of  the  family,  her  parents  and  brothers 
and  sisters  and  did  all  of  the  chores  also.  She  had  to 
get  her  rest  by  sitting  in  a  chair  and  sleeping  when- 
ever she  could  get  a  few  minutes.  The  Doctor  had 
just  about  given  up  and  told  her  to  be  prepared  to  lose 
most  of  them.  She  wouldn't  lay-down  long  enough 
to  even  take  off  her  shoes  for  nearly  three  weeks  but 
she  pulled  them  all  through.  She  never  did  take  the 
flu  not  then  nor  at  any  time  in  her  life  until  she  had  a 
very  severe  attach  of  flu  in  the  early  part  of  1970. 

In  about  1926  she  and  her  sister  Myrtle  went 
up  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  to  work  in  the  seed  house 
there.  Uncle  Wilford  had  obtained  work  for  them  and 
had  arranged  for  them  to  live  at  a  boarding  house 
there  and  share  quarters  with  a  couple  of  other  sisters. 
They  were  Manila  and  Vanda  Hendrickson,  and  it  was 
through  this  association  that  mother  met  their  brother 
Virgil. 

On  November  16,  1928,  they  were  married 
in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  Grandfather  Hendrickson 
had  been  taking  grandmother  to  Arizona  in  the  winter 
for  her  health  so  Dad  and  Mother  were  married  and 
went  with  them  that  winter.  They  worked  together 
picking  cotton  during  the  winter  months  and  then 
returned  to  Famum  in  the  spring  to  take  over  one  of 
grandfather's  farms.  The  first  year  they  were  hailed 
out  and  the  second  year  they  were  dried  out  so  dad 
had  to  give  up  and  start  working  for  wages.  Things 
were  very  hard  for  them  as  the  whole  country  was  still 
deep  in  the  depression. 

During  the  years  of  raising  their  children  and 
trying  to  make  a  living  things  were  quite  hard  for 
them.  Wages  were  low  and  jobs  were  hard  to  find. 
Dad  would  work  all  summer  for  the  formers  and  then 
sometimes  there  wouldn't  be  any  work  until  the  next 
spring.  But  we  were  a  very  happy  family,  learning  to 
work  and  to  play  together,  a  trait  which  has  carried 
over  into  our  adult  lives.  We  are  never  happier  than 
when  we  can  get  the  whole  clan  together  for  a 
birthday,  or  a  fishing  trip. 

After  a  lingering  illness  Edith  passed  away 
August  1, 198 I.Virgil  passed  away  January  4,  1988. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Edith  Afton  born  April  18,  1931. 
Married  Mr.  Vernal  Lloyd  Bowden  (Rusty)  on  17 
June  1954,  in  the  Logan  Temple.  They  are  the 
parents  of  four  boys  and  one  girl.  Vernal  Alma,  Edwin 
Kay,  Mark  Lloyd,  Keith  Allan,  and  Edith  Ann.  They 
make  their  home  in  Richmond,  Utah. 

(2)  Donald  Schaffer,  bom  October  23,  1932. 
November  16,  1951,  he  married  Miss  Verla  Jean 
Moore  in  the  Idaho  Falls  Temple.  They  are  the 
parents  of  five  children;  Virgil  Donald,  Marcia  Jean, 
Wayne  Corey,  Terril  Ann,  and  LcRene.  He  runs  a 
fleet  of  school  buses  and  also  touring  buses.  The 
family  is  all  involved  in  it.  They  have  a  lovely  home  in 
American  Falls,  Idaho 


210 


(3)  Ivcr  Duaine  born  February  1,  1931. 
Married  Miss  Zola  Frances  West,  on  May  25,  1956,  in 
the  Salt  Lake  Temple,  and  they  are  now  the  parents  of 
a  fine  young  daughter  Ilene  Diane.  They  make  their 
home  in  lone,  California.  He  works  for  the  state  of 
California. 

(4)  Edwin  Shaffer  born  April  9,  1935. 
Married  Miss  Jo  Ann  Griffeth,  in  the  Logan  Temple 
on  the  22  of  July  1957.  They  are  the  parents  of  six 
lovely  children,  Robert  Griffeth,  Donna  Jo,  and  Rox 
Ann,  Clarrissa,  Zane  and  Jowin.  They  run  a  family 
farm  and  make  their  home  in  Dayton,  Idaho. 

(5)  Nellie  Shaffer  born  February  25,  1937. 
She  took  nurses  training  at  the  Ricks  College  and 
Idaho  Falls  Hospital.  She  became  a  registered  nurse 
in  1958.  She  married,  George  Boyd  Howell  on  July 
29,  1960,  they  now  make  their  home  in  Bountiful, 
Utah.  They  filled  a  mission  to  Scodand  for  the  L.D.S. 
Church  1983-1984. 

Afton  Hendrickson  Bouden,  1970 

He  was  so  happy  to  be  able  to  come  to  the 
Farnum  Reunion  June  1988  that  was  held  in  what 
used  to  be  Lillian,  at  Blaine  Hawkes'  retreat.  They 
brought  their  trailer  so  he  could  be  comfortable.  Such 
a  sweet  tender  experience  could  be  told  here.  Virgil 
wanted  to  see  the  Tctons  as  the  sun  was  coming  up. 
He  said  it  might  be  his  last  time  to  view  such  a 
beautiful  scene.  If  one  hasn't  seen  the  sun  come  up 
through  the  cradle  of  the  two  peaks  of  the  Tetons, 
they  have  missed  one  of  the  most  beautiful  scenes  of 
God's  creation.  Virgil  stood  up  on  the  highest  knoll 
in  the  area  and  took  in  the  beauty  of  the  Valley  with 
new  crops  just  coming  up  all  things  were  green  and 
the  earth  seemed  to  be  waking  up  from  a  long  winter 
nap.  You  could  take  in  the  panoramic  view  of  the 
whole  Fall  River  Valley.  It  was  like  renewing  a  visit 
with  the  Great  Creator  of  all,  and  rejuvenating  the 
soul.  I  think  he  was  a  little  reluctant  to  break  the 
peace  something  like  this  brings  to  the  soul. 

As  he  started  down,  walking  very  carefully 
with  his  cane,  another  couple  the  same  age,  coming 
up  to  see  the  view,  came  closer.  The  lady  and  Virgil 
both  came  toward  each  other  with  arms  out  to 
embrace  in  friendship.  They  hadn't  seen  each  other  in 
years,  and  they  had  gone  to  school  together  at 
Famum  for  a  number  of  years.  As  they  embraced,  the 
husband  of  the  lady  said,  "Hey  that's  my  wife  you  are 
hugging".  And  he  said,  "Well  she  was  my  childhood 
sweetheart  first". 

Virgil  was  such  a  dear  person.  He  gave  me 
the  courage  or  spark  to  get  this  book  going.  I  had 
thought  about  writing  a  history  but  needed  just  that 
push  to  get  going.  I'm  sorry  he  didn't  live  to  see  and 
read  the  book  in  this  life.  Thank  you  Virgil  for  your 
encouragement  to  do  this. 

By:  Tressa  Murdoch  Garrett  Oaober  1990 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Edith  Afi:on  b-1931 

md-  Vernal  Lloyd  Bowden 


(2)  Donald  ShafFer  b-1932 

md-  Vcrla  Jean  Moore 
(3)IverDuaine  b-1934 

md-  Zola  Frances  West 

(4)  Edwin  ShafFer  b-1935 
md-  Jo  Ann  Griffeth 

(5)  Nellie  Shaffer  b-1937 
md-  George  Boyd  Howell 

CLAUDE  DUVAL  HENRY 

and 

(1)  MARTHA  ELLA  HELM 

(2)  SARAH  NELSON 


Augustus  4  generation 

Claude  Henry  was  a  descendant  of  Major 
Andrew  Henry  a  well  known  Western  Frontiersman. 
Claude  was  bom  in  1887  in  Roseland,  Nebraska.  He 
was  the  son  of  Augustus  and  Catherine  Henry.  He 
married  (1)  Martha  Ella  Helm  who  was  bom  in  1889 
at  Hastings,  Nebraska.  Their  first  child,  Kenneth,  was 
bom    November  1,  1910  at  Roseland,  Nebraska.    A 


second  son,  Donald,  was  bom  in  1918,  at  Famum, 
Fremont,  Idaho.  A  daughter  was  born,  date 
unknown,  she  died  at  the  age  of  1  1/2  years.  A  set  of 
twins  was  born  in  1921,  but  they  died  at  birth. 
Martha  his  wife  died  at  the  time  the  twins  were  bom. 
They  are  buried  at  the  Pineview  Cemetery,  Ashton, 
Idaho. 

Claude  and  his  family,  and  his  Father's  family 
moved  from  Nebraska  and  settled  in  Marysville.  He 
later  purchased  the  Britton  property  in  Famum,  in 
1917.  This  was  located  across  the  street  from  the 
Famum  school  house. 

Claud  married  (2)  Sarah  Nelson,  they  had  a 
set  of  twins  also  and  they  died  at  birth.  They  loved 
every  child  in  the  neighborhood.  Claude  and  Sarah 
were  one  of  the  first  to  have  a  radio,  people  would  go 
to  their  home  to  listen  to  this  wonder.  How  special  to 
be  able  to  hear  news  from  New  York,  Denver  and 
Canada  to  name  a  few. 

KENNETH  HENRY 

and 

DELILA  CHARLOTTE  WYLIE 


Sarah  and  Claude  Henry 


b.r.  Kenneth  and  Dee  Henry  f.r.  Betty  Rose,  Mary  Ella,  Joyce  Ann 

Kenneth  Henry  was  bom  November  1,  1910 
at  Roseland,  Nebraska.  He  was  the  first  child  of 
Claude  Duval  Henry  and  Martha  Ella  Helm.  He  lived 
in  Roseland  until  he  was  four  years  old.  He  moved  to 
Marysville  with  his  parents  about  1914.  When  he  was 
seven  years  old,  they  moved  to  Farnum  where  his 
fiather  had  purchased  the  Britton  property  across  the 
street  from  the  school  house. 

Kenneth  attended  all  eight  grades  of  school  at 
Farnum.  He  never  attended  high  school.  He  was 
always  known  as  K.R.  or  (Kink).  His  first  job  was 
working  for  Harry  Benson.  He  later  went  to  work  for 
Doss  Hargis,  he  also  worked  for  the  railroad  a  couple 

211  ofyc^^- 


Mi'   ' 

c\ 


■I'l  '■"' 


Kcndon  Henry 

On  November  14,  1932  Kenneth  married 
Delila  Charlotte  Wylie.  She  was  bom  June  26,  1914  at 
Archer,  Idaho  in  a  pioneer  log  house  built  by  her 
grandfather.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Robert  Marshall 
Wylie  and  Rebecca  Mary  Weekes.  Delila  attended 
school  in  Archer.  At  the  age  of  15  years  she  went  to 
work.  She  worked  in  the  seed  house  in  St.  Anthony, 
and  also  doing  housework  in  Rcxburg. 

Kenneth  had  a  passion  for  mining  and  for 
acquiring  land.  Kenneth  purchased  the  Daniel  Gibson 
place  in  1934.  He  purchased  a  farm,  a  year  for  twelve 
or  thirteen  years  taking  35  years  to  pay  for  them  all. 
When  he  wasn't  buying  land  he  was  off  to  the  mining 
claims,  looking  for  the  mother  lode  with  his  friends, 
Ruben  Kjcscr  and  Dr.  Kruger.  Many  was  the  time  he 
would  disappear  from  the  work  scene  leaving  his  wife 
to  plow  the  fields  while  he  panned  for  gold.  He  had 
interest  in  and  owned  shares  in  an  oil  well  at  Driggs 
which  was  capped  after  pumping  twelve  barrels  a  day. 

Both  K.R.  and  Delila  believed  in  learning. 
Despite  their  own  limited  educarion  they  pursued 
knowledge  for  its  own  sake.  They  made  great  sacrifice 
to  insure  their  children  were  provided  with  excellent 
educations  and  all  became  professional  in  their  own 
fields. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Mary  Ellen  b- 1936        d- 1989 
md-  Thomas  Markland 

(2)  Betty  Rose  b-  1941        d-  1989 
md-  Robert  Blankcnbaker 

(3)  Joyce  Ann  b-  1943 
md-  Larry  King 

(4)  Boy  b-  1946        d-  1946 

(5)  Kendon  b-  1949        d-  1974 
md-  Christine  Jean  Cook 


Donald  Henry 

further  training  at  Corpus  Chrisri,  Texas  and  Norfolk, 
Virginia.  He  saw  action  from  the  aircraft  carrier 
Ranger  in  the  European  theater  and  also  served 
aboard  the  Bunker  Hill  and  Essex  as  well.  He  was 
serving  from  the  aircraft  carrier  Essex  when  his  plane 
was  shot  down  near  Ply,  French  Indo-China,  he  was 
wounded  and  severely  burned.  He  was  taken  to  a 
French  hospital  and  later  to  a  nearby  plantation. 
When  the  Japanese  started  dosing  in  Donald  and  five 
other  fliers  started  for  friendly  bases  in  China  a 
thousand  miles  away.  They  traveled  on  foot  for  three 
weeks  when  a  native  betrayed  them  and  during  the 
skirmish  Don  and  three  of  his  buddies  were  shot  April 
7,  1945.  The  bodies  of  Donald  and  his  companions 
were  recovered  after  the  cessation  of  hostilities  and  re- 
interred  in  India  to  await  shipment  home.  His  body 
was  sent  home  and  funeral  services  were  held  Tuesday 
December  14,  1948.  Medals  won  by  Lt.  Henry  were 
the  Distinguished  Flying  Cross,  Purple  Heart  and  an 
air  medal  and  citation  for  sinking  a  Japanese  tanker.  " 
He  is  one  of  our  many  Heroes  that  served  in  the  2nd 
World  War,  fi-om  the  Famum,  Drummond.  Squirrel 
and  Lamiont  area." 

Inf  Delila  Henry 
and  Joyce  Henry  King  and  the  Ashton  Herald, 
"Service  Mens  column." 


DONALD  A.  HENRY 

Donald  A.  Henry  the  son  of  Claude  Henry 
and  Martha  Ella  Helm,  was  born  July  6,  1918,  at 
Famum,  Fremont,  Idaho.  He  attended  and  graduated 
from  the  Famum  grade  school.  He  graduated  from 
the  Ashton,  High  School  and  attended  college  at 
Moscow,  Idaho,  Pocatello,  Idaho  and  Logan,  Utah. 
He  entered  the  Navy  while  at  Logan,  and  was 
commissioned  an  ensign  at  San  Diego  and  took 


212 


BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  FRED  AND  OLGA  HILL 

AND 

THE  FERRIN-SOUTHEASTERN  AREA  OF 

FREMONT,  COUNTY 

Fred  Hill  was  bom  at  North  Clifton,  England 
on  May  22,  1886,  the  youngest  of  eleven  children. 
Most  of  his  family  migrated  to  the  U.S.  in  about 
1893,  sending  in  DeKalb,  Illinois  area.  This  is  where 
Fred  grew  up,  went  to  school,  worked  at  many  jobs. 


learning  numerous  trades.  He  was  especially  gifted 
with  the  ability  to  work  with  animals,  and  just  prior  to 
his  move  west  had  been  coachman  for  Sam  Insull,  a 
wealthy  and  prominent  man  in  the  community.  As  a 
young  man  in  his  early  twenties  he  was  a  striking 
picture  in  his  coachman's  uniform,  with  the  best 
matched  beautiful  horses  to  drive  on  the  finest 
carriage  available. 

His  friend.  Jack  Treptow  had  been  in  Idaho, 
Fremont  County,  in  1910  to  visit  Floyd  Dudgeon. 
Dudgeon  had  been  working  with  a  survey  crew  in  the 
area  and  had  a  map  showing  the  land  still  available  for 
homesteading.  Jack  then  filed  claim  to  a  160  acres, 
just  north  of  the  Ed  Morse  crossing  on  Bitch  Creek. 
Jack  returned  to  Illinois  to  work  and  make  some 
money  to  prove-up  on  his  claim.  Fred,  listening 
through  the  winter  to  Jack's  great  stories  of  the  west, 
decided  to  go  with  Jack  in  the  spring  ,  to  Idaho.  He 
left  his  family,  never  seeing  any  of  them  again. 

They  took  the  train  for  Idaho,  on  April  4, 
1911.  They  had  written  a  letter  to  Dudgeon,  asking 
him  to  meet  them  in  St.  Anthony.  After  waiting  four 
days,  and  Dudgeon  still  didn't  come,  they  went  on  to 
Ashton  by  train.  The  livery  stable  wanted  $12.00  to 
haul  them  to  the  ranch,  and  that  was  all  the  money 
they  had  left  between  them.  So  they  sent  their  trunks 
on  the  stage  to  Hayden  and  walked  to  the  Ed  Morse 
house,  where  Dudgeon  was  staying,  but  no  one  was 
there.  They  ate  what  they  found  on  the  stove,  and 
went  to  bed.  About  9:00  o'clock  Dudgeon  and  his 
wife  arrived  home.  They  hadn't  met  the  train  as  they 
had  no  money.  That  day  they  had  killed  a  coyote,  and 
taken  the  hide  to  town  to  trade  for  food. 

The  following  day  they  drove  Dudgeon's 
team  to  Hayden  to  pick  up  their  trunks.  After  paying 
$6.00  for  cartage  on  the  trunk,  they  spent  $6.00  for 
groceries  and  came  back  to  the  Morse  house  broke. 

Fred  had  to  get  a  job  to  earn  money  for  the 
trip  to  Blackfoot  and  the  $32.50  for  a  filing  fee  for  the 
homestead  claim;  which  is  in  the  very  southeast  comer 
of  Fremont  County,  in  the  area  of  Ferrin.  He  worked 
that  summer  helping  build  railroad  grade  between 
Driggs  and  Victor.  Floyd  Dudgeon  worked  with  him, 
and  they  made  enough  for  a  winter's  stake.  That 
winter  he  lived  with  Jack  Treptow,  in  the  little  cabin 
Jack  had  built,  while  Fred  was  working.  This  house 
was  down  near  Bitch  Creek. 

In  1912,  he  contracted  to  carry  the  mail  from 
Hayden  to  Palisade  for  $54.00  a  month.  He  bought  a 
horse  for  $15.00  and  borrowed  a  saddle.  He'd  meet 
the  stage  at  Hayden,  then  carry  the  mail  to  Palisade. 
This  is  where  he  met  his  future  wife,  Olga.  Her 
mother,  Maggie  Geraghty,  was  the  post-mistress  at 
Palisades,  and  Olga  helped  her  with  the  postal  work. 
Their  romance  grew,  and  in  March  1915,  they  were 
married  and  moved  to  Fred's  homestead  cabin. 
During  these  years,  he  had  proved  up  on  his 
homestead  rights,  built  a  cabin,  made  fences,  and 
cultivated  as  much  ground  as  he  was  able  to  do,  with 
what  he  had  to  work  with. 


213 


Neighborhood  gatherings  were  the 
entertainment  in  those  days.  No-one  missed  a  dance, 
young  and  old,  all  wanted  to  come.  Often  Fred  Hill 
could  be  heard  playing  the  banjo  with  the  local 
fiddler.  Glen  Swanner,  and  Sterl  Swanner  on  another 
banjo  or  fiddle.  During  the  summer,  picnics  were 
held  for  the  entire  community  on  the  flats  of  the 
Morse-Crossing. 

Fred  was  acquainted  with  neighbors  from 
Hayden  and  Palisades  to  Lamont  and  Squirrel.  Often 
people  sent  for  his  help  when  they  had  sick  cattle  or 
horses.  He'd  sometimes  make  the  rounds,  floating 
horses  teeth,  as  he  was  one  of  the  few  men  with  the 
tools  and  the  knowledge  to  do  this  work. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Ferrin  School  Board. 
Ferrin  was  a  one  room  school,  about  four  miles  east  of 
Lamont.  Leda  Halsey,  Hazel  Nicndorf  and  Judy 
Badger  were  some  of  the  teachers  that  taught  there. 
Judy  Badger  boarded  with  Olga  and  Fred  while 
teaching  school  at  Ferrin. 

A  family  lived  on  every  160  acres  then; 
though  times  were  rough,  things  weren't  as  isolated  as 
they  would  appear  today.  Some  of  the  Hill's  neighbors 
were:  Jack  Treptow,  Cy  Johnson,  Fred  and  Leda 
Halsey,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Floyd  Dudgeon,  George  and 
Lottie  Kimbro,  Charley  and  Harriet  Colwell,  Chris 
and  Dot  Lusher,  Dutch  Miller  (killed  by  lightning  on 
the  Treptow  ranch).  Bill  Gibson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Owen 
Simmons,  Seth  and  Una  Moody  and  Jesse  Ferrin. 
These  people  all  lived  in  the  Ferrin  area  and  their 
children,  if  they  had  any,  went  to  Ferrin  to  school. 

Fred  and  Olga  had  6  children.  Muriel  died  in 
infancy  Nov.  15,  1915.  Ralph  was  bom  in  1922,  and 
is  still  living.  Twins,  Alice  and  Alan  were  born  in 
1925,  Alan  lived  but  six  weeks,  and  Alice  died  in 
1968.  Lila  was  bom  in  1927,  and  died  in  1975.  Fred 
died  of  a  disease  of  the  lungs  in  May  of  1938,  at  an 
early  age  of  52.  Frieda  was  bom  one  month  after  her 
father's  death,  and  is  still  living. 

Olga  and  Ralph  continued  to  operate  the 
farm  and  Alice  and  Lila  completed  their  elementary 
schooling  at  Judkins,  they  went  to  Ashton  to  graduate 
from  high  school.  After  Frieda  was  old  enough  to 
start  school,  Olga  moved  to  Ashton  for  the  winter 
months  where  she  worked  ,  but  continued  to  move  to 
the  ranch  for  the  spring,  summer  and  fall  work,  until 
Ralph  was  married  in  1948.  Since  that  time  Ralph, 
Mary  and  their  children  have  lived  there. 

The  Fred  Hill  family  have  farmed  this  land 

each  year  since  it  was  homesteadcd  by  Fred  Hill  in 

1911.  Some  crops  have  been  bad  and  some  have  been 

good,  but  ranging  a  few  head  of  cattle  on  the  forest 

with  the  Bitch  Creek  Grazing  Association  and  later  the 

Squirrel  Meadow  Grazing  Association,  living  on  the 

ranch,  harvesting  a  few  trees,  growing  a  garden, 

raising  hay  and  grain  and  cattle  ,  having  a  few  horses, 

and  developing  a  love  for  nature,  have  made  it  all 

worthwhile.    I  think  that  is  probably  what  Grandpa 

Hill  was  looking  for  when  he  chidcd  the  famous  works 

of  Horace  Greeley,  "Go  West,  young  man". 

Written  By:  Ralph  H.  Hill,  Tetonia,  Idaho 


LUCIUS  ELMER  HILL 

and 

AMPLIS  MAUD  KINDER 


Mi' 

a 


Ampiis  and  Elmer  Hill 

Ludus  Elmer  Hill  was  bom  May  31,  1889  at 
Lawrence,  Utah,  a  son  of  Robert  Wimmer  Hill  and 
Rachel  Lucinda  Elmer.  He  married  Ampiis  Maud 
Kinder  September  19,  1908  at  Huntington,  Utah. 
She  was  born  September  19,  1908,  at  Huntington, 
Emery  County,  Utah,  to  Archibald  Thompson  Kinder 
and  Eliza  Ann  Guymon. 

Ludus  Elmer  and  Ampiis  Maud  Kinder  Hill 
moved  to  Famum  in  the  spring  of  1921.  They  were 
so  glad  to  get  back  on  the  farm  with  their  family, 
which  consisted  of  Archie,  Elaine,  Lida,  Merle  and 
Fred. 

My  dad,  Elmer,  still  worked  in  the  coal  mines 
in  Utah  for  a  couple  of  winters  while  we  lived  in 
Famum. 

One  fall,  my  dad  was  working  in  our  cellar,  it 
was  covered  with  dirt.  He  hit  one  of  the  poles 
holding  it  up  and  the  top  fell  in.  He  was  buried  in  the 
dirt.  Mom  happened  to  see  it  happen.  I  remember 
mom  digging  the  dirt  off  and  telling  me  to  run  across 
the  street  and  get  Mr.  Argyle  to  come  and  help.  Mom 
was  fi-antically  digging  with  her  hands  and  crying. 
Archie,  Elaine  and  Lida  were  at  school,  but  with  Mr. 
Argyle's  help  we  were  able  to  get  dad  out. 

Mom  and  dad  made  our  own  sausage,  bacon, 
seasoned  ham  and  hamburger.  We  raised  our  own 
meat,  had  our  own  chickens  and  milk  cows.  Dad 
loved  his  horses  and  always  tried  to  have  a  matched 
pair.  One  time  in  the  summer  we  were  all  away  from 
home  for  the  day.  When  we  got  back  there  had  been 
a  cloudburst  and  our  yard  was  under  two  feet  of 
water.  Our  litde  pigs,  baby  chickens  and  baskets  with 
hens  setting  on  eggs  to  hatch  were  floating.  It  was  a 
disaster.  Dad  put  on  boots  and  carried  us  kids  into 
the  house.  The  water  was  up  in  the  back  porch.  We 
had  several  of  these  storms  in  that  area. 

Merius  and  Lavina  Miller  lived  near  by. 
Lavina  was  my  dad's  sister.  Uncle  Merc  and  Aunt 
Vina  weren't  able  to  have  a  family.  They  always 
wanted  us  kids  to  stay  over- night  with  them.    We 


would  get  homesick  and  have  to  be  taken  home  in  the 
night. 

Dad  and  mom  loved  to  dance  and  through 
their  lives  won  many  prizes  for  the  most  beauriful 
waltzers  on  the  floor.  The  community  had  many 
dances  and  the  kids  even  learned  to  do  the  Virginia 
Reel  and  had  fim  together. 

Dad  and  mom  also  loved  to  sing,  and  used  to 
sing  songs  together  to  us  kids.  One  I  remember, 
"That's  a  Picture  No  Artist  Can  Paint";  another 
started,  "Picture  a  Home  in  New  England  Town." 
Dad  was  just  like  an  alarm  clock,  he  would  sing  loud 
in  the  moming,  "Oh  How  I  Hate  to  Get  Up  in  the 
Morning",  and  "You  Are  My  Sunshine".  Mom  and 
dad  sang  together  at  church  and  community  activities. 

I'll  never  forget  the  day,  April  18,  1924.  We 
were  out  for  recess  at  school  and  dad  went  by  with  Dr. 
Hargjs  in  the  wagon.  We  waved  and  ran  to  him.  He 
was  so  exdted  and  told  us  we  were  going  to  have  a 
surprise  when  we  got  home  from  school.  Later  in  the 
day  we  were  out  of  school  again  and  he  went  by  with 
the  doctor.  He  hollered  and  said,  "You  have  two 
surprises  when  you  get  home!"  we  did,  we  had  twin 
sisters,  Vina  and  Venice! 

There  were  four  sets  of  twins  bom  in  Famum 
at  that  time.  Benson  twins,  David  Rogers  twins,  Jim 
Hill's  twins  and  our  twin  sisters.  These  are  the  ones  I 
know  of. 

We  moved  to  Twin  Groves  in  1927.  From 
there  we  moved  to  Roberts  and  then  on  to  Howe,  and 
Hagerman.  Mom  died  June  2,  1938  in  Hagerman, 
and  was  buried  in  Ashton  Cemetery. 

Dad  returned  to  Ashton,  making  his  home 
there.  He  died  October  30,  1955,  in  Blackfoot,  and 
was  buried  in  the  Ashton  Cemetery. 

We  have  good  memories  of  our  friends  who 
lived  in  Famum. 


214 


b.r.  Ampiis,  Elmer,  Thelma,  Melvin,  m.r.  Fred,  Percy, 
Mcrk,  Marie,  f.r.  Vcnkc,  Vina  Hill 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Archie  Elmer  b- 1909        d- 1979 
md-  Ametta  Davis 

(2)  Elaine  b-  1911        d-  1983 
md-  Harry  Wilbur  French 


(3)  lida  Luanda  b 
md-  William  Stauffer 

(4)  Merle  b 
md-  Thurman  Long 

(5)  Fred  Robert 
md-  Never  married 

(6)  Vina    (twin) 
md-  Max  Parkinson 

(7)  Venice  (twin) 
md-  Frank  Baker 

(8)  Thelma 
md-  J.  Lorin  Pence 

(9)  Frank  Norman 
md-(l)KlodaBurd 

(2)  Rhea  Giles 


1914 


1916 


b-  1920        d-  1953 


b-  1924 


b-  1924 


b-  1928 


b-  1932 


By:  Thelma  Hill  Pence 


JAMES  N.  AND  ELMA  WHITTLE  HILL 

MEMORIES 

of  EUGENE  HILL 

James  N.  and  Elma  Whitde  Hill  moved  onto 
the  Famum  area  from  a  farm  in  Ashton,  Idaho,  with 
their  two  young  sons,  Edwin  and  Leonard  in  1909. 
In  1915  they  bought  the  house  owned  by  Silas  Green 
that  was  located  near  the  Famum  store  on  Fall  River. 
For  a  short  time  they  operated  this  store.  They  lived 
there  when  their  other  children  were  born;  Bruce, 
Leslie,  Eugene,  Blaine,  Elva  Ruth,  Elden  and  Neal. 
They  lived  in  Famum  from  1909  to  1935,  when  they 
moved  into  Ashton.  George  Hill,  James'  brother,  was 
a  parmer  until  his  marriage  in  1928. 

James  spent  his  life  farming  until  1915,  when 
he  and  George  went  in  the  sheep  business,  and  they 
devoted  their  time  to  ferming  and  livestock  from  then 


on.  They  also  owned  land  in  Lament  and  a  ranch  10 
miles  north  of  St.  Anthony. 

James  was  a  respected  member  of  the 
community.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Famum  School 
Board  and  a  director  of  the  Conant  Creek  Canal 
Company  for  years.  He  ran  for  County  Com- 
missioner at  one  time  and  was  defeated. 

The  Hills  were  among  the  first  in  the 
community  to  own  a  tractor  for  farming  and  to  own 
an  automobile. 

LIFE  OF  ELMA  WHITTLE  HILL 

Elma  Whittle  Hill,  was  born  in  Richmond, 
Cache  County,  Utah,  2  September  1888.  Her  father, 
John  Casper  Whittle  was  born  at  Richmond,  Cache 
County,  Utah,  11  August  1861.  His  father  was 
Casper  Whittle  and  his  mother  was  Mary  Ann  Harris. 
My  mother  was  Zina  Adeline  Pond,  born  at 
Richmond,  Cache  County,  Utah,  7  June  1865.  Her 
father  was  Stillman  Pond.  Her  mother  was  Abigail 
Thome,  bom  in  New  York. 

I  was  blessed  by  James  Allen,  4  October  1888 
and  baptized  by  Alma  Hale,  6  June  1897.  I  married 
James  Nelson  Hill  15,  November  1905,  married  by 
William  Whittle,  at  Marysville,  Fremont  County 
Idaho. 

My  childhood  memories  were  of  coming  to 
Idaho  in  a  wagon  from  Utah.  I  was  5  years  old  and 
two  more  children,  Mary  and  Inez  came  with  us.  We 
arrived  in  May  and  lived  in  a  tent  in  Uncle  Eli  and 
aunt  EUzabeth  Harris's  back  yard  from  May  until  late 
fall,  while  my  Father  went  to  the  timber  to  get  logs  to 
build  our  two  room  house,  which  was  a  mile  away 
from  my  Uncle's  place.    My  Father  homesteaded  the 


b.r.  Ncal,  Elma  Ruth,  Eldon,  Jay,  Blaine,  Gene,  f.r.  Leslie,  Bruce,  Elma,  Leonard,  Edwin  Hill  (insct)Jamcs  (Jim)  Nelson  Hill 


215 


'•'x' 


<:•' 


place  that  now  belongs  to  Bill  Griffel.  I  lived  there 
until  I  was  married.  After  we  were  married  we  owned 
the  place  Gordon  Nelson  farms,  now  owned  by  Gust 
Steinman.  We  lived  here  four  years  then  went  to 
Famum,  just  southeast  of  where  we  had  lived  on  Fall 
River.  My  son  Jay  N.  Hill  owns  the  place  at  this  time. 
We  moved  to  Ashton  16  January  1935,  where  we 
resided,  when  on  the  fourteenth  of  February  1935, 
my  husband  was  in  a  car  accident  and  died  as  a  result 
of  it.  This  was  a  very  tragic  thing.  I  had  always  left 
the  management  to  him  and  now  to  be  left  with  10 
children  was  a  big  responsibility.  Although  the  older 
boys  were  pretty  much  on  their  own,  the  worries  were 
on  my  shoulders. 

I  had  very  Httle  schooling.  It  was  very  dif- 
ficult to  get  there,  especially  in  the  winter.  We  walked 
3  1\2  miles  in  the  summer  months.  When  my  father 
could  not  take  me  in  the  winter  I  stayed  with  Uncle 
Will  Whittle  and  Hollis  and  Ina  Egbert.  Aunt  Ina 
taught  me  how  to  make  yeast  bread. 

During  my  married  life  I  wasn't  very  active  in 
the  Church  acriviries,  I  was  so  ried  with  my  small 
children  and  household  duties,  however  I  tried  to  see 
that  the  children  went  to  Sunday  School.  We  had  no 
modern  conveniences  such  as  electricity,  and  it  took 
longer  to  do  our  washing,  ironing  and  cooking.  It 
took  a  lot  of  cooking  to  feed  so  many  mouths,  but  I 
was  well  and  happy,  and  I  had  a  wonderful  companion 
to  help  me. 

I  did  have  two  sick  spells,  one  in  June  of 
1918.  This  was  the  year  Jay  was  born.  I  had 
pneumonia,  then  in  November  there  was  a  Flu 
epidemic.  There  were  seven  of  us  down  with  the  flu 
at  one  time.  Jay  was  only  a  few  weeks  old  at  the  time 
and  we  did  not  know  if  he  would  pull  through.  There 
was  so  much  sickness  at  that  time,  we  could  not  get 
anyone  to  come  in  and  help  us  and  I  was  very  ill.  My 
wonderful  husband  and  his  brother  George  took  care 
of  us  until  we  could  get  a  nurse  from  Seattle, 
Washington.  She  was  a  fine  nurse  and  worked  night 
and  day  trying  to  make  us  comfortable  and  well,  until 
we  were  out  of  danger.  When  the  day  came  for  her  to 
leave,  we  all  cried,  we  had  all  learned  to  love  her  so. 
My  sisters  Mary  and  Gertrude  died  of  this  terrible  flu. 
Gertrude  lost  a  baby  at  the  same  time.  Her  husband 
Dwain  Aldridge  was  in  the  service  at  the  time  and 
didn't  get  to  see  either  one  before  they  passed  away. 
Another  sister  Inez,  along  with  a  daughter  6  years  old 
was  killed  in  an  automobile  accident.  Another  tragedy 
was  my  brother  who  had  spent  4  years  in  the  service 
was  returning  home  and  got  spinalmeningitis.  He 
died  on  board  ship  and  was  brought  home  in  a  sealed 
casket.  My  parents  felt  they  had  almost  more  than 
they  could  bear. 

I  had  6  sons  in  the  service,  all  of  them  in  the 
Navy.  They  all  returned  without  harm,  for  which  I 
am  grateful.  My  5th  son,  Eugene  served  a  mission  in 
the  East  Central  Mission. 

I  have  been  a  Relief  Society  Visiting  Teacher 
for  20  years.  I  enjoy  the  work  which  involves  Relief 


Society,  and  all  my  fiicnds  meet  from  day  to  day.  July 
of  1958  I  had  all  my  children  home  for  family 
Reunion. 

By:  Elma  Whittie  Hill  15  January  1959 

JAMES  NELSON  HILL 


216 


James  (Jim)  Nelson  Hill 

James  Nelson  (Jim)  Hill  was  bom  29  August 
1882  at  St.  John,  Oneida  County,  Idaho,  the  seventh 
son  of  Matthew  and  Catherine  Nelson  Hill.  There 
were  twelve  children  in  the  Matthew  Hill  family. 
Eleven  boys  and  one  girl.  Matthew  was  born  in 
Scotiand.  He  was  a  hard  worker  and  taught  his  sons 
the  value  of  work. 

Jim,  along  with  other  members  of  the  Family, 
never  forgot  his  Scottish  heritage,  and  was  proud  of  it. 
He  loved  to  sing  the  songs  of  his  father's  native  land. 

As  a  young  man,  Jim  and  his  brother  George, 
left  Malad  and  headed  north.  They  thought  of 
settiing  around  Blackfoot,  Idaho,  but  their  father  told 
them  to  get  up  closer  to  the  timber-line  where  they 
could  get  wood  for  building.  When  Jim  and  George 
came  to  Marysville,  they  the  Hill  brothers,  settied  on 
the  place  known  as  the  R.  D.  Merrell  place,  more 
recentiy  farmed  by  Gordon  Nelson 

Jim  loved  to  entertain.  At  one  time,  the  Hill 
brothers  and  other  bachelors  in  the  area  prepared  and 
served  a  dinner  at  the  school  house.  Of  course,  all  the 
young  people  around  the  neighborhood  were  invited. 
It  was  a  very  good  dinner  and  evening  of  enter- 
tainment. At  the  close  of  the  meal,  Jim  apologized  for 
forgetting  an  important  item  for  the  dinner.  Going 
outside,  he  brought  in  a  block  of  wood  and  axe.  In 
his  humorous  way,  so  much  a  part  of  him,  he  said, 
"We  forgot  the  toothpicks,  split  your  own." 

At  the  age  of  27,  November  15,  1905  Jim 
married  Elma  Whittle  the  daughter  of  John  Casper 
and  Zina  Pond  Whittie.  Jim  and  Elma  bought  the 
place  where  the  brothers  were  living  and  lived  there 
for  four  years  in  which  time  they  had  two  children: 
Edwin  Casper,  bom  November  18,  1906  and  Leonard 
Matdiew,  bom  April  16, 1908. 

Later  they  moved  into  a  small  log  house 
across  Fall  River,  about  a  half  mile  beyond  the  river 
bridge.  While  living  at  this  location  and  farming  the 


land  nearby,  three  other  sons  were  bom.  They  were 
Bruce  Whittle,  bom  August  18,  1910;  Leslie  Whittle, 
bom  August  17,  1912;  Eugene  Whittle,  bom  April  1, 
1914.  Jim  then  purchased  a  small  home  on  the  banks 
of  Fall  River  about  a  quarter  mile  down  the  road,  that 
was  located  beside  the  old  Farnum  Store  and  Post 
Office,  operated  and  owned  by  Silas  Green.  The  store 
and  post  office,  was  part  of  the  business  arrangement, 
but  while  James  and  George  owned  the  store,  it  was 
actually  operated  and  managed  by  Mr.  Dotter  for 
some  time.  Later  the  Hill  family  ran  the  store  and 
post  office.  Mail  was  then  delivered  via  rural  free 
delivery  from  Dmmmond.  It  was  while  the  family 
lived  here  that  the  other  five  children  were  bom  to 
Jim  and  Elma:  Blaine  Whittle,  bom  April  1,  1916;  Jay 
N.  born  October  20,  1918;  John  Eldon  and  Elma 
Ruth  (twins),  March  26,  1924;  George  Neal,  August 
14  1929. 

It  was  around  1915  or  so  that  George  and 
James  Hill  went  into  the  sheep  business  and  for  a  time 
they  were  in  business  with  T.  T.  Murdoch.  The 
livestock  business  took  them  beyond  the  confines  of 
local  farming  commimity  since  they  utilized  the  desert 
spring  and  summer  ranges  as  part  of  their  sheep 
raising  operation.  They  also  increased  and  extended 
their  farming  operation  to  some  of  the  State  land  in 
the  Lamont  and  Dmmmond  areas. 

Jim  and  George  became  quite  well  known  in 
all  of  the  Upper  Snake  River  Valley,  and  Jim  held 
many  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  school  board  for  School  District  #64  in 
Famum,  for  many  years.  He  was  also  director  of  the 
Conant  Creek  Canal  Irrigation  District  that  supplied 
water  to  the  farmers  and  stockmen  east  and  south  of 
Fall  River. 

Jim  purchased  and  operated  the  "Old  Gray 
Place"  and  the  Oberhansley  place  just  east  of  the 
home  on  Fall  River,  and  employed  many  men  for  years 
in  the  livestock  and  farming  operation.  In  1934  he 
ran  unsuccessfully  for  Fremont  County  Commissioner 
on  the  Republican  ticket.  He  owned  and  operated, 
sometimes  in  partnership  or  association  with  Hans 
Neilsen,  a  steam  engine  powered  threshing  machine. 
He  owned  and  operated  one  of  the  first  gasoline 
powered  traaors  in  the  area.  While  George  and  Jim 
were  partoership  for  many  years,  most  of  the  business 
was  attended  to  by  Jim,  while  George  spent  most  of 
his  time  in  the  actual  job  management  until  about 
1930  when  George  married  a  widow,  Mable  Davis  of 
St.  Anthony,  who  also  had  sheep.  At  that  time  they 
split  up  their  operation. 

Jim  had  a  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most 
charitable  men  of  the  area.  He  distinguished  himself 
particularly  during  the  flu  epidemic  of  1918  in 
administering  to  the  needs  of  many  friends  and 
neighbors  at  whatever  cost  to  his  own  comfort  and 
rest.  He  took  the  lead  in  collecting  funds  for 
neighbors  who  had  sickness  or  death  in  the  family. 

He  read  the  paper  and  kept  abreast  of  what 
was  going  on  in  the  community  and  abroad.    He    217 


enjoyed  good  books  and  poetry.  He  loved  music,  his 
kind  of  music,  and  had  a  collection  of  practically  all  of 
Harry  Lauder's  songs,  and  loved  to  sing  them  or 
better  still  his  boys  sing. 

By:  Zclda  Cordingley  Hill 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Edwin  Casper  b  1906         d-  1984 
md-  Fem  Robinson 

2)  Leonard  Mathew        b  1908  d-  1981 
md-  Dora  Pheobe  Waiste 

3)  Bmce  Whitde  b  1910         d-  1984 
md-  Irene  Merrill 

4)  Leslie  Whittle  b  1912         d-  1987 
md-  Gertmde  Campbell 

5)  Eugene  Whittle  b  1914 
md-  Ava  Muriel  Ray 

6)  Blaine  Whitde  b  1916 
md-  Louise  Vivian  Emstrom 

7)JayN.  b  1918 

md-  Zclda  Cordingley 

8)  John  Eldon  b  1924         d-  1989 
md-  Glenda  Ludlc  Williams 

9)  Ehna  Ruth  b  1924 
md-  LaVell  Bryce  Wmn 

10)George  Neal  b  1929 

md-  Shirley  Lee  Walker 

JAY  N.  HILL 

and 

ZELDA  CORDINGLEY 


Many  things  have  happened  in  our  lifetime. 
In  fact  many  of  us  hving  today  have  probably  seen 
more  changes  and  progress  in  our  lives  than  at  any 
other  time.  This  is  all  a  part  of  the  schooling  we  must 
obtain  in  order  for  us  to  be  prepared  to  return  to  our 
Father  in  Heaven,  who  gave  us  life. 

Jay  N.  Hill  was  bom  less  than  a  month  before 
the  Armistice  was  officially  signed,  which  ended  the 
terrible  conflict  in  Europe,  World  War  I.  He  was  bom 
October  20,  1918,  the  seventh  son  of  James  N.  and 
Elma  Whitde  Hill.  (Also  the  seventh  child.)  Jay  was 
born  in  the  same  house  where  he  raised  his  own 
ftimily,  therefore,  it  holds  many  fond  memories  for 
him  as  well  as  his  children.  He  was  ushered  into 
mortal  life  during  a  flu  epidemic.  His  mother  had  the 
flu  and,  of  course,  it  was  passed  on  to  the  baby.  In 
those  days  there  were  no  hospitals  dose,  and  there  was 
little  knowledge  of  medicine  as  there  is  today,  so  many 
people  died  because  of  lack  of  doctors  and  medication. 
Elma,  Jay's  mother,  lost  two  sisters  because  of  the  flu. 

Jay  was  blessed  James  Whittle  Hill  July  6, 
1919  at  Famum.  He  was  baptized  August  6,  1927  by 
Thomas  T.  Murdoch.  The  family  called  him  Jay.  He 
had  a  great  love  and  admiration  for  his  father,  James 
Nelson  Hill,  so  as  the  years  passed  by,  he  called 
himself  Jay  N.  Hill.  He  was  later  baptized  Jay  N.  Hill 
because  of  his  military  records  and  personal  papers 
carrying  the  name  Jay. 


a; 

itf; 


c: 


When  Jay  was  very  young,  his  father  taught 
him  many  of  Harry  Lauder's  songs.  These  were 
Scottish  songs  and  his  father  loved  to  sing  them  and 
to  have  his  Httle  son  sing  them. 

Jay's  mother  often  told  him  that  he  should 
have  been  a  doctor  or  lawyer,  because  he  was  the  7th 
son  of  the  7th  son.  This  did  not  appeal  to  him  at  that 
time,  so  because  of  his  love  of  the  Fall  River  and 
farming  and  cattle,  he  bought  the  old  home  place, 
where  he  was  bom,  from  his  uncles,  Floyd  and  Arnold 
Whittle,  who  owned  the  place  of  his  dreams. 

On  October  28,  1941,  Jay  was  married  to 
Zelda  Cordingley,  daughter  of  George  H.  and 
Arminta  Egbert  Cordingley,  at  Pocatello,  Idaho.  On 
April  16,  1954,  they  were  sealed  as  a  family  in  the 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho  Temple. 

On  October  10,  1942,  a  brown  eyed  little  girl 
was  born  and  came  to  brighten  the  lives  of  many 
people.  She  was  given  the  name  Madge,  after  an  aunt, 
Madge  Cordingley,  who  passed  away  a  year  before  at 
the  age  of  16.  Madge  was  a  beautiful  little  girl  and 
could  never  do  wrong  to  hear  her  Grandma  Mint 
(Arminta  E.  Cordingley)  talk.  She  never  met  a 
stranger  and  was  found  visiting  with  the  young  and 
old  alike.  She  was  a  happy  child  and  very  talented  in 
music  and  singing. 

James  Arthur  was  bom  November  9,  1945. 
The  circumstances  surrounding  his  venture  into  the 
world  was  not  as  pleasant  as  his  sister.  Jay  was  called 
to  serve  in  the  U.  S.  Navy  during  World  War  II  and 
didn't  get  to  see  his  first  son  until  Jim  was  7  months 
old. 

When  Jim  was  three  and  one-half  years  old, 
he  had  polio.  It  affected  his  spine  so  that  he  could  not 
use  his  legs.  Prayers,  therapy  and  a  lot  of  love  and 
eventually  he  was  running  with  the  rest  of  the 
children.  He  has  a  natural  talent  for  art  and 
leadership.  He  was  happy  following  his  dad  to  feed 
the  sheep  and  cattle  and  now  that  he  is  older,  still 
enjoys  walking  up  to  the  old  granary  and  recalling  the 
past. 

JoAnn  was  bom  June  18,  1951.  Her  life  on 
earth  was  only  one  hour.  She  died  of  a  cerebral 
hemorrhage. 

Ruth  came  into  the  world  the  year  after 
JoAnn.  She  was  bom  August  17,  1952.  She  was  very 
different  from  her  sister,  Madge.  She  was  blonde, 
blue  eyes,  very  petite  and  a  lover  of  the  out-of-doors. 
Ruth  is  a  natural  artist  and  enjoyed  driving  truck  for 
her  dad.  She  kept  the  home  busy  with  camping 
parties  down  on  the  river  with  her  friends. 

Jay  T.,  the  last  of  the  children  was  born 
October  4,  1954,  during  the  potato  harvest.  He 
recalls  that  he  spent  all  of  his  birthdays  in  the  potato 
harvest.  He  was  a  happy  child  with  a  love  of  the 
outdoors.  He,  like  his  brother,  is  a  leader  and  has 
many  talents,  the  greatest  one  being  charity. 

Jay  taught  his  family  to  love  and  respect  one 
another  which  has  made  them  dose  as  a  family. 


218 


Jay  and  Zelda  have  5  children,  23  grand- 
children and  3  great  grandchildren. 

By:  Jay  and  Zelda  Hill 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Madge  b- 1942 
md-Grant  Bischoff 

(2)  James  Arthur  b-  1945 
md-  Jan  Ririe  Smith 

(3)  JoAnn  b-  1951        d-  1951 

(4)  Ruth  b-  1952 
md-  Brian  Lewis  Hammond 

(5)JayT.  b- 1954 

md-  Cindy  Martinson 

HOW  LAMONT  GOT  IT'S  NAME 

Written  By  Ralph  and  Nelda  Hill 

Lew  Elmo  Lamont,  (Ben  Lamont's  father) 
owned  the  entire  town  of  Drummond.  He  sold  it  in 
lots  to  various  people.  When  they  built  the  railroad 
into  town,  he  asked  them  why  they  named  it 
Drummond,  instead  of  Lamont.  They  told  him,  that 
as  he  owned  some  land  up  country,  they  would  name 
the  next  stop,  "Lamont".  Ben's  grandparents  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lewis  Lamont  lived  in  the  home,  which  is  pardy 
still  standing  on  a  hill  just  before  going  down  the  hill 
to  the  Bitch  Creek  bridge.  Many  people  stopped 
there  or  stayed  overnight,  especially  when  the  creek 
was  high  and  they  couldn't  get  across.  Several  horses 
drowned  in  Bitch  Creek.  His  two  sons,  Lewis  Elmo 
and  Clyde  Lamont  drove  stage  coaches  into 
Yellowstone  Park  for  a  time. 

Ralph  Hill's  parents,  Mr.  &  Mrs.  Alex  Hill 
became  discouraged  of  farming  in  Malad,  so  decided 
to  leave  &  come  to  Lamont  in  1918.  They  loaded 
everything,  horses,  machinery,  household  belongings 
and  etc.  on  box  cars  at  Downey  and  unloaded  at 
Ashton.  They  lived  in  Famum  the  first  year  and  mn 
the  Famum  store  at  Fall  River.  Alex  Hill  plowed  up 
some  ground  with  three  horses  and  a  single  plow,  and 
built  a  small  home  in  Lamont.  The  next  spring,  they 
moved  to  Lamont  and  Ralph  attended  a  pretty  newly 
built  school  at  Lamont.  They  had  two  teachers  and 
many  children  at  that  time.  They  held  many  dances 
also  at  this  school  house.  We  don't  know  who  built  it 
but  Jasper  Litton  and  Tom  Conlin  had  some  say  in 
decisions  and  some  complaints  also.  This  school 
house  later  burned  down  and  they  moved  the 
Highland  school  house  over  in  it's  place. 

The  Lamont  ladies  had  a  club  that  would 
meet  at  all  the  individual  homes  by  turns  and  would 
quilt  and  sew  and  visit.  Of  course,  most  of  the  time, 
the  husbands  came  also  to  fumish  transportation  for 
the  wives. 

The  trail  up  Conant  Creek  and  over  the 
mountains  was  a  main  trail  for  horse  rustiers  over  into 
Jackson. 

Lamont  got  electricity  in  October  1939. 


Scth  and  Una  Ruth  Moody  came  from  the 
East  where  he  had  been  a  college  professor.  They 
built  a  beautiful  large  log  home  and  all  their  own 
furniture  that  was  very  gorgeous.  Later  Brent  Stohl 
moved  it  over  to  the  old  Tom  Conlin  place  and  did 
some  remodeling  and  lives  in  it  now  in  the  summer. 

The  following  people  were  living  in  Lamont 
on  or  before  1918,  when  Ralph  Hill's  parents  arrived 
here.  The  list  is  starting  east  of  France  Siding. 

1st  owners  Later  owners         Now  occupied 

Lee  Homing  family  Rudolph  Anderson  Gene  Albertson 
Merlin  Femey  Chet  French 


George  Kimbrough  Ralph  Litton 


Mrs.  Robert  Litton 


Frank  Smith 
Philip  Lerwill 
Alex  Hill 

Elias  Gardner 

Fred  Morrison 


Jim  Southwick 
Jack  Triptoe 


Bill  Smith  family       Peggy  Smith 


Harry  French 
Ralph  Hill 

Fritz  Wilson 


Brent  Stohl 

Browers(not 
occupied) 

Leo  Gallagher  (not 
occupied) 


Doug  Morrison        Freda  Morrison 
&  Earnest  French      &  Bud  Morrison 

Harold  Southwick    Qen  Atchley 


Edna  Niendorf 


Frederick  Niendorf    Don  Niendorf 

(son) 
(son)  Paul  Niendorf  Alex  &  Ralph  Hill    Marvin  Hill 
n  Ralph  Niendorf  Alex  &  Ralph  Hill    Marvin  Hill 
n  Harry  Niendorf  Ralph  Hill  Marvin  Hill 


EUas  Cook 
(on  Conant) 

(sons)  Joe  & 
Elias  Cook 

George  Femey 

Tom  Conlin 

Jim  Jessen 

Rex  Downard 


Dan  Albertson 


Dan  Albertson 


Sp>encer  & 
Carol  Albertson 


ran  the  Lamont  Store 

John  Conlin  Brent  Stohl 


Harry  French 
Ben  Lamont 


William  Gibson  (edge  of  timber) 
Boone  Jessen  Ralph  Hill 


Doug  French 

Atchley 

Ray  HaA^^es 
Marvin  Hill 


Seth  Moody         Floyd  &  Brent  Stohl      Brent  Stohl 
Elmo  Lamont  Ben  Lamont  Ben  Lamont 


Clyde  Lamont 
Shultz  family 

Simon  family 

Jasper  Litton 

Fred  Hultzy 
Cye  Johnson 


Ralph  Litton 
Ralph  Litton 

Floyd  Stohl 

Ralph  Litton 

FredHiU 
Dr.  Krucger 


Mrs.  Robert  Litton 


Brent  Stohl 

Mrs.  Robert  Litton 

Ralph  Hill 

Don  Harshbarger 


219 


Hank  Frederickson    Larry  &  Randall  Frederickson 
(came  in  the  30's  I  think) 

FRANK  HOUSE 

and 

LILLIE 

Frank  House  and  his  wife,  Lillie,  came  to 
Squirrel  in  1917.  Their  family  consisted  of  Violet, 
Walter,  Minnie,  Ollie,  Norma,  Harley,  Lea,  Bill,  Rena 
and  John. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  104 

SAMUEL  HOUSE 

and 
MAUDE  MOORE 

Samuel  House  and  his  wife,  Maude  Moore, 
moved  to  Squirrel  in  1904.  They  came  with  their  four 
small  children  from  Pierce  County,  Nebraska  by  rail. 
At  that  time,  the  rail  service  came  to  St.  Anthony. 
Samuel  House  homesteaded  160  acres  of  land  next  to 
his  father-in-law,  David  Moore. 

The  House's  children  are:  Gordon,  Claire, 
Ruth,  Raina,  Muriel,  Marjory,  Ahce,  Lenora  and 
Dorothy.  They  attended  the  Squirrel  school  until  the 
school  at  Highland  was  built,  a  one-room  building 
housing  twenty-eight  students  in  all  eight  grades. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  104 

WILLIAM  ALFRED  HOWARD 

and 

RACHEL  ELNORA  THOMPSON 

William  Alfred  Howard  son  of  Don  Carloss 
and  Anna  Marie  Matilda  Johnson,  and  Rachel  Elnora 
Thompson,  daughter  of  Edmund  Hobart  Thompson 
and  Rhoda  Ann  Davis,  were  married  May  12,  1912  at 
St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 

The  summer  they  were  married  William 
worked  for  her  father,  Hobart  Thompson,  who  was 
working  for  W.C.  Thompson.  Mr.  Thompson  owned 
a  large  ranch  up  on  the  Teton  River.  William  drove 
twenty  head  of  horses  on  a  new  Holt  Harvester.  That 
winter  William  and  Elnora  went  to  Twin  Falls  and 
surrounding  areas  to  work.  He  ran  a  hay  bailer  and 
she  cooked  for  the  men.  She  wasn't  feeling  well  and 
wanted  to  go  home  to  have  her  baby.  He  was  bom 
the  10  June  1913,  and  was  stillborn. 

The  next  spring  William  and  Elnora's  brother 
Parley,  leased  a  dry  farm  from  C.C.  Moore,  up  on 
Conant  Creek,  near  Elnora's  father's  homestead. 
When  the  crops  were  in,  they  went  up  to  Yellowstone 
park  and  drove  stagecoach  all  summer.  A  disease  got 
into  the  horses  and  they  lost  four  head  out  of  the 
twelve  they  had.  They  drove  six  horses  to  a  coach.  So 
they  had  to  come  home. 


>: 

0'' 


The  next  spring  they  rented  a  farm  from  Mr. 
Stout  at  Horseshoe  flat  which  was  included  in  the 
Farnum  area  it  was  here  Merrill  was  bom  July  18, 
1916.  Dr  West  attended.  We  then  moved  about  two 
or  three  miles  to  a  dry  farm  and  in  February  just 
before  Ruth  was  bom,  her  mother  and  father  insisted 
she  come  home  with  them  in  St.  Anthony,  to  stay  a 
while,  as  it  was  almost  impossible  for  a  doctor  to  get 
up  there.  They  were  three  or  four  miles  off  the  road 
and  snow  very  deep  Ruth,  was  born  Febmary  27, 
1918. 

The  next  fall  the  flu  epidemic  was  around. 
They  were  threshing  when  nearly  everyone  on  the 
crew  came  down  with  it.  William  had  it  and  was 
unconscious  for  about  eight  days.  Ruth  was  about 
nine  months  old  and  was  very  ill.  Everyone  was  so 
scared  they  would  not  go  near  anyone  that  was  sick, 
Ed  Gould's  place  was  just  under  the  hill  from  the 
Howards.  He  did  all  he  could  do  to  help  them. 
William  was  so  weak,  it  took  him  all  winter  to 
recuperate.  Their  threshing  wasn't  finished  until 
spring.  They  were  able  to  sell  their  wheat  for  a  good 
price,  and  bought  a  little  home  in  Chester,  where  the 
rest  of  their  children  were  bom. 

Children: 

(l)Son  b- 1913        d-Stillbom 

(2)  Dorothy  Elnora  b- 1914        d- 1944 

md-  Gomer  H.  Williams 

(3)  Merrill  William  b-  1916 
md-  Joyce  Hale 

(4)  Ruth  Ann  b- 1918 
md-  Morgan  W.Rcynolds 

(5)  Beatrice  b-  1919 
md-  Merritt  Goulding 

(6)  Thelma  b-  1921 
md-  Rexford  S.  Howard 

(7)  Dale  b-  1923 
md-  James  F.  Righture 

(8)  Iris  b-  1924 
md-  Elmo  R.  Hathaway 

(9)  Don  Edmund  b-  1926 
md-  Ramona  Powers 

(10)  Eva  b- 1927        d- 
md-  Lorin  J.  Welker 

(11)  Nell  b-1930        d- 1931 

(12)  Wilford  Dean  b-  1933 
md-  Maylin  Stauffer 

(13)  Glen  Leon  b-  1935 
md-  Raquel  A.  Banos 

MERRILL  HOWARD 

and 

JOYCE  HALE 

Merrill  William  Howard  son  of  William  Alfred 
Howard  and  Rachel  Elnora  Thompson  was  bom  July 
18,  1916,  at  Horseshoe  Flat  and  lived  there  with  his 
parents  a  few  years. 

The  snow  was  so  deep  and  crusted  one  could 
drive  a  team  of  horses  right  over  the  fences.  You  had 


to  take  the  shovel  in  at  night  to  be  able  to  shovel  out 
in  the  mornings  after  a  big  blizzard.  When  the  wind 
blew  there  was  a  complete  white  out  and  lines  had  to 
be  stmng  from  the  house  to  the  barn,  or  barn  to 
house.  If  not,  a  person  could  be  completely  lost  only 
a  few  yards  from  the  house. 

My  father  had  a  large  team  (old  Nell  and 
Mim),  big  bay  mares,  very  stout.  The  men  would  dig 
holes  to  put  the  separator  wheels  in,  so  the  machine 
wouldn't  move,  from  the  pull  of  the  belt  while 
threshing.  It  seemed  they  would  always  call  on  father 
with  this  team  to  pull  the  separator  out  when  they 
moved  the  thresher. 

I  remember  when  my  mother  was  cooking  for 
threshers  and  trying  to  keep  track  of  me.  She  looked 
out  the  window  and  saw  a  large  pig  coming  up  the 
trail  and  called  out,  you  come  back  or  that  big  pig  will 
get  you.  I  still  think  of  pigs  as  high  as  my  head. 

Father  had  a  baseball  uniform  and  played  for 
the  Famum  baseball  team.  He  told  of  Estes  Hawkes 
and  Angus  Green,  when  the  ball  was  batted  over  a  six 
wire  fence,  they  would  hop  over  the  fence  after  the 
ball  and  then  come  back  and  crawl  through  the  fence. 
The  old  model  T  Fords  and  etc.  would  really  honk,  as 
they  wanted  to  see  them  jump  both  ways. 

I  remember  when  Dorothy,  my  sister  would 
strut  around  with  a  large  mustard  weed  umbrella 
pretending  she  was  a  rich  lady. 

When  dad  would  be  driving  the  team  and 
buggy  by  the  big  cut  for  the  railroad  and  heard  a 
section  work  car  in  the  cut,  Dorothy  would  perk  up 
her  head  and  say  "Oh!  the  submarine",  for  World  War 
one  was  on. 

Merrill  started  school  in  Chester,  and  attended 
all  eight  grades  there.  He  attended  three  years  of  high 
school  at  Sugar  City  and  St.  Anthony  his  senior  year. 

He  helped  his  dad  on  the  farm  his  growing  up 
years.  He  was  inducted  into  the  service  April  17, 
1945  and  discharged  20  March  1946. 

He  married  Joyce  Hale,  July  6,  1949, 
daughter  of  Arden  Delos  and  Rachel  Dye  Hale.  She 
was  bom  March  6,  1926,  Tyhee  (Pocatello),  Idaho. 

He  bought  a  farm  on  the  North  side  of 
Henrys  fork  in  the  twin  Groves  area.  He  sold  this 
place  and  bought  his  parent's  old  place  and  lives  there 
now.  He  owns  the  Howard  Equipment  on  East  sixth 
South. 

By:  Merrill  Howard 


220 


CHILDREN: 

(l)LeeMerriU  b- 1950 

(2)  Mont  Carlos  b-  1951 
md-  Maria  Lacey  Wheeler 

(3)  Mark  Hale  b-  1953 
md-  Sharon  Elaine  Baggs 

(4)  Garth  Arden  b-  1955 
md-  Tamara  Elsmore 

(5)  Susan  b-  1956 
md-  Robert  J.  Muir 

6)  Jean  b-  1958 


d-  1951 


md-  Frans  Robert  Lambechtson 

(7)  Bruce  Joseph  b-  1960 
md-  Vilma  Aymat 

(8)  Daris  William  b-  1962 
md-  Donna  Gail  Walker 

(9)  David  Lynn  b-  1965 
md-  Denise  Jeanette  Harrison 

(10)  Janet  b- 1967 

WILLIAM  CARLOS  HOWARD 

and 

GLADYS  WILLLAMS 


Gladys  Williams  and  William  Carloss  Howard 

William  Carlos  Howard  was  born  on 
December  26,  1884  at  Hooper,  Davis  County,  Utah 
to  William  Riley  Howard  Jr.  and  EUzabeth  Jane  Davis. 
The  following  spring  his  family  went  with  a  group  to 
Wilford,  Idaho  to  homestead  land  and  build  homes. 
After  finishing  the  log  home,  which  was  the  ftirthest 
log  house  north  and  east  in  the  Snake  River  Valley  at 
the  time.  They  returned  to  Hooper  in  the  fall  and 
came  back  to  Wilford  to  stay  the  following  spring.  He 
quit  school  when  he  was  in  the  sixth  grade  but  never 
attended  a  complete  year  of  school  as  he  had  to  help 
with  the  farm  work  in  the  fall  and  spring. 

As  a  young  man  he  freighted  and  hauled 
dudes  in  the  Yellowstone  Park.  In  about  1907  he 
homesteaded  160  acres  of  dry  farm  east  of  Chester 
and  bought  some  adjoining  land.  He  sold  his  farm 
near  the  end  of  World  War  I,  planning  to  join  the 
army,  but  the  war  ended.  He  left  on  a  mission  to  the 
Southern  States  in  June  1919.  He  had  not  been  active 
in  the  church  up  to  that  time.  When  he  returned  from 
his  mission  he  worked  with  his  uncle  building  a 
swimming  pool  at  Warm  River  then  in  a  tic  camp  in 


Island  Park.  He  did  farm  work  and  worked  briefly  on 
a  railroad  welding  gang. 

He  married  Gladys  Williams  on  June  4,  1924 
in  the  Logan  Temple.  Gladys  was  born  March  31, 
1895  at  Chester.  Her  parents  Noah  Williams  and 
Eliza  Munk,  had  moved  to  Chester  in  the  spring  of 
1894  ft-om  Benson,  Utah.  She  grew  up  in  a  small  log 
house  in  a  family  of  13  children  (two  boys  died  when 
they  were  quite  young).  She  helped  with  the  farm 
work  milking  cows  and  hauling  hay  as  well  as  helping 
with  the  house  work.  She  enjoyed  going  to  church 
and  read  most  of  the  church  books  she  could  get 
access  to.  She  enjoyed  telling  Book  of  Mormon  and 
Bible  stories  to  her  younger  brothers  and  sisters  and 
later  to  her  own  children. 

She  completed  eight  years  of  school  in  the 
two  story  white  frame  school  house  in  Chester,  and 
one  year  at  Brigham  Young  College  at  Logan,  Utah. 
She  worked  as  a  clerk  for  Nels  Knudsen  in  the  store  at 
Chester,  and  the  seed  house  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 
She  worked  as  a  governess  for  a  prominent  family  in 
Beverly  Hills,  California  for  a  time  caring  for  three 
small  children. 

After  Carl  and  Gladys  were  married,  their  first 
home  was  on  George  Thorsted  dry  farm  in  the 
Drummond  area.  In  the  fall  they  moved  to  St. 
Anthony,  while  Carl  was  working  at  the  sugar  factory 
at  Sugar  City.  The  next  spring  Carl  helped  build  log 
cabins  at  Mack's  Inn.  They  lived  in  Chester  the 
winter  of  1925-26  and  their  first  son.  Mervin  William 
Howard  was  bom  January  9,  1926.  The  next  spring 
they  moved  to  Ontario,  Oregon,  to  run  a  farm.  From 
there  they  moved  to  Emmett,  Idaho,  where  Grant  C. 
Howard  was  bom  May  24,  1927.  They  returned  to 
Chester  in  the  spring  of  1928.  Hugh  Riley  Howard 
was  born  at  Grandma  William's  home  August  15, 
1928.  Carl  rented  Arthur  Blanchard's  farm  until 
Arthur  returned  from  his  mission.  They  had  to  move 
when  he  returned  home  and  could  not  find  a  place  to 
rent.  Lee  Angel  was  buying  some  land  in  Chester  and 
said  if  they  wanted  they  could  take  their  stock  and 
belongings  and  set  up  there  with  their  tents.  On  May 
5,  1931  Margaret  was  bom  in  the  Earl  Potter  home 
across  the  road  from  their  tents.  (Carl  later  made 
arrangements  to  purchase  the  place,  where  they  spent 
the  summer  in  tents.  He  lived  there  with  his  family 
the  rest  of  his  Hfe).  That  fall  Gladys  became  ill  and 
had  to  be  taken  to  the  hospital  at  Blackfoot.  After 
about  2  years  and  following  a  goiter  op>eration  she  was 
able  to  return  home.  Elizabeth  was  bom  March  22, 
1935. 

Hugh  died  September  2,  1940  from  a 
mptured  appendix  at  the  age  of  12.  Gladys  became  ill 
again  and  had  to  return  to  the  hospital  in  1936.  At 
times  she  would  be  well  enough  to  come  home  for 
visits.  Gladys  died  January  2,  1955.  Carl  raised  the 
family  in  a  three  room  log  house  and  the  living  came 
mostly  from  the  small  farm. 

Carl  often  expressed  to  his  children,  he  would 
221     be  happy  if  he  could  live  to  see  his  sons  all  go  on 


m^m^' 


>: 
a' 

o;; 


is. 


b.r.  Grant  C,  Mcrvin  Williams,  Blaine  Noah, 
f.r.  Margaret,  W.  Carloss,  Elizabeth  Howard 

missions  and  his  children  all  married  in  the  temple. 
He  has  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  this  happen. 
Mervin  served  in  the  North  Central  States  Mission 
1945-47.  Grant  served  in  the  North  Central  States 
and  the  West  Central  States  1949-51.  Blaine  served  in 
the  Northern  States  Mission  1950-52.  Margaret 
served  in  the  Spanish  American  Mission  1954-56. 
Carl  lived  to  sec  all  his  children  complete  four  years  of 
College  and  receive  bachelor  degrees. 
Carl  died  June  24, 1964. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)-  Mervin  William         b-  1926 

md-  Ema  Dahl 
(2)-  Grant  O.  b-  1927 

md-  Bessie  Bartholomew 
(3)-  Hugh  Riley  b-  1928        d-  1940  12 

years  old 
(4)-  Blaine  b-  1930 

md-  Kathleen  StefFen 
(5)-  Margaret  b-  1931 

md-  Rollin  Stewart  Davis 
(6)-  EUzabeth  b-  1935 

md-  Robert  B.  Powell 

(l)Information  taken  from  "Fall  River  -  Chester 
History"  page  90 
permission  by  Mervin  Howard  a  son. 
(2)  (007-455)  Famum  Ward  Membership  records. 

CHRISTIAN  JESSEN 

and 

DIANTHA  BROTHERSON 

Christian  Jcsscn  was  bom  6  January  1847  in 
Copenhagen,  Denmark.  He  married  Diantha 
Brotherson  who  was  born  18  December  1847  in 
Copenhagen,  Denmark.  They  setded  in  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Sanpete  Coimty,  Utah.  They  had  seven  sons,  all  bom 
in  Mt.  Pleasant,  Sanpete  County,  Utah. 


The  Christian  Jesscn  family  left  Mt.  Pleasant 
and  came  into  the  Idaho  area.  They  settled  on  the 
Snake  River  in  the  St.  Anthony  (Egin)  area  and  went 
to  work  clearing  the  ground  for  a  Mr.  Brown  who  was 
to  give  them  the  first  crop  for  pay  so  they  could  afford 
to  claim  their  homestead  and  clear  their  ground. 


Christian  Jcsscn,  Diantha  Brotherson  Jesscn 

The  crops  failed  that  year  so  they  stayed  until 
spring.  The  river  froze  and  flooded  their  tents  so  they 
had  ice  floor  all  winter.  It  was  a  hard  winter  for  them 
and  come  spring,  Mr.  Brown  told  them  to  leave 
without  anything  for  their  work  and  misery. 

They  settled  in  Squirrel,  Idaho  on  Squirrel 
Creek.  John  F.  Jessen  homesteaded  west  of  the 
original  Jessen  homestead.  Jim  Jessen's  homestead 
was  east  of  the  Squirrel  store,  now  owned  by  Ira 
House. 


222 


Boone  Jcsscn 

Boone  Jessen's  homestead  was  southeast  in 
the  Lamont  area  and  is  now  owned  by  littons. 

When  the  parents  died,  Jim  Jessen  took  over 
the  original  homestead  and  it  was  later  sold  to  Viaor 
Dickason. 

John  F.  Jessen,  Jr.  farmed  with  his  father, 
John  F.  Jessen,  Sr.  imtil  his  father's  death.  He  then 
farmed  it  for  his  mother  and  the  farm  later  was  sold  to 
Victor  Dickason. 

By:  Nieca  Jesscn 


CHILDREN: 

( 1 )  Delmcr  Christian        b-  1 8  73 

d- 

1950 

md-  Bertha  Swensen 

(2)  Peter                           b-  1875 

d- 

1896 

md-  never  married 

(3)  John  Fredrick             b-  1879 

d- 

1945 

md-  Ida  Franz 

(4)  Boone  Ebby               b-  1881 

d- 

1962 

md-  Dollie  DePriest 

(5)  James  F.                     b-  1883 

d- 

1940 

md-  Minnie  House 

(6)  Hans  Festes                b- 

d- 

1911 

md-  never  married 

(7)  Ernest                         b-  1892 

d- 

1916 

md-  never  married 

JOHN  F.  J  ESSEN 

[ 

and 

IDA  FRANZ 

John  F.,  St.  and  Ida  Franz  Jcsscn 


John  F.  Jessen,  66,  early  pioneer  of  the 
Squirrel  community,  dies  suddenly  Monday  afternoon, 
apparently  from  a  heart  attack. 

Mr.  Jessen  had  left  his  ranch  for  the  Squirrel 
store  in  his  sleigh.  As  the  team  and  sleigh  neared  the 
store  fiiends  saw  the  outfit  approach  with  Mr.  Jessen 
sitting  in  the  driver's  seat.  When  he  did  not  appear  in 
the  store  one  of  his  friends  went  to  the  sleigh  and 
found  him  sitting  in  the  seat.  He  was  immediately 
carried  into  the  store,  but  never  revived. 

Mr.  Jessen  came  to  this  part  of  Idaho  in 
1901.  He  worked  for  a  while  at  the  Highland  Ranch 
in  Squirrel  and  then  homesteaded  the  place  where  he 
had  lived  for  41  years.  He  was  bom  at  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Utah,  November  17,  1879. 

Shortly  after  coming  here  he  married  Ida 
Franz,  whom  he  had  met  at  the  Highland  Ranch,  and 
to  this  union  four  children  were  born,  all  of  whom 
with  his  wife  survive.  They  are  Mrs.  Janice  Holt, 
Ashton;  Mrs.  Thelma  Phillips,  Ashton;  Mrs.  Delmar 
Tarbett,  Kansas  City,  and  John  Fredrick,  Jr.  (Jack) 


Ida  Delmar  and  Jack  Jessen 


John  F.,  Jr.  (Jack)  and  Nicca  Jessen  and  family 

223 


K 

0!; 

a;: 
0:: 


> 
t- 


(  : 


Jesscn,  Ashton.    Two  brothers  also  survive,  Dell 
Jesscn,  St.  Anthony  and  Boone  Jessen,  Lamont. 

Funeral  services  will  be  held  at  the  L.  D.  S. 
Church  chapel  in  Ashton  Friday  at  1  o'clock. 
Interment  will  be  in  the  Squirrel  cemetery. 

By:  Nieca  Jessen 
Obit.  Ashton  Herald  December  20,  1945 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Clarence  Peter  b-  1909        d-  1909 

(2)  Janice  Fern  b-  1917        d-  1955 
md-  Russell  Holt 

(3)  John  Fredrick,  Jr.       b-  1920 
md-  Nieca  Cordingly 

(4)  Thelma  Mac  b-  1922 
md-  Victor  Phillips 

(5)  Ida  Dclmar  b-  1923 
md-  Dale  Tarbct 

JAMES  ELIJAH  JOHNSON 
and 

ANNA 

James  Elijah  Johnson,  commonly  called  Boat, 
and  his  wife,  Anna,  took  up  a  ranch  in  Squirrel 
Meadows  in  1897-98.  His  son,  James  George 
married  Edith  Huggins.  Their  children  were  Mildred, 
Ila,  Harold  and  Eldon. 

After  his  wife,  Edith,  died  he  married  Ann 
Palmer.  Their  children  were  Eugene,  Delores,  Coral, 
Bijion,  Arlin,  Earle,  Connie  and  Cynthia.  They 
moved  to  Utah  in  1940. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  104 

WALTER  HOMER  JONES 

and 

ANNA  LAURA  CHRISTENSEN 


Homer,  Walter,  DcWaync,  Lila  Bea,  and  Anna  Christenscn  Jones 

Walter  Homer  Jones  was  born  August  4, 
1907,  to  George  GrifFen  Jones  and  Nettie  Clement 
Jones  at  home  in  Corwin,  Kansas,  the  first  of  fourteen 
children.  224 


He  received  his  schooling  in  Kansas.  He 
started  driving  four  head  of  mules  in  the  field  when  he 
was  five  years  old.  In  1916,  his  family  moved  to 
Guymond,  Oklahoma,  which  was  a  three  hundred  mile 
trip  that  took  around  10  days  of  travel  with  four  mules, 
one  team  of  horses,  a  cow  and  chickens.  His  father 
drove  the  four  mules  on  the  other  wagon. 

like  many  yoimg  men  of  those  days.  Homer 
decided  to  try  his  luck  in  the  west  and  moved  to  Idaho 
in  1925.  He  ended  up  in  Southeastern  Idaho  working 
on  the  Parkinson  farm  for  four  years  and  one  year  at 
the  Brownings.  He  also  worked  on  road  construction 
and  one  year  in  the  coal  mines  in  Teton  Valley. 

He  met  his  wife,  Anna  Laura  Christenscn,  in 
1932,  and  married  her  June  24,  1933,  and  moved  to 
Rcxburg.  He  worked  for  the  State  of  Idaho,  Morris- 
Knudson,  and  Idamont  Hotel  in  Rcxburg. 

In  the  fall  of  1934,  he  bought  Uncle 
Moneyham's  horses  and  equipment.  He  continued 
construction  work  and  farmed  320  acres  with  six  head 
of  horses.  They  were  farming  in  Squirrel. 

In  1936  he  was  baptized  into  the  L.D.S. 
Church. 

In  1939,  they  moved  to  Drummond  into  the 
home  he  had  purchased  from  his  wife's  mother  and 
began  farming  there.  In  1941,  they  began  building 
the  home  up  on  the  Drummond  highway  and  moved 
into  it  in  1942. 

In  addition  to  farming,  he  enjoyed  raising, 
racing,  and  showing  thoroughbred  and  appaloosa 
horses.  He  had  a  special  rapport  with  horses.  He 
could  whistle  three  times  and  they  would  come  to  his 
side. 

Homer  was  active  on  the  boards  of  the  Idaho 
Wheat  Growers,  Idaho  Water  Resources,  Conant  Canal 
Ditch  Co.,  and  the  Fremont  County  School  Board. 

He  held  many  positions  in  the  L.D.S.  Church, 
and  was  always  proud  that  he  was  the  first  Young 
Men's  President  in  the  Famum  Ward.  He  was  Sunday 
School  President,  Scoutmaster,  Chairman  of  the  Scout 
Committee,  Secretary  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood,  and 
on  the  Stake  Sunday  School  Board.  His  favorite 
position  was  when  he  and  Anna  were  Stake 
Missionaries  and  baptized  seven  people. 

Homer  passed  away  April  30,  1985,  in 
Ashton. 

Anna  Laura  Christenscn  was  born  Sept.  17, 
1904,  in  Mount  Pleasant,  Utah,  the  second  daughter 
of  Frank  Irvin  &  Anna  C.  Johnson  Christenscn.  She 
was  always  very  close  to  her  older  sister,  Geneva,  who 
married  Chet  French  and  lived  close  by. 

Anna  started  school  in  the  Community 
Church  building  in  Drummond,  until  the  new  school 
house  was  built.  This  new  school  had  grades  1-10  at 
the  time. 

She  went  to  church  at  Lillian  which  was  near 
Famum  and  was  baptized  by  Thomas  T.  Murdoch,  in 
the  canal  near  Oberhansleys. 

One  of  her  best  friends  besides  Neva,  her 
sister,  was  Vera  Martin  Webster, 


Nicki  Lynn,  Jcrrilcc,  Tccna  Rac,  Walter  F.,  Jessie  Mae,  Wendy  Sue,  Annette,  Kicth  Walter  Jones 


She  remembers  the  bad  flu  of  1918  and  that 
more  people  died  in  Drummond,  according  to  the 
population,  than  any  other  place.  Anna  met  Charlie 
Garver  and  they  were  married  in  1925.  They  lived 
near  Bob  and  Pearl  Garver  and  became  good  friends. 
Charlie  passed  away  in  1927,  while  they  were  on  a  trip 
in  Salt  Lake  City. 

She  later  met  Homer  Jones  who  was  working 
at  the  time  near  Victor,  Idaho,  in  the  coal  mines.  He 
soon  became  employed  on  her  fether's  farm  to  help 
with  the  farm  work.  They  were  married  June  24, 
1933,  at  the  court  house  in  Rexburg. 

Anna  served  as  the  Farnum  Ward  Sunday 
School  Secretary  for  many  years.  (The  record  she  kept 
helped  the  authors  write  the  church  history  in  this 
book). 

Anna  passed  away  March  30,  1987,  at  the 
Ashton  Memorial  Hospital  and  was  buried  in  the 
Pineview  Cemetery. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Walter  Franklin  b-  1934 

md-  Jessie  Mae  Cordingley 
(l)Jerrilec  b- 1954 

md-  Dennis  Finn  Browcr 

(2)  Teena  Rae  b-  1956 
md-  Rick  Croshaw 

(3)  Kieth  Walter        b-  1958 
md-  Jill  ReNae  Blanchard 

(4)  Annette  b-  1960 
md-Jeffery  Dane  Llewellyn 

(5)  Wendy  Sue  b-  1965 

md-  Jason  Ray  Cook 

(6)  Nicki  Lyn  b-  1967 
md-  Thomas  Norbert  Thicl 

(2)  Lila  Bca  b-  1935 

md-  Jerry  Thomas 

(1)  Mike  b-  1953 

(2)  Kris  b-  1955 


(3)  DeWayne  George       b-  1938 
md-  Mary  Lee  Raybold 
md-  Phyllis  Kirby 

(1)  Mary  Laurie         b-  1960 
md-  Neil  Nelson 

(2)  Angela  Dec  b-  1961 

md-  Alan  Morrison 

(3)  HoUy  Elizabedi   b-  1965 
md-  Doug  Bodily 

(4)  Lucy  Diana  b-  1968 

(5)  David  DeWayne  b-  1970 

Note:  the  five  above  children  of  this  family  were 
legally  adopted  by  Robert  E.  Wolf,  Mary  Lee 
Raybold's  second  husband  and  have  taken,  Wolf,  as 
their  last  name. 

LOUIS  KANDLER 

and 
MINNIE  WARSANY 


225 


Minnie  Warsany  and  Louis  Kandlcr 

Louis  Kandlcr  was  born  in  Woldcgh, 
Mecklenburg,  Germany  on  April  19,  1892,  the  son  of 
Louis  Carl  August  Kandlcr  and  Henrietta  Peters.    He 


came  to  the  United  States  sometime  around  1910  or 
1912,  and  stayed  with  the  family  of  CarHe  Lenz  at 
Squirrel.  His  grandmother  had  come  to  the  United 
States  earlier  and  lived  with  the  Lenz  family.  She  had 
died  and  was  buried  at  Squirrel. 

Minnie  Warsany  was  bom  August  17,  1886  in 
Can  trek,  Kamin,  Germany,  the  daughter  of  Augusta 
Lenz  and  Otto  Warsany.  Minnie  went  to  school  there 
for  seven  years.  Her  father  died  when  she  was  eight 
years  old.  Her  mother  died  when  she  was  about  11 
years  old.  After  the  death  of  her  mother,  she  went  to 
Stetin,  Germany,  to  live  with  some  relatives  of  her 
father,  where  she  stayed  until  she  was  thirteen  years 
old  and  confirmed  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 
After  this,  she  worked  for  people  in  the  town  until  she 
was  nineteen,  when  she  went  to  live  with  her  brother 
who  lived  near  Berlin.  She  worked  in  a  Jewish 
hospital  in  Berlin  for  the  next  four  years. 

Her  brother,  Julius  Warsany,  had  been  living 
with  the  Ernest  Kuehl  family  since  the  death  of  their 
mother,  and  when  the  Kuchls  came  to  America,  they 
brought  Julius  with  them.  They  also  stayed  with  the 
Lenz  family,  and  in  the  fall  of  1910,  Mr.  Lenz  sent 
Minnie  the  money  to  come  to  America.  She  left 
Germany  in  October  on  the  ship  Pennsylvania,  and 
arrived  in  America  in  November  after  an  ocean 
crossing  that  took  three  weeks. 

She  came  to  Squirrel  and  stayed  with  the 
Lenz  family  and  worked  for  people  around.  Then  she 
worked  at  the  Squirrel  store  for  Charley  Burrall  from 
February  1911  until  late  in  the  fall.  In  the  fall  of  1911, 
she  went  to  Salt  Lake  City  and  worked  in  the  home  of 
a  family  named  Norton.  Mr.  Norton's  sister,  a  school 
teacher,  taught  Minnie  to  read  and  write  English  at 
night.  She  stayed  there  until  March,  when  she  came 
back  to  St.  Anthony.  She  stayed  with  the  family  of 
Otto  Sturm  after  her  return  and  it  was  there  she  met 
Louis  Kandler.  They  were  married  in  March  of  the 
following  year  by  the  Reverend  Paul  Schultz  at  the 
Sturm  home. 

They  moved  to  Grainville  where  they  farmed 
some  land  which  the  Sturms  owned.  Here,  on  his 
land,  four  sons  were  bom  to  them;  Hans  Louis,  Louis 
Carl  Theodore,  William  Otto,  and  Kurt  Edward. 

In  1929,  they  purchased  their  farm  at 
Squirrel.  Julius  Warsany  and  his  family  lived  on  the 
place  until  1934.  In  this  year,  the  Kandlers  moved  to 
the  farm  and  stayed  there  until  1947  when  they 
retired  and  built  a  home  in  Ashton. 

They  made  one  trip  back  to  Germany  in  1926 
to  see  their  families,  but  America  had  become  home  to 
them  and  they  did  not  go  back  again. 

They  sent  three  sons  to  war  in  World  War  II. 
Louis  and  Kurt  served  in  the  Army  and  Bill  in  the 
Navy.  Louis  died  in  the  Battle  of  the  Bulge  in  1945 
and  is  buried  in  the  American  Military  Cemetery  in 
Luxembourg. 

Louis  Kandler  died  in  July  of  1952  and 
Minnie  died  in  December  of  1959.  They  were  both 
buried  in  the  Pinevicw  Cemetery.    They  were  the 


grandparents  of  eight  grandchildren,  two  of  whom 
died  in  infancy. 

Two  of  their  sons  live  in  the  Ashton  area.  Bill 
is  deceased,  Hans  is  retired,  but  Kurt  and  his  son, 
Scott,  still  farm  his  father's  farm. 


226 


b.r.  Hank  and  Grace  Kandler  f.r.  Jamie,  Audrey,  Gcnola,  Nancy, 
Scott,  and  Ethan  Scott  in  front  of  Nancy  Kandler 


By:  Genola  Kandler 

D.  H.  KELLY 

D.  H.  Kelly,  an  attorney,  owned  a  farm 
northeast  of  the  Squirrel  Store  on  the  Reclamation 
Road.  He  was  called  Judge  Kelly.  A  school  house 
near  his  home  was  called  the  Kelly  School  and  also  a 
voting  precinct  called  the  Kelly  Precinct.  Two 
daughters.  Hazel  and  Kate,  taught  school  at  times  at 
the  Kelly  school.  Hazel  married  Elmer  Duke  and  they 
lived  in  Ashton.  Hazel  taught  music  lessons. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  102 

GEORGE  KIDD 

and 

MINNIE  JACKSON 

The  Kidd  Family,  converted  to  Mormonism 
in  Manchester,  Coffee  County,  Tennessee,  came  to 
Utah  for  financial  improvement,  to  escape  religious 
persecution  and  to  comply  with  their  Doctor's  order 
to  get  George  W.  Kidd  to  a  dryer  climate.  They 
arrived  March  12,  1909  and  temporarily  settled  in 
Avon,  Utah,  under  the  sponsorship  of  the  Alma  O. 
Jackson  family,  whose  missionary  son  knew  the  Kidds. 

They  became  Idahoans  the  following  year 
while  looking  for  suitable  homestead  farmland.  They 
went  first  to  Darlington,  Idaho  for  a  year,  then 
bought  land  a  few  miles  south  at  Moore  where  they 
farmed  for  a  couple  of  years.  Early  in  1913,  they  sold 
their  equity  in  Moore,  loaded  their  wares  in  a  freight 
train  box  car  and  headed  for  Drummond,  Idaho 
where  better  fermland  beckoned. 

The  "Mason  place"  which  they  rented,  with 
an  option  to  buy,  was  located  about  1/2  miles 


southwest  of  Drummond  in  the  center  of  the 
beautiful  "Horseshoe  Flat."  "They"  included  the 
parents,  George  W.  (age  61)  and  Mary  Morrow  Kidd 
(age  55);  five  sons:  Walter  (32),  George  C.  (26), 
Henry  (23),  Lawrence  (17),  Hobson  (15),  and  one 
daughter:  Willia  (21).  Farming  was  a  profitable 
business  in  this  fertile  dry-farm  valley  when  fi-ost  and 
drought  permitted.  The  three  older  sons  were  in 
partnership  and  the  two  younger  sons  were  put  to 
work  by  the  older  brother  for  three  years.  Thereafter 
the  option  to  buy  the  Mason  Place  was  executed  by 
the  older  brothers. 

Lawrence  struck  out  on  his  own,  taking 
Hobson  with  him  as  an  associate.  They  bought  160 
acres  a  few  miles  southeast  of  Drummond  on  the 
"Little  Teton,"  which  was  then  known  as  Bitch 
Creek.  They  prospered  financially  and  paid  for  the 
land  with  their  first  year  profits.  They  disc  harrowed 
the  field  and  reaped  another  bumper  (volunteer)  crop 
the  second  year.  That  same  year  they  rented  the  600 
acre  Moore  ranch  in  Squirrel,  Idaho.  That  fall  they 
sold  out,  took  the  profits  and  became  notorious  as 
socializers  and  playboys  throughout  Fremont  County. 

George  married  Minnie  Jackson  of  Avon, 
Utah,  on  January  2,  1913.  She  was  a  daughter  of  the 
Jackson  family  that  welcomed  them  to  the  "West" 
when  they  left  Tennessee.  After  living  as  one  big 
family  for  a  couple  of  years,  George  built,  with  the 
help  of  his  wife's  uncle,  a  white  frame  house  1/4  mile 
south  of  the  Mason  home  for  his  bride.  Three 
children  entered  the  family  in  this  farm  setting:  Austin 
Fern,  Earl  C.  and  Nelda  Marie.  While  living  here,  the 
Kidd  family  developed  a  close  friendship  with  their 
neighbor,  Roy  Sloss,  who  Hvcd  one  mile  west  of 
them.  This  friendship  would  prove  significant  in 
years  to  come. 

The  Mason  Place  partnership  of  the  three 
older  brothers  prospered  at  first  but  began  an 
irreversible  erosion  in  three  years.  Without  total 
agreement  among  themselves,  they  purchased  a  huge 
Yuba  tractor  to  replace  horses  as  their  source  of  farm 
power.  The  brothers  knew  horses  but  they  were  not 
tractor  mechanics.  The  Yuba  was  an  expensive 
innovation  that  may  well  have  been  the  prelude  to  the 
partnership's  demise.  Henry  enlisted  in  the  Marine 
Corp  January  24,  1918,  so  labor  costs  increased. 
That  same  year  a  devastating  frost  added  to  their 
stress  and  it  was  followed  the  next  year  with  crippling 
drought.  The  only  redeeming  factor  to  the  Yuba 
tractor  was  that  the  mechanic.  Jack  Bresock,  who  had 
to  be  imported  regularly  to  repair  and  maintain  the 
equipment  became  a  member  of  the  family,  but  not 
the  partnership,  when  he  married  the  daughter, 
Willia. 

Henry  returned  fi-om  military  service  in  1919 
and  found  the  family  debt-ridden  and  struggling.  He 
fell  in  love  with  and  married  Veda  Hendricks  on  June 
16,  1920.  When  George  pulled  out  of  the 
partnership  a  few  months  later,  he  took  his  family 
back  to  Avon,  Utah  and  worked  with  his  father-in-law    227 


for  a  year.  George  returned  to  the  area  and  rented, 
for  one  year,  the  Fred  Bailey  farm  at  France  Siding,  a 
railway  stop  a  few  miles  southeast  of  Drummond. 
The  next  year  (1923)  he  and  his  brother-in-law,  Jack 
Bresock,  survived  a  drought-plagued  year  on  the 
Charley  Thompson  farm,  located  at  the  southwest 
corner  of  the  Farnum  area  in  Hog  Hollow. 
Meanwhile,  back  at  the  Mason  place,  Walter  pulled 
out  of  the  partnership  in  1921  and  went  to  work  in  a 
grain  elevator  in  Drummond.  He  eventually  bought 
and  operated  for  a  number  of  years  a  grocery-dry 
goods  store  in  Drummond  before  he  sold  out  and 
moved  to  Stockton,  California.  Henry  took  over  sole 
ownership  of  the  Mason  place  from  1922  until  1928 
when  he  liquidated  his  interest  and  moved  to 
Kaysville,  Utah. 

George  sought  to  gain  independence  from 
the  whims  of  weather  when  he  rented  the  Hans 
Neilsen  irrigated  form  in  1924.  This  is  located  about 
1/2  miles  downstream  from  the  Farnum  bridge  over 
Fall  River  on  highway  32  which  connects  Drummond 
and  Ashton.  Here  he  recouped  some  losses  and  in 
1926  purchased  Bill  Green's  60  acre  irrigated  farm 
which  was  located  1/4  mile  south  of  the  above 
mentioned  bridge.  Jim  Hill,  who  had  earlier 
purchased  the  northern  part  of  the  Green  estate  was 
our  neighbor  to  the  north  and  west.  Lester  and  Iver 
Hendrickson  owned  the  farms  that  bordered  us  on 
the  South.  One  mile  to  the  west  was  the  home  of 
another  "dose"  friend  and  neighbor,  Brigham  (Brig) 
Murdoch.  To  the  east  was  an  eighty  acre  dry  farm 
plot  that  George  rented  and  farmed. 

Here  George  and  Minnie  reared  their  five 
children,  the  three  mentioned  earlier  and  the  two 
younger  sons,  George  J.  (Jack)  and  Clark  J.  Their 
farming  operation  involved  horses,  a  small  dairy  herd 
and  medium  sized  band  of  sheep,  some  pigs  and 
chickens.  It  was  these  latter  resources  that  provided 
the  family  basic  nourishment  during  the  gaunt  years 
following  the  economic  crash  of  1929.  George  had 
just  sold  his  sheep  and  deposited  the  payment  in  the 
bank  when  it  collapsed  and  left  him  financially 
destitute.  In  spite  of  his  poverty  during  these  dark 
days,  transients  looking  for  nourishment  or  a  place  to 
stay,  and  there  were  many  of  them,  were  never  turned 
away  from  the  Kidd  door  without  an  opportunity  to 
"earn"  a  meal  or  a  place  to  sleep. 

George  was  religiously  active  in  his  Farnum 
Ward  during  the  '20's.  He  served  as  Sunday  School 
Superintendent,  counselor,  along  with  Lester 
Hendrickson,  to  Bishop  T.  T.  Murdoch  and  lastly, 
scoutmaster.  It  was  in  this  latter  role  that  his  natural 
talents  as  story  teller,  prankster  and  friend  made  his 
home  a  favorite  retreat  for  youngsters.  Halloween's 
youthful  mischief  usually  concluded  with  popcorn, 
apples,  hot  chocolate,  a  few  ghost  stories  and  a  room 
full  of  young  men  afraid  to  go  home  in  the  dark 
alone.  On  other  occasions,  neighborhood  calves  were 
rounded  up,  corralled,  surcingled  and  a  full  scale 
buckaroo  rodeo  would  ensue.   Frightened  youngsters 


iiHf^' 


5 


4  |<. 


masquerading  bravery  could  take  some  pretty  solid 
spills  without  "breaking"  in  front  of  their  peers. 

In  retrospect  these  were  pioneer  times.  The 
land  was  still  relatively  young  and  living  conditions 
were  primitive  by  modern  standards.  Homes  with 
indoor  plumbing  were  scarce.  Electricity  was  brought 
to  farmers  in  the  late  '30's  through  the  Fall  River 
Rural  Electrification  Co-op.  Before  that,  oil  or  gas 
lamps  lighted  the  way  to  do  the  outside  and  inside 
chores,  study  homework  or  chart  the  mid-night  trek 
to  the  out-house. 

George  was  an  industrious  diligent  worker. 
When  Roy  Sloss  was  elected  County  Commissioner  in 
1932,  he  turned  to  his  fiiend  and  former  neighbor  to 
take  the  position  of  Fremont  County  Road  Supervisor 
for  the  Ashton  District.  For  nearly  twelve  years 
thereafter  he  worked  early  and  late  to  meet  the 
demands  of  his  office.  It  was  not  unusual  for  him  to 
receive  a  phone  call  at  any  hour  of  the  night  from  an 
expectant  mother  indicating  the  roads  were 
blizzarded  full  and  she  needed  them  cleared  so  she 
could  get  to  the  hospital.  His  area  of  responsibility 
extended  from  the  Montana  border,  south  to  near 
Chester,  a  distance  of  about  50  miles.  To  make  it 
feasible  for  the  family  to  be  together  more  and  to  put 
him  closer  to  his  work,  George  and  Minnie  rented  a 
home  and  moved  to  Ashton  in  1939.  The  Famum 
farm  he  rented  to  his  eldest  son.  Fern,  who  married 
Elizabeth  Davidson  of  Ashton  that  same  year. 

Hard  work,  long  hours  with  limited  sleep 
added  to  the  burdens  on  his  health.  George  died  of  a 
heart  attack  on  Nov.  18,  1944  in  San  Jose,  California, 
where  his  Doctor  had  ordered  him  to  go  for  his 
health.  Minnie  sold  the  farm  in  1947  and  joined  her 
husband  in  death  on  July  28,  1947. 

The  status  of  George  and  Minnie's  children 
as  of  this  date,  December  1990,  is  as  follows: 

Fern  died  March  21,  1984  in  Ashton  of 
cardiac  arrest.  He  had  lived  and  worked  14  years  in 
Pocatello  as  an  electrician  but  returned  to  Ashton  in 
1965  where  he  opened  and  managed  Kidd  Electric. 
He  and  Elizabeth  patented  six  sons  and  three 
daughters.  She  remarried  and  lives  in  Salmon,  Idaho. 

Earl  served  in  England  in  World  War  II.  He 
returned  to  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  where  he  met, 
married  and  lives  with  Bettie  Coffin.  They  have  two 
sons. 

Nelda  married  Don  McPherson  of  Salmon, 
Idaho.  They  reared  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 
Nelda  is  widowed  and  lives  in  Cedar  Hill,  Utah.  That 
is  located  just  North  of  Pleasant  Grove. 

Jack  married  Lillian  Barrett  of  Compton, 
California  while  he  was  attending  Ricks  College  in 
Rexburg,  Idaho.  They  have  three  daughters  and  one 
son.  They  live  in  Logan,  Utah. 

Clark  married  Marilyn  Lee  of  Ashton.  They 
have  been  blessed  with  one  daughter  and  five  sons. 
They  too  live  in  Logan. 


FERNKEDD 

AND 

ELIZABETH  DAVIDSON 

Fern  Kidd  and  Elizabeth  Davidson  were 
married  in  1939  by  Bishop  Percy  Hawkes  at  the 
Hawkes  home  in  Farnum.  They  moved  to  the  Bob 
Upham  ranch  where  Fern  worked  until  spring.  At 
that  time,  they  moved  back  to  Famum  to  farm  for  his 
father.  After  harvest  they  moved  to  Salt  Lake  for  the 
winter,  where  Fern  worked  for  the  Hotel  Utah 
parking  cars  for  Hotel  patrons. 

In  the  spring  they  moved  back  to  the  farm 
and  farmed  both  his  father's  farm  and  Elizabeth's 
father's  farm.  The  following  summer  Fern  hurt  his 
back  and  was  unable  to  farm  anymore.  His  sister 
Nelda  and  her  husband,  Don  MacPherson,  had  an 
Electrical  shop  in  Ashton,  and  Fern  went  to  work  as 
an  apprentice  electrician.  When  the  Ashton  Memorial 
Hospital  was  opened,  Elizabeth  went  to  work  there  in 
1949,  eventually  became  one  of  the  first  LPN's  to 
graduate  from  the  hospital.  In  1952  the  family  moved 
to  Pocatello  where  Fern  worked  as  a  Construcrion 
Electrician  in  several  locations  and  for  several  different 
contractors.  He  was  one  of  the  Electricians  that 
worked  on  the  first  Atomic  Powered  Submarine,  built 
at  the  INEL.  Elizabeth  worked  at  both  the  St. 
Anthony  Mercy  Hospital  and  the  Bannock  Hospital  in 
Pocatello,  as  well  as  doing  home  nursing,  special  duty 
nursing  and  Rest  Home  nursing. 

In  1965  they  moved  back  to  Ashton  where 
Fern  started  his  own  business.  "Kidd  Electric  and 
Refrigeration".  In  1975  he  had  his  first  heart  attack, 
quite  serious,  but  recovered  to  continue  work  only  to 
have  a  second  heart  attach  in  February  of  1976, 
followed  by  heart  surgery  and  4  way  bypass,  in  April  of 
1976.  He  was  forced  to  become  less  active  until  his 
deatii  in  March  1984. 

We  are  the  parents  of  nine  children  grand- 
parents of  twenty  seven,  great  grandparents  of  twelve. 

By:  Elizabeth  Kidd  (1990) 
CHILDREN: 


228 


(1)  Dianne 

b-  1940 

md- 

(2)  Collien 

b-  1941 

md- 

(3)  Terry 

b-  1943 

md- 

(4)  Lynn 

b-  1945 

md- 

(5)  Scott 

b-  1947 

md- 

(6)  Jack 

b-  1949 

md- 

(7)  John 

b-  1955 

md- 

(8)  Kevin 

b-  1957 

md- 

(9)  Wendy 

b- 1958 

md- 

JOHN  T.  KESTG 

and 

ALICE 

John  T.  King  and  his  wife,  Alice,  moved  from 
Oregon  to  Squirrel  in  March  1917.  They  rented  land 
from  George  Harrigfcld  and  formed.  Their  children 
arc:  Leonard  (Happy),  Earl,  Claude,  Vclma,  Virgel, 
Dale,  John  and  Harold. 

Mrs.  King  was  superintendent  of  an 
interdenominational  Sunday  School  which  she  started 
and  was  held  at  the  Squirrel  School  House.  The  three 
older  boys  played  on  the  Squirrel  and  Ashton  ball 
teams. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  105 

ERNEST  KUEHL 

and 

IDA  LORE 

Ernest  Kuehl  and  his  wife,  Ida  Lohf,  came  to 
Squirrel  in  June  of  1910.  They  rented  land  from  their 
uncle,  Carl  F.  Lenz  and  later  purchased  land  in  the 
area. 

A  son,  Carl,  died  in  infancy.  Their  daughters, 
Elsie  Bahr  and  Frieda,  live  on  the  Bjihr  ranch  in  the 
Green  Timber  area.  Their  son,  Eric  and  his  son,  Mark, 
farm  the  Kuehl  family  farm  at  Squirrel. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  104 

KUNRATH 

The  Kunrath  family  came  to  Squirrel  and 
homesteaded  up  near  the  forest  line.  They  had  three 
children;  Albert,  Arnold,  and  Clara.  None  of  them 
married. 

When  the  parents  retired,  they  all  moved  to 
Eugene,  Oregon.  They  later  returned  to  Idaho  Falls  to 
live.  They  loved  the  Squirrel  country  and  all  are 
buried  there  in  the  cemetery. 

They  sold  their  farm  to  the  August  Lenz  family. 
Snake  River  Echos,  Page  103 

HISTORY  OF  LAMONT  POST  OFFICE  AND 

STORE 

As  far  as  I  can  find  out  George  Femey  built 
the  first  store  in  Lamont.  I  assume  had  the  Post 
Office.  It  burnt  down  sometime  around  1918  or 
1920,  no  one  really  can  remember  hearing  for  sure. 

Mrs.  Anna  Shultz  then  had  the  post  office  in 
her  home  about  three  miles  south  east  of  Lamont. 
Later  she  moved  it  into  the  Lamont  schoolhousc  and 
had  certain  hours  that  you  could  get  your  mail. 

Later  Alton  and  OUie  Bailey  built  a  log  home 
at  Lamont  and  had  the  Post  Office  and  small  store. 
After  a  few  years  they  left  and  Joe  and  Lilly  Cook  ran 
it.  Whether  they  bought  it  from  Alton,  I  don't  know. 

In  September  1935,  Perry  (Pat)  Bailey 
bought  the  land  and  property  belonging  to  George 


229 


Femey.    He  lived  in  the  house  there  on  the  property 
and  bought  grain  for  SterUng  Company. 

I  came  to  Lamont  in  1939,  from  Blackfoot, 
and  taught  school  for  one  year  and  married  (Pat) 
Perry  Bailey  in  May  1940.  We  bought  the  Cooks  out 
in  1941  and  moved  into  the  home  and  store  we  built 
there  at  Lamont,  just  in  front  of  the  small  white  house 
we  lived  in  when  we  were  married.  We  had  the  Post 
Office,  store  and  gas  business.  Pat  died  in  the  spring 
of  1942.  I  continued  running  the  business.  In  Nov 
1944  I  married  Douglas  Morrison.  Doug  lived  and 
farmed  with  his  parents  a  mile  south  and  west  of 
Lamont.  Doug's  folks  were  Fred  Douglas  and  Anna 
Morrison.  They  came  from  Helix,  Oregon  in  1913  or 
1914  and  homesteaded  here,  it  was  through  C.  C. 
Moore  that  they  came  to  Idaho.  Doug's  father  Fred 
died  during  the  flu  epidemic  of  1918.  Later  his 
mother  married  Ernest  French. 

Doug  and  I  kept  the  store  and  Post  Office 
until  1946,  when  we  sold  it  to  Katherine  Thomas. 
She  kept  the  store  until  she  retired  and  they  took  the 
Post  Office  out  for  a  rural  delivery  route  out  of 
Ashton. 

Katherine  sold  the  Lamont  store  building  to 
Tom  Barr  and  he  lived  in  it  for  several  years  before 
leaving  the  country  and  as  far  as  I  know  he  still  owns 
it,  or  what  is  left  of  it.  It's  a  complete  disaster,  people 
stole  doors,  windows,  paneling  and  everything  they 
could. 

Doug  and  I  built  our  home  here  on  the  ranch 
in  1946  where  he  farmed  until  his  death  in  1978.  We 
had  four  children,  Beverly  Johnson  of  St.  Anthony, 
Bud  Morrison  who  farmed  with  his  dad  and  now  runs 
the  ranch  and  lives  here  with  his  family  in  the  home 
they  remodeled  of  Anna  and  Ernest  French,  Joyce 
Sedler  of  Spokane,  Washington  and  Julie  Howard  of 
Idaho  Falls. 

I  still  live  here  in  the  home  Doug  and  I  built. 

By:  Freda  Bailey  Morrison 

OLAF  LARSON 

Olaf  Larson  called  himself  a  stereoscopist. 
The  contraption  used  to  view  early  photos  was  called  a 
stereoscope  and  some  of  the  pioneers  who  could 
afford  it  owned  one.  It  provided  hours  of  enter- 
tainment. Some  of  the  early  settlers  took  pride  in 
acquiring  an  extensive  collection  of  this  type  of 
photograph,  with  shots  from  all  parts  of  the  world. 
Humorous  circumstances  were  depicted  on  these 
cardboard  pictures  of  people  and  animals  with 
captions  below  similar  to  our  cartoons  of  today. 

Olaf  also  occupied  and  farmed  a  parcel  of  land 
in  Squirrel,  Idaho  in  the  early  1900's.  His  photo- 
graphs bear  the  dates  1909,  10  and  11. 

People  living  now,  who  remember  Mr. 
Larson,  say  he  was  slight  in  stature,  and  a  striking 
individual  in  appearance.  He  helped  his  neighbors 
thresh  grain  but  his  own  farming  ability  lacked 
management.    He  stood  out  as  a  little  different, 


0 

4. 


perhaps  miscast  for  his  role.  He  received  education  at 
Moscow,  Idaho.  He  could  have  been  a  professor. 

Mr.  Larson  was  married  and  while  he  lived 
in  Squirrel  his  wife  died  in  childbirth.  She  was  a 
plump,  average  build,  pleasant  school  teacher. 

Olaf  had  a  project  to  improve  the  wild 
huckleberry,  according  to  Nick  Nichols,  who  as  a  boy, 
with  his  father  often  rode  on  horses  by  Olaf  s  place. 
Nick  says,  "My  father  and  Olaf  often  debated  the 
domesticating  of  the  mountain  huckleberry.  My 
father  told  him,  'Olaf,  every  huckleberry  has  to  have 
its  face  washed  every  morning  by  the  pure  mountain 
dew,  and  it  won't  grow  on  an  open  south  slope.  It 
needs  its  feet  planted  in  the  rotting  needles  of  the 
conifers  and  it  doesn't  grow  well  among  Aspen 
trees.'" 

Olaf  tried  to  move  and  grow  the  berry  but 
was  unsuccessful.  He  was,  however,  respected  for  his 
knowledge  of  horticulture.  Olaf  told  friends  that  prior 
to  coming  to  this  country  his  own  father  worked  for 
the  king  of  Norway  as  a  gardener. 

Art  and  Velma  Anderson  knew  Olaf  quite 
well.  "They  were  well  educated,  and  he  was  no  farmer. 
In  winter,  such  as  you  had  this  winter,  Olaf  would  use 
four  horses  to  pull  a  small  sleigh  (covered)  to  make 
the  trip  to  Squirrel  or  Ash  ton.  His  horses  were  thin 
and  he  fed  them  mostly  straw.  The  Larsons  often 
would  ski  or  snow  shoe  to  school  or  community 
gatherings." 

"Olaf  composed  poems  and  on  one  occasion 
at  a  grange  dinner  and  program,  he  wrote  a  poem 
about  Art.  Art  was  dressed  as  a  woman  and 
introduced  as  Mrs.  Farnsworth,  a  state  official  of 
Idaho  Granges.  Olaf  fell  for  the  "lady."  His  wife  had 
passed  away  a  few  years  previous  and  I  think  he  was  a 
lonely  man.  After  finding  who  Mrs.  Farnsworth  really 
was,  he  wrote  a  poem.  Olaf  often  stayed,  with  the 
Carl  Lcnz,  Sr.  family,  Alley  Burkhalters  and  Habecosts 
enroute  for  supplies  in  the  winter  and  enjoyed  the 
hospitality  of  each.  His  hungry  horses  were  grateful 
for  feed  grains  too,  probably." 

Anna  Moore  tells  of  the  time  she  and  another 
dose  neighbor  were  acting  as  sitters  for  the  corpse  of 
Olaf  s  wife  the  night  before  the  funeral.  Olaf  told 
them  to  go  to  the  cupboard  and  eat  if  they  got 
hungry.  When  they  opened  the  cupboard  the  only 
thing  in  it  was  a  quart  glass  jar  of  pickled  onions. 
They  ate  the  onions. 

Glan  Sharp  said,  "I  would  often  go  up  to 
Larson's  place.  He  had  a  victorola  as  tall  as  I  was.  He 
had  many  records  and  the  stories  that  went  with  the 
music.  His  knowledge  of  history,  Uterature,  and  music 
was  remarkable  to  his  neighbors. 

"Olaf  s  father  owned  a  small  farm  near  him 
on  Squirrel  Creek.  He  was  a  feeble  man  and  as  a  boy  I 
helped  him  haul  his  hay. 

"My  mother  was  with  his  wife  at  the  time  of 
her  death.  Olaf  s  heart  was  broken.  He  later  moved  to 
Oakland,  California  and  after  two  letters  to  our  family, 
we  never  heard  of  him  again.  230 


"His  house  had  many  hand-made  features. 
One  was  a  knotted  wood  door  knob.  He  also  used  a 
wooden  yoke  on  his  shoulder  to  carry  water  from  the 
creek." 

Bill  Lansbcrry  says,  "It  is  possible  I  was  the 
last  Ash  ton  friend  to  see  him  alive.  My  wife  and  I  had 
gone  to  San  Francisco  on  a  visit.  We  were  on  a  bus 
bound  to  see  George  Waddell.  We  had  traveled  about 
half  way  when  the  bus  stopped  at  a  crossing  to  let 
passengers  off.  About  four  seats  in  front  of  us  Ole 
Larson  got  up  and  left.  I  said  to  my  wife,  'That's  Ole 
Larson  getting  off.  Let's  get  off  and  visit,  but  by  the 
time  we  reached  the  door  the  car  was  in  motion  and 
we  saw  Ole  through  the  window  walking  along  the 
sidewalk.'" 

"Olaf  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows,  and  wrote  several  different  things  about 
members.  His  favorite  two  Unes  about  officers  of  the 
lodge:  General  George  and  Skinny  Baker,  Littie  Bill 
and  Shimmyshaker;  meaning  George  Harrigfeld  and 
Roy  Baker,  postmaster.  Glen  Simmermocher,  was 
then  manager  of  National  Park  Lumber.  Baker  had  a 
prominent  stomach,  but  Ole  called  him  Skinny  instead 
of  fatty,"  said  William  Lansberry. 

The  Fremont  County  Historical  Society  has 
copied  some  of  Olaf  Larson's  photographs.  The  col- 
lection was  made  available  to  us  by  Ewa  Lenz,  a 
member  of  the  society. 

He  will  probably  be  remembered  most,  this 
fellow  Olaf,  who  has  come  and  gone,  for  his 
stereoscopic  pictures.  He  photographed  many  of  his 
neighbors.  His  prints  will  be  viewed  for  many  years 
and  kept  in  museums.  He  enjoyed  capturing  the  sight 
of  the  great  productivity  of  the  virgin  soil  and  its  hardy 
pioneers  at  Squirrel,  Idaho. 

By:  Marva  Rich  and  Ewa  Lenz 

CARL  FREDRICK  LENZ 

and 

ANNA  AUGUSTA  KANDLER 

Carl  Fredrick  L.  Lenz  was  bom  in  Pomerania, 
Germany  December  7,  1863.  Littie  is  known  of  his 
family  or  his  early  life  in  Germany  except  that  he  was 
the  only  son  in  the  second  family  of  German  born 
Friedrich  Lenz,  who  was  bom  Oct.  28,  1828. 

Carl  had  one  full  sister,  Minnie  Lenz  Zutz  , 
who  lived  and  died  in  Norfolk,  Nebraska.  His  father's 
first  family  consisted  of  one  son,  Herman,  and  three 
daughters;  Alvertina,  Augusta,  and  Bertha.  These 
girls  were  the  mothers  of  the  Garz,  Warsany  and  Ida 
Lohf  Kuehl  families.  The  names  of  the  two  wives  of 
Friedrich  Lenz  are  not  known.  In  his  late  teens  he 
went  to  Mecklenburg  to  learn  the  blacksmith  trade. 
According  to  his  nephew.  Bill  Garz,  he  apprenticed 
with  one  of  the  relatives  of  the  Sturm  family.  It  was 
here  that  he  likely  met  his  sweetheart,  Anna  Kandler. 

Carl  Fredrick  came  to  America  at  the  age  of 
22.  He  arrived  in  New  York  in  1885  and  found  his 
way  through  Wisconsin  to  the  Dakotas,  walking  part 


Lcnz-CF    b.r.  Otto,  Martha,  Fred,  Minnie,  f.r.  Carl  P.,  Carl  F.,  Anna,  Ida  Lcnz 


of  the  way,  seeking  employment.  He  had  cousins  by 
the  name  of  William  and  Herman  Schliebe  who  lived 
in  this  area.  One  of  his  employers  was  a  Dane  who 
spoke  no  German.  Carl  F.,  speaking  no  Danish, 
related  that  although  there  wasn't  much  conversation 
they  were  able  to  communicate. 

According  to  his  obituary  he  lived  2  years  in 
South  Dakota  after  which  he  moved  to  Hoskins, 
Wayne  County,  Nebraska.  When  he  arrived  there  he 
visited  the  local  blacksmith,  asking  if  he  had  sufficient 
trade  to  hire  an  assistant.  When  the  blacksmith  replied 
negatively,  young  Carl  asked  if  he  would  let  him  work 
for  a  week,  then  if  his  work  was  not  satisfeaory,  he 
would  go  elsewhere.  At  the  end  of  the  week  he  was 
hired.  According  to  his  son-in-law,  Carl  C.  Lenz,  his 
work  was  of  such  quality  that  soon  local  townspeople 
were  suggesting  that  he  start  a  business  of  his  own.  In 
a  short  time  he  did,  establishing  a  blacksmith  and 
implement  shop. 

As  soon  as  he  was  well  established  he  sent  for 
his  bride-to-be.  Carl  F.  and  Anna  Augusta  Kandler 
were  married  eighteen  days  after  she  arrived,  on  May 
26,  1890,  in  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Dreieigcnbleits 
Kirche  (church)  in  Hoskins,  by  M.H.  Pankow,  pastor. 

His  citizenship  papers,  granted  in  Wayne 
County,  Nebraska,  April  8,  1896,  show  that  he  was  a 
native  of  Prussia.  He  was  described  as  having  blue 
eyes,  light  blonde  hair,  was  five  feet  eight  and  one-half 
inches  tall.  His  father,  Friedrich  Lcnz,  came  to 
America  later  and  lived  with  his  son  and  family  in 
Hoskins,  Wayne  County,  Nebraska  until  he  died  and 
was  buried  there  on  December  24,  1896.  Friedrich's 
two  wives  had  both  been  buried  in  Germany  prior  to 
his  immigrarion. 

Carl  and  Anna  lived  in  Nebraska  where  six  of 
their  seven  children  were  bom.    Their  first  daughter. 


231 


Mary,  born  in  1892,  died  as  an  infant.  History  of 
Wayne  County  Nebraska  records  that  "at  a  meeting 
Feb.  25,  1899,  the  town  committee  elected  Wm.  Zutz 

village  clerk;  Carl  F.  Lcnz,  treasurer these  people 

all  served  without  compensation." 

In  March,  1901,  they  arrived  in  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho.  They  came  by  train,  bringing  household 
furnishings,  tools  of  his  trade,  farm  machinery,  and 
registered  livestock  by  box  car.  His  son,  Carl, 
remembers  that  one  old  cow  he  brought  had  17 
calves.  When  they  arrived  there  was  one  lone  cabin 
between  St.  Anthony  and  Squirrel.  They  forded  Fall 
River  at  Famum  below  the  Hill  place. 

Carl  F.'s  mother-in-law,  Elizabeth  Wegener 
Kandler,  came  to  Idaho  with  them  and  lived  there 
until  her  death  on  May  4,  1902.  She  was  buried  in 
the  Squirrel  Cemetery.  She  homesteaded  160  acres, 
her  cabin  lying  one-fourth  mile  northeast  of  the  Carl 
F.  Lenz  homestead.  The  cabin  had  one  window  and  a 
rough  board  floor.  After  her  death  it  was  moved  to 
the  farmstead,  where  it  now  serves  as  a  shop. 

The  life  of  a  homesteading  family  was  never 
easy.  Ida  was  six  weeks  old  when  they  left  Nebraska 
and  she  slept  for  some  time  in  an  apple  box  behind  the 
heating  stove.  It  was  necessary  to  go  to  St.  Anthony 
for  supplies  which  was  a  three  day  trip,  one  day  each 
way,  fording  Fall  River  with  a  team.  Water  was  hauled 
from  the  Holland  spring  more  than  two  miles  to  the 
cast.  His  daughter,  Martha,  recalled  that  when  they 
came  to  Squirrel  there  were  only  "quakcrs  (quaking 
aspen)  and  cowboys." 

In  his  new  home,  his  habits  of  thrift  and 
industry  once  again  made  him  a  well  respected 
member  of  his  community.  His  son-in-law,  Carl  C. 
Lcnz,  when  asked  about  his  father-in-law's  interests, 
replied,  "his  favorite  thing  was  work."    He  also  had 


y 

a 

t 

c 

■I  2 


great  interest  in  current  events,  although  the  only 
source  available  was  the  "Ashton  Surprise",  the  local 
paper  oflRdally  known  as  the  Ashton  Enterprise.  Carl 
operated  a  blacksmith  shop  but  because  of  irritation  to 
his  lungs  he  was  forced  to  restrict  his  work  in  this 
trade,  and  so  turned  his  primary  attention  to  other 
things.  He  built  a  flour  mill  on  Fall  River  by  the 
Farmers  Ditch  Company  Dam,  and  with  his  family 
homcsteaded  400  acres  and  purchased  700  acres  of 
land.  In  1918-19  he  purchased  an  additional  1400 
acres  in  Camas  County,  Idaho.  He  is  quoted  as 
having  said,  "If  you  don't  know  how  to  invest  you 
money,  invest  it  in  land,  because  nobody  but  the  good 
Lord  can  take  it  away  from  you."  He  was  also  a 
stockholder  and  director  of  the  Commercial  National 
Bank  in  St.  Anthony. 

In  all  his  activities  the  focus  was  on  his  lamily 
and  church.  He  donated  the  land  for  the  Squirrel 
Lutheran  Cemetery  and  kept  the  pastor  in  his  home 
vmtil  the  church  could  be  built.  It  has  been  said  that  if 
money  was  ever  needed  for  the  church  he  was  always 
the  first  one  there  with  his  checkbook.  "He  was 
actively  engaged  in  the  founding  of  Zion  Lutheran 
Church,  encouraging  when  the  outiook  was  gloomy, 
and  continually  working  for  the  best  interests  of  his 
beloved  church.  His  children  were  sent  to  parochial 
school  and  received  thorough  instruction  in  the 
fundamentals  of  the  christian  religion." 

One  of  his  characteristics  was  a  sense  of 
fairness  and  kindness  to  all  people.  The  story  is  told 
that  when  the  baby  of  some  recent  Russian 
immigrants  died,  the  pastor  hesitated  to  bury  the 
child,  since  they  were  not  active  members  of  the 
parish.  Feeling  the  sadness  of  this  for  the  child's 
parents,  Carl  performed  the  burial  service  himself. 

The  original  farmhouse  was  built  in  1901.  It 
was  here  that  his  youngest  child,  Carl,  was  bom. 

Carl  F.  Lenz  is  remembered  as  being  quiet 
and  reserved,  conservative  in  his  life  style,  an  open- 
minded  person  who  loved  freedom  and  fulfilled  the 
responsibilities  imposed  by  it  in  an  honorable  way. 
From  the  six  children  who  grew  to  adulthood  came 
twenty-nine  grandchildren.  His  posterity,  now 
numbering  over  one-hundred,  can  be  grateful  for  his 
example  and  the  great  heritage  he  left. 

His  death  on  May  31,  1933,  in  Idaho  Falls 
was  described  as  "sudden,  but  quiet."  His  last  resting 
place  is  in  Squirrel,  "in  the  cemetery  which  he 
presented  to  his  congregation  many  years  ago." 

Written  in  November  1974  by  his  youngest 
grandchild,  Anna  Louise  Lenz,  daughter  of  Carl  P. 
Lenz. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Mary    Lenz 

(2)  Martha  Lenz 
md-  Fred  Griffel 

(3)  Miimie  Lenz 
md-  Pete  Griffel 

(4)  Ida  Lenz 


b-  1892  died  in  infancy 


md-  Carl  C.  Lenz 

(5)  Fred  Lenz 

md-  Selma  Griffel 

(6)  Otto  Lenz 

md-  Nora  Griffel 

(7)  Cari  P.  Lenz 

md(l)-  Myrtie  Anderson 
(2)-  Ewa  Lee  Priest 

CONRAD  LENZ 

and 

SOPHIA  WILHELMINA  SCHMIDT 


232 


Conrad  and  Sophia  Lenz  wedding  picture 


Conrad  Lenz,  the  father  of  Carl  C.  (Kels) 
Lenz  of  Squirrel,  was  bom  Jan.  2,  1875,  the  son  of 
Jacob  Lenz,  at  Saratoff,  Russia. 

In  the  late  1880's  he  was  married  to  Sophia 
Wilhelmina  Schmidt.  They  moved  across  to  Warsaw, 
then  to  Prussia,  and  on  to  Hamburg,  Germany. 

When  Carl  C.  was  two  years  old  his  parents 
emigrated  from  Hamburg,  Germany,  on  the  vessel 
"Barba  Rosa",  arriving  at  New  York  City,  Oct.  18, 
1890.  Later  they  moved  across  the  United  States  to 
Hepner,  Oregon,  where  Conrad  was  employed  as  a 
long-shoreman  and  for  the  O.R.N.  Railroad. 

Their  daughter,  Olga,  was  bom  in  Portland, 
July  3,  1905. 

In  1907  they  homesteaded  160  acres  in 
Drummond,  Idaho,  settling  there  to  raise  their  family. 

Conrad  and  Sophia  were  always  helping 
friends  and  neighbors  of  the  community.  Conrad 
hauled  the  mail  from  Drummond  to  Squirrel  for  many 
years,  he  was  always  busy. 

Sophia  and  Olga  were  good  homemakers. 
Sophia  did  lots  of  sewing  and  made  quilts.  She 
belonged  to  the  Drummond  Ladies  Club.    Ruth 


remembers  Grandma's  wonderful  cooking,  and  baking 
her  angel  food  cakes  and  noodles. 

Olga  in  her  late  20's  and  early  30's  was  a 
beauty  operator.  She  was  in  Boise  for  several  years, 
and  then  located  in  Rigby  where  she  met  and  married 
Linel  Meikle.  They  made  their  home  in  Thornton, 
raising  their  family  there.  Olga  continued  her  hair 
work  for  many  years. 

Sophia  passed  away  on  April  28,  1939,  a 
month  before  Olga's  daughter,  June,  was  born. 
(Sophia  died  from  major  surgery). 

Olga  and  Linel's  family  consisted  of:  June, 
Mae,  Twila,  &  Arvid.  Olga  passed  away  Feb.  7, 1989 

CARL  C.  LENZ 

and 

IDA  LENZ 


b.r.  Ida,  Clyde,  Caii  C.  Lcnz 
f.r.  Alvin,  Conrad  holding  Diana,  Bill  Hiad. 

Carl  was  born  May  11,  1898,  at  SaratofF, 
Russia.  At  age  two  he  came  to  the  U.S.  with  his 
parents. 

Carl  attended  school  at  Lillian  not  far  west  of 
Drummond,  and  later,  school  at  Drummond. 

On  Jan.  22,  1918,  Carl  and  Frank  Bratt 
enlisted  in  the  Army  in  WWI.  Carl  served  in  France 
and  Germany,  and  was  an  interpreter  at  Luxemburg, 
Germany.  He  was  in  Paris,  France,  when  the  armistice 
was  signed.  Coming  back  to  Drummond  he  worked 
on  the  railroad. 

On  June  5,  1920,  he  married  Ida  Lcnz  (same 
last  name),  they  resided  at  Drummond  where  Ruth 
was  born  in  1921.  Clyde  was  born  at  the  Lenz 
homestead  in  1927. 

They  have  always  lived  at  the  ranch  at  Squirrel 
(east  of  the  cemetery)  where  they  farmed.  Carl  was 
active  over  the  years  dedicated  to  his  work,  farming, 
and  his  wife  Ida  and  family. 

Carl  was  always  a  promoter  for  the  annual 
dog  derby  and  various  events  such  as;  boxing  matches, 
dances,  and  other  entertainment. 

Over  the  years,  Carl  was  the  color  bearer 
(carrying  the  flag)  for  the  American  Legion  on 


Memorial  Days.  He  was  always  busy  in  the 
community  whenever  and  wherever  he  was  needed  to 
help  farmers,  friends,  and  neighbors. 

In  1939,  at  the  ranch  he  cleared  away  acres 
and  acres  of  Quaking  Aspen  groves.  One  lone  pine 
tree  was  left  after  all  the  groves  were  gone.  From  that 
time  on,  they  named  it,  "Lone  Pine  Ranch",  of  which 
he  was  very  proud. 

Later,  Carl  and  Ida  lived  in  Ashton  during  the 
winter  months  and  at  the  ranch  in  the  summer.  He 
farmed  until  he  had  a  stroke  in  the  early  1970's. 

Carl  was  devoted  to  the  Ashton  Fire 
Department  —  always  at  hand  to  help. 

Carl  passed  away  Sept.  25, 1978,  at  Ashton. 

Ida  Lenz  was  bom  Jan.  8,  1901,  at  Hoskins, 
Nebraska,  the  daughter  of  Carl  F.  and  Anna  Kandler 
Lenz.  She  was  six  weeks  old  when  her  parents  moved 
to  Squirrel,  Idaho,  where  they  homesteaded  and 
began  ferming. 

June  5,  1920  she  was  married  to  Carl  C.  Lenz 
(her  father  was  Carl  F.  Lcnz,  her  brother  was  Carl  P. 
Lcnz).  She  resided  with  her  husband  Carl.  C.  Lenz 
on  the  Squirrel  ranch,  east  on  the  Reclamation  Road. 

They  had  two  children  Ruth  Anne  and  Clyde 
Carl.  They  have  five  grandchildren  and  great- 
grandchildren. 

Ida  passed  away  in  Idaho  Falls,  March  1978. 


233 


b.r.  Kris,  Alvin  Carl,  Diane,  Travis, 
f.r.  Kacee,  Ruth  Lenz,  Robyn  Hiatt 

Ruth  Anne  was  born  Nov.  29,  1921,  at 
Drummond.  Her  parents  moved  to  the  Carl  F.  Lenz 
homestead  at  Squirrel. 

Ruth  attended  grade  school  at  Squirrel. 
During  those  years  they  never  missed  a  day  of  school. 
Winter  no  matter,  blizzards.  Dad  took  Clyde  and  I  in 
a  covered  sleigh  and  would  play  pinochle  with  the 
fellows  at  Axel  Johnson's  Store  until  time  to  go  home 
after  school. 

Dances  and  card  parties  at  Squirrel  Hall,  to 
the  community  was  always  fiin.  Parents  always  took 
their  children.  Maynard  Bowersox  and  George  Amen 
were  faithful  musicians  over  the  years. 

Ruth  attended  high  school  1936  to  1940  - 
lived  with  Grandma  Anna  Lcnz  -  in  1941  took  up 


ft 

■S; 


beauty  work,  and  in  1942  and  43  worked  at  Sun 
VaUey. 

Ruth  always  enjoyed  music  and  going  to  the 
Warm  River  dances.  In  1943  she  was  married  to 
Alfred  Hartwig.  A  son,  Alvin  Carl,  was  born  at 
Rexburg,  May  30, 1944. 

Al  was  in  the  army  during  World  War  II,  and 
they  were  later  divorced. 

In  1947,  Ruth  was  married  to  Bill  Hiatt 
(Alvin  age  3),  lived  in  Rigby.  On  May  6,  1949, 
Diana  Ruth  was  born.  They  made  their  home  at 
Ashton  and  Island  Park  until  1959  -  moved  to  Idaho 
Falls  where  Bill  was  employed  19  years  at  the  Elks 
Lodge. 

Bill  passed  away  August  9,  1986.  Ruth  is  still 
residing  at  Idaho  Falls. 

Alvin  Carl  and  his  wife  Kris  live  in  Idaho  Falls 
and  have  3  children:  Travis,  Kacee  and  Robyn. 

Diana  also  lives  at  Idaho  Falls,  previously  lived 
at  Ashton.  She  is  presently  employed  at  INEL  as  an 
illustrator.  She  has  a  fine  art  ability.  She  made  an 
excellent  sculpture  from  memory  of  her  Grandpa 
Conrad  Lenz.  (She  was  8  years  old  when  he  passed 
away).  Also  an  oil  painting  as  she  would  have  pictured 
her  great-grandma  Sophia,  in  her  garden  at  the  top  of 
the  hill  in  Dnimmond. 

Clyde  was  bom  May  27,  1927,  at  the  Squirrel 
homestead.  He  always  loved  his  dogs  -  then,  it  was 
Rin,  our  police  dog.  Over  the  years  he  had  been 
faithful  to  them.  Clyde  enjoyed  sports:  skiing, 
boating,  fishing,  hunting,  his  favorite  cars,  and  his 
motorcycle.  He  helped  his  dad  farm  at  the  ranch.  He 
also  worked  for  the  forest  service  and  was  later,  in 
1960,  employed  with  Fall  River  Rural  Electric  Coop  as 
a  lineman  and  shop  foreman,  retiring  in  July  1990. 

In  1960  Clyde  married  Shirley  Phelps 
(Renard)  her  daughter,  Trish,  was  4  years  of  age. 
They  made  their  home  on  Idaho  Street  in  Ashton,  a 
bcautifiil  home  and  yard. 

Their  daughter,  Sheryl,  was  born  Feb.  6, 
1960  and  a  son,  Brian,  August  30,  1963.  Over  the 
years  they  were  devoted  to  their  family. 

Shirley  passed  away  Jan.  22,  1989,  with  a 
severe  illness. 

Clyde  still  resides  at  Ashton  and  is  a  proud 
grandfather  of  Amanda,  age  four  —  Sheryl's  daughter, 
and  Christin,  Trish's  daughter,  age  four.  Sheryl  and 
Brian  reside  at  Idaho  Falls  so  they  can  be  near  their 
Dad. 

by:  Ruth  Lenz  Hiatt 

FREIDRICH  AUGUST  LENZ 

and 

CHRISTINA  STUENKEL 

Freidrich  August  Lenz  was  born  March  3, 
1866.  He  was  fi-om  Lciferde,  Germany. 

Christina  Stuenkel  was  born  February  12, 
1861.  She  was  from  Concordia,  Mo.  They  were 
married  in  October,  1890,  in  Concordia,  Mo. 


234 


b.r.  August,  Jr.,  Charles,  Arthur,  Louis, 

Herman,  f.r.  Mildred  Sellers  (August,  Jr.'s 

wife)  and  Christina  Stuenkel  Lenz  (mother) 

August  Lenz,  Sr.  made  arrangements  for 
several  families  to  move  from  Concordia,  Missouri  to 
Squirrel,  Idaho  on  January  7,  1907.  He  contacted 
the  Missouri  Pacific  Railway  Company  in  Concordia, 
who  advised  him  that  the  rate  was  $31.60  for  fare  on 
that  date,  but  that  on  March  1st  the  rates  would  be 
decreasing.  He  made  arrangements  for  immigrant 
freight  cars  to  take  possessions  and  on  immigrant 
passenger  car.  The  people  could  stay  in  the  passenger 
car  through  the  trip.  They  took  lots  of  things:  prized 
furnishings,  quilts,  farm  animals,  machinery,  spinning 
wheels,  food,  lanterns,  a  variety  of  things  to  be  used 
in  their  new  homes. 

Families  who  came  with  this  group  were  the 
Martin  Luetjens,  Henry  GrifFels,  Louis  Kappleman, 
Henry  Bollands,  Walter  and  Herman  Lenz,  and  their 
mother,  and  the  August  Lenz  family.  The  latter 
consisted  of  August  Lenz,  Sr.  (Freidrich  August),  his 
wife  Christina  Stuenkel  Lenz,  August  Lenz  Jr., 
Arthur  L.  Lenz,  Charles  W.  Lenz,  Wilhemine 
(Minnie)  Lenz,  Louis  Lenz,  and  Herman  Lenz. 

They  arrived  in  Ashton,  April  3,  1907,  with 
snow  still  on  the  ground.  Friends  met  them  and 
showered  them  with  good  wishes,  then  took  them  to 
their  homes.  The  Lenz  family  first  lived  in  a  house 
next  to  Albert  and  Helen  Scafe  near  the  draw  and 
slightiy  north.  The  boys  and  Mr.  Lenz  all  worked  for 
local  formers.  Mr.  Lenz  was  a  carpenter  so  his  skills 
were  in  demand.  Art  attended  Lillian  and  Famum 
schools.  Herman  attended  Squirrel  school.  The 
family  soon  moved  to  their  own  farm  on  the 
Reclamation  Road.  The  house  was  just  across  the 
street  from  the  Wamke  Store.  August  Lenz,  Sr. 
died  October  29,  1917.  His  daughter,  Wilhemine, 
died  the  following  December  12,  1918,  with  Spanish 
Influenza. 

Christina  Lenz  and  her  sons  continued  to 
operate  the  farm.  She  was  well  known  for  her 
kindness  and  especially  her  hospitality  for  travelers  on 
the  Reclamation  Road.   On  wintery  nights  she  would 


always  keep  a  light  burning  in  the  window  so  travelers 
on  the  unimproved  road  would  not  become  lost. 
Upon  reaching  her  place  travelers  were  warmed,  fed, 
and  given  beds  by  Mrs.  Lenz.  Usually  she  did  not 
accept  or  expect  payment  for  these  kindnesses.  The 
neighbors  fondly  referred  to  her  as  "Tana  Lenz". 

Only  two  of  the  Lenz  sons  married.  August 
married  Mildred  Sellers  on  March  31,  1918,  in  bend 
Oregon.  He  was  returning  from  Fort  Lewis, 
Washington,  where  he  was  inducted  in  the  Army,  but 
was  released  after  only  a  few  weeks.  Mildred  was  the 
daughter  of  O.K.  and  Clara  Sellers,  who  came  to 
Idaho  in  1914,  at  the  urging  of  their  friends,  David 
and  Clara  Clouse.  Mildred  and  August  first  lived  on 
the  Loch  place,  east  of  the  old  Zion  Church,  and  later 
took  over  the  Sellers  place  and  rented  ground  to  farm 
wherever  they  could.  They  had  two  children,  Lyle  O. 
Lenz,  and  Wilma  Lenz  Threet. 

Herman  Lenz,  another  son,  married  Marie 
Ronfcld,  on  Dec.  23,  1937.  They  settled  on  the  "old 
Herman  Lenz"  property  on  Squirrel  Creek.  The 
other  three  brothers  never  married.  Louis  lived  with 
his  mother.  Art  purchased  his  own  farm  in  1920  and 
Charlie  bought  the  "Cole  Place"  and  later  the  Wadell 
Place  on  Squirrel  Creek.  Christina  lived  on  the  farm 
until  November  1943,  when  illness  forced  her  to  be 
cared  for  by  August  and  Mildred  in  Ashton.  She  died 
April  4,  1944. 

August  farmed  with  his  son,  Lyle,  in  the 
Kelly  area  until  he  was  in  his  eighties.  He  and 
Mildred  had  purchased  a  home  in  Ashton  in  1943  to 
enable  them  to  have  a  place  for  their  daughter  to  stay 
and  attend  school.  They  lived  at  the  ranch  at  Squirrel 
in  the  summer  and  in  Ashton  in  the  winter.  August 
died  April  20,  1982.  His  son  Lyle  preceded  him  in 
death  on  March  17,  1982.  Lyle  had  two  sons,  Clark 
and  Evan.  They  continue  to  carry  on  the  farming  of 
the  Lenz  properties.  Mildred  is  living  in  Idaho  Falls 
near  her  daughter  Wilmz. 

CHILDREN  OF  F.  AUGUST  AND 
CHRISTINA  S.  LENZ 


d- 1982 


1893 

d- 

1978 

1895 

d- 

1974 

1897 

d- 

1918 

1900 

d- 

1970 

1904 

d- 

1990 

( 1 )  August  Lenz,  Jr.        b-  189 1 
md-  Mildred  Sellers 

(2)  Carl  Wm.  (Charlie)    b 

(3)  Arthur  L.  Lenz  b 

(4)  Wilhemine  (Minnie)  b 

(5)  Louis  A.  Lenz  b 

(6)  Herman  Adolph  Lenz  b 

md-  Marie  Ronfcld 


CHILDREN  OF  AUGUST,  JR  AND 
MILDRED  SELLERS  LENZ 

(1)  Lyle  O.  Lenz  b-  1923        d-  1982 
md-  Roberta  Madsen 

(2)  Wilma  Lenz  b- 1931 

md-  Charles  Threet 


Wilma  and  Lyle  O.  Lenz  (brother  and  sister) 
Mildred  Sellers  and  August  Lenz,  Jr.  (parents) 

CHILDREN  OF  HERMAN  ADOLPH  AND 
MARIE  RONFELD  LENZ 

(1)  Leona  Katherine 
md-  Fred  Nelsen 

(2)  Lawrence  Herman 
md-  Donna  Bowen 

(3)  Edward  Henry 

md-  Jacqueline  Sue  Schuldt 

(4)  Ellen  Marie 

md-  Raymond  Mullen 

FRED  LENZ 

and 

SELMA  GRIFFEL 


235 


The  Fred  Lenz,  Jr.  family  b.r.  Michael,  Fredjr.,  Don 
f.r.  Janet,  Cheryl,  Marie,  Lyneue,  Kathy 


Fred  was  bom  to  Carl  F.  and  Anna  Kandler 
Lenz,  2-10-1891,  in  Hoskins,  Nebr.  He  came  to 
Idaho  with  his  parents  in  1901  settling  in  the  Squirrel 
area.  He  farmed  with  his  father  as  a  young  man. 

On  November  4,  1917,  he  married  Sclma 


I 

V 


Griflfel.  They  made  their  home  on  a  farm  east  of  Carl 
F.  Lcnz  place. 

Their  daughters  were:  Viola,  Thelma,  and 
Maxine;  also  a  son,  Fred.  The  children  were  born 
between  1920  and  1930.  They  all  attended  grade 
school  at  Kelly,  Dist  #6. 

Mr,  Lenz  died  in  1947,  and  his  wife  Selma  in 
1972. 

Fred,  Jr.  lives  on  the  home  place  where  the 
old  red  store  building,  owned  by  Mr.  Wanke  still 
stands.  (Now  used  as  a  storage  shed).  Prior  to  Mr. 
Wanke's  building  the  store,  settlers  traveled  to 
Marysville  and  St.  Anthony  for  supplies.  Later  on  the 
store  was  purchased  and  its  contents  moved  to  a  new 
building  located  2  miles  south  of  the  Squirrel 
Cemetery. 

The  Squirrel  Post  Office  also  was  located  in 
the  new  building. 

In  1916  a  dance  hall  was  built,  and  is  still  in 
use;  community  card  parties  are  held  during  the 
winter  months,  and  the  hall  is  available  for  private 
parties  and  family  gatherings. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Viola 

md-  Elmer  Lcnz        (Walter  Lenz'  son) 

(2)  Thelma 

md-  Norbert  Lenz     (Walter  Lcnz'  son) 

(3)  Maxine 

md-  Garold  Troth 

(4)  Fred 

md-  Marie  Mackcrt 

WALTER  C.  LENZ 

and 
LAURA  LUETJEN 

Walter  Lenz  was  born  Jan.  3,  1887  to 
Herman  Ernst  and  Maria  Stuenkel  Lcnz  at  Concordia, 
Mo.  On  May  15,  1889,  Herman  H.  was  bom. 

When  Walter  was  about  3  years  old,  and 
Herman  11  months,  the  family  went  out  West,  to 
Oregon,  hoping  to  find  a  farm  to  settle  on.  His  father 
became  ill  shortly  after  arriving  there  and  died  in 
1890. 

Maria  and  sons  then  returned  to  Mo.  and  she 
supported  her  family  by  weaving  carpets  on  a  loom,  to 
be  sold.  In  1907  Walter  came  to  Idaho  with  Gust 
Griflfel  and  spent  several  summers  working,  returning 
to  Mo.  each  year  for  the  winters. 

He  returned  to  stay  permanendy  and  built  a 
one  room  log  cabin  in  1909;  was  engaged  to  Laura 
Luctjen  that  year.  In  1910,  he  added  2  more  rooms 
to  the  log  cabin;  and  on  April  6,  1911  he  and  Laura 
were  married. 

Early  in  the  Spring  of  1914,  their  house 
burned  and  rebuilding  was  done  and  in  July  of  that 
year,  their  1st  child,  Elmer,  was  bom.  Other  children 
were  Norbert,  Hiima,  &  Shirley. 


236 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Elmer 

md-  Viola  Lcnz 

(2)  Norbert 

md-  Thelma  Lcnz  daughters  of  Fred  Lcnz 

(3)  Hilma 

md-  Carl  Ronfeld  and  moved  to  Nampa,  Idaho. 

(4)  Shirley 

md-  Darrell  Burback  at  Nampa  &  moved  to  Ore. 

Walter  had  the  job  of  reading  Fall  River  and 
canal  gauges  and  reporting  to  Fremont  Madison 
Irrigation  Distria,  along  with  farming.  (Formerly  his 
father-in-law  read  gauges). 

When  Walter,  Laura  and  Shirley  moved  to 
Nampa,  Idaho  in  the  fall  of  1943,  Elmer  took  over  the 
job  of  reading  gauges.  When  he  died  in  1977;  Viola 
was  able  to  continue  working  for  Fremont  Madison 
Irrigation  Dist.  and  still  lives  on  the  place  Walter 
homestcaded.  Laura  died  in  1978,  and  Walter  died  in 
1979. 

Written  by  Viola  Lcnz 

Note:  The  following  excerpts  were  taken  from  an 
article  by  Walter  C.  Lcnz  that  was  printed  in  the  Oa. 
4,  1973,  Ashton  Herald. 

When  I  was  a  young  man,  about  20, 
I  went  west  to  Idaho  to  look  around. 

Bom  in  1887  at  Concordia,  Mo.,  I  had  been 
studying  to  be  a  Lutheran  minister,  following  7  years 
of  Church  grade  school. 

So  when  I  first  came  to  the  Squirrel  country,  I 
worked  on  the  Farmer's  Ditch  near  a  flour  and  grain 
mill.  This  mill  was  near  the  old  Fall  River  Bridge  close 
to  what  is  now  Pete  Griffel's  place. 

The  second  year  I  came  out  west  I  worked  on 
the  Harrigfcld  Ditch  up  by  the  Red  Bridge.  I  also 
helped  brother  Herman  Lcnz  farm  that  summer.  We 
broke  up  some  land  and  I  lost  my  gold  watch.  It  was 
one  that  had  a  lid  you  had  to  open  to  see  the  time. 
Well,  the  next  year  when  we  worked  that  field  we 
found  it.  We  wound  it  and  it  ran  for  a  little  while,  but 
then  quit. 

That  Fall  I  went  back  to  Concordia  College, 
4th  year,  but  got  homesick  for  Idaho.  When  Spring 
came  it  got  worse.  I  told  our  director  I  wanted  to 
quit  and  he  gave  me  quite  a  sermon,  said  most  likely  I 
would  have  a  lot  of  bad  luck. 

Then  that  Spring  the  Martin  Luctjen  family 
said  they  were  going  to  move  to  Idaho.  That  made 
me  make  up  my  mind  to  go  back,  too.  (I  later,  in 
1911,  married  Laura  Luctjen  and  we  had  4  children, 
Elmer,  Norbert,  Hilma,  and  Shirley). 

As  time  went  by  more  and  more  of  us  got 
interested  in  moving  to  Squirrel,  Idaho — Henry 
GrifFel  and  family.  Gust,  William,  Fred,  Selma  and 
Nora — ^Louis  Kappclman  who  married  Frieda  Griflfel — 
August  Lcnz  and  family,  August,  Arthur,  Charley, 
Louis,  Herman  and  Minnie — Henry  Bolland  and 


family,  Mary,  Katy,  Frieda,  Henry,  Adolf  and 
William — and  my  mother  and  brother  Herman  and 
myself. 

August  Lenz  made  the  arrangement  with  the 
railroad  for  the  immigrant  freight  cars  and  one 
immigrant  passenger  car.  The  immigrants  could  stay 
in  the  passenger  car  and  wouldn't  have  to  change  cars 
at  every  station  where  the  men  change  crews. 

So  the  people  took  a  lot  of  things  along — 
mattresses,  quilts,  food,  lanterns,  spinning  wheels,  etc. 

In  our  freight  car  we  took  a  new  Deering 
binder,  a  Sulky  plow,  my  organ  and  one  horse.  I 
wanted  to  take  my  bird  dog  but  August  Lenz  didn't 
want  me  to  take  him.  The  rest  of  the  car  was  filled 
with  what  machinery  August  Lenz  had. 

At  last  we  got  to  Ashton.  Our  trip  had  taken 
13  days  with  the  freight  cars.  A  passenger  trip  took  3 
days  and  4  nights.  I  liked  this  trip  so  well  I  could  have 
ridden  all  over  the  U.S. 

Martin  Luetjen  had  taken  along  a  nice  team 
of  big  mules.  He  also  took  50  gallons  of  homemade 
molasses  for  himself  and  another  for  Carl  Lenz,  and 
most  of  his  farming  machinery. 

Martin  moved  to  320  acres  that  Carl  Lenz 
had  just  bought  which  was  about  two  and  one-half 
miles  from  the  Wyoming  line  and  about  2  miles  from 
the  forest  line.  The  farmers  there  were  still  plowing 
with  walking  plows.  They  raised  mosdy  oat,  barley, 
and  alfalfa  hay.  Some  would  raise  5  acres  of  wheat  so 
they  would  have  flour  to  bake  bread.  The  wheat  froze 
in  the  fields  quite  often.  In  the  Greentimber  distria  it 
was  more  hilly  and  draws,  so  they  raised  oats  that  they 
called  60 -day  oats.  We  didn't  like  it  much  on  their 
side  of  the  river. 

Sometimes  I  would  go  to  Fall  River  before 
church  and  catch  a  few  trout  for  dinner.  Hollands 
moved  into  a  house  2  miles  south,  which  was  1/2 
mile  west  of  the  Squirrel  Store. 

When  they  picked  us  up  at  Ashton  and  took 
us  to  Squirrel,  the  snow  was  at  least  2  1/2  ft.  deep  on 
the  level.  We  had  never  seen  that  much  snow  before. 

My  mother  and  Herman  rented  a  farm  from 
Bill  Lock,  first  house  east  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in 
Squirrel.  Mr.  Lock  was  a  bricklayer  in  Ashton  and 
lived  there. 

About  6  miles  from  Ashton  was  a  long 
dugway  in  the  road.  The  dirt  was  dug  a  way  from  the 
upper  side  of  a  hillside  and  pushed  down  the  opposite 
side  until  the  road  was  wide  enough  so  2  teams 
pulling  wagons  could  pass  each  other.  At  the  bottom 
there  was  a  bridge  just  high  enough  so  when  the  snow 
melted  or  heavy  rains  came,  the  water  would  not  flow 
over  the  bridge.  There  was  a  dam  above  the  bridge, 
and  a  flour  mill  which  made  flour  out  of  wheat.  This 
mill  got  its  power  from  the  water  behind  the  dam  on 
Fall  River.  When  they  wanted  power  they  pulled  the 
lever  that  let  the  water  flow  into  a  turbine,  which 
would  turn  in  a  socket  on  a  shaft.  The  other  end  of 
the  shaft  had  a  pulley  with  a  wide  belt.  The  belt  came 
from  inside  the  mill  from  another  shaft  with  a  big  and    237 


smaller  pulley.  This  would  provide  the  power  to  run 
the  mill. 

They  also  ground  wheat,  barley,  and  oats  for 
the  farmers.  Before  this  mill,  farmers  had  to  haul  their 
grain  to  St.  Anthony  and  before  that  to  Mud  Lake, 
Idaho. 

East  of  our  farm  was  the  Carl  Lenz  farm.  He 
had  come  in  1901  from  Nebraska.  Across  the  road, 
south  of  our  farm  (Bill  Lock),  lived  George  Harrigfeld 
and  south  of  him  lived  his  brother,  Chris. 

One  half  mile  west  from  there  lived  the 
Missionary  Pastor  Meyer.  He  had  Church  in  his 
house. 

The  people  who  came  to  church  were  the 
families  of  Carl  Lenz,  George  Harrigfeld,  Garz,  Truay, 
Rudolf  Habekost,  Carl  Hohman,  Reimanns,  Kremin, 
Sturm,  Louis  Kappelman,  Henry  Griffel,  Henry 
BoUands,  August  Lenz,  and  my  mother,  brother  and 
I. 

We  gave  this  church  quite  a  lift.  We  built  a 
new  Church  in  1907.  Henry  GrifFel  was  a  carpenter 
and  he  direrted  the  building.  All  of  us  helped  build 
the  Church  and  donated  money  to  buy  the  materials. 

We  had  bought  2  acres  for  the  Church 
grounds.  We  sold  our  organ  to  the  Church. 

We  believe  we  were  the  first  Lutherans  to 
start  a  Church  in  Idaho.  Years  later,  some  said  we 
were  the  first  to  build  a  church  and  the  first  to  support 
our  pastor. 

Some  claimed  there  was  a  congregation  in 
Wallace,  Idaho,  that  rented  a  building  and  held 
services.  We  never  knew  for  sure. 

HERMAN  H.  LENZ 

and 

MARY  AHRENTSCHILD 

Herman  Lenz,  brother  of  Walter  C.  Lenz, 
came  to  Squirrel  in  1906,  from  Concordia,  Missouri 
where  he  was  born  May  15,  1889.  He  came  to 
Squirrel  and  homesteaded  on  Squirrel  Creek  and  took 
care  of  his  mother  who  had  been  a  widow  since 
Herman  was  just  a  few  years  old.  Herman  served  with 
the  U.S.  Army  during  World  War  I,  returning  to  his 
homestead  following  the  war. 

Herman  and  Mary  Ahrentschild  were  married 
in  1919  at  the  Lutheran  Church  at  Squirrel,  Idaho. 
Mary  was  a  sister  to  Anna  Bergman.  Five  sons  were 
bom  to  this  couple:  Donald  R.  Lenz,  David  W.  Lenz, 
and  Raymond  W.  Lenz,  all  of  Melba,  Idaho;  Aldcn  E. 
Lenz,  Boise,  Idaho;  and  James  N.  Lenz,  Canoga  Park, 
California.  Two  daughters  also  blessed  their  home, 
Marion  K.  Suchy  of  Boise,  and  Lucille  F.  Dykes  of 
Tacoma,  Washington. 

They  moved  to  Nampa  in  February  of  1936, 
where  he  farmed  until  1948.  Mrs.  Lenz  died  in 
1941. 

Mr.  Lenz  enjoyed  hunting  and  fishing  until 
his  death  February  11,  1973. 


PHILLIP  BERNARD  LERWILL 

and 

EDNA  VERIAN  LEE 


Phillip  Bernard  and  Edna  Verian  Lee  Lcrwill 

Phillip  Bernard  Lcrwill  and  Edna  Verian  Lcc 
lived  in  Monroe,  Oregon  until  the  spring  of  1912. 

Phillip  and  Claude  Lee  were  informed  by  a 
friend,  Perry  Martin  living  one  mile  south  and  1/2 
mile  east  of  France  Siding  that  the  State  of  Idaho  was 
leasing  unimproved  land  around  Lamont  for  around 
$2.50  and  acre.  Phillip  and  Claude  made  a  trip  to 
Idaho  and  Phillip  leased  320  acres  of  sage  brush  land. 

The  State  eventually  put  this  ground  up  for 
auction  and  allowed  the  families  to  purchase  the  leased 
land.  In  the  spring  of  1916  we  sold  all  our 
possessions  in  Oregon,  including  a  Model  T  Ford,  and 
with  four  children;  Lois,  Hubert,  Doris,  and  Georgia, 
boarded  the  train  at  Monroe,  Oregon.  We  were  each 
allowed  200  pounds  of  baggage. 

We  got  off  the  train  at  France  Siding  and 
walked  to  the  Martin  home.  We  remodeled  a  granary 
and  lived  there  and  Phillip  rode  horseback  3  miles  to 
his  new  land  which  was  1/2  miles  west  of  Lamont  by 
the  railroad  crossing. 

He  bought  six  head  of  horses  and  a  two 
bottom  plow  and  went  to  work.  Each  night  he  turned 
the  horses  out  and  hobbled  them.  Some  nights  they 
wandered  quite  a  distance.  In  September  when  school 
started  at  Lamont,  we  moved  from  the  Martin  place 
and  lived  in  two  tents  until  our  house  was  built 
Oaober  16th. 

They  ordered  a  pre-cut  house  out  of  Portland 
and  he  hired  a  handy-man  to  help  him  build  the 
house.  He  also  dug  a  well,  and  hauled  and  cut  his 
wood  into  timber.  He  himted  for  our  winter  meat. 

The  winters  were  severe  and  we  walked  down 
the  railroad  to  school  at  Lamont  in  a  one  room  log 
school  house.  Ralph  Lamont  was  our  first  school 
teacher.  He  taught  1-8  grades.  Lois  Lerwill 
graduated  from  the  8th  grade  the  first  year.  A  couple    238 


of  years  later  they  built  a  two  room  school  house. 
Virginia  Duke  and  Miss  Kunkel  were  the  teachers. 

Around  1917  George  Ferney  from  St. 
Anthony  built  a  large  room  upstairs  and  sodal  events 
were  held  there. 

The  fall  of  1918,  World  War  I  had  called  all 
eligible  young  men  to  war.  The  flu  epidemic  was  very 
severe  and  many  died  from  the  flu.  This  was  our  1st 
or  2nd  harvest  at  Lamont.  My  Aunt  and  one  and  one- 
half  year  old  son,  who  had  been  bom  at  our  house 
(she  had  been  living  at  Arbon  Valley)  came  walking 
down  the  track  the  first  of  December.  She  was 
expecting  another  child.  Her  name  was  Olive  Burks, 
sons  were  Malcom  and  Lennis  Burks. 

We  had  the  threshing  crew  who  were  pulling 
bundles  of  wheat  out  of  the  snow  and  threshing  the 
grain.  The  crew  came  and  stayed  right  in  our  home, 
sleeping  on  the  floors  and  our  mother  feeding  them 
three  meals  a  day. 

Immediately  my  aunt  became  sick  with  the 
flu.  George  Ferney  fixed  the  recreation  room  for  a 
hospital  room  and  my  mother  took  my  aunt  there  to 
nurse  her.  The  Doctor  came  from  Ashton  and 
delivered  the  baby.  My  aunt  lived  only  a  few  days,  but 
the  baby  girl,  Lennie,  survived. 

Schools  were  dosed  that  year  due  to  flu  and 
the  war.  We  kept  my  aunt's  two  children  for  two 
years  until  my  brother  Harold  was  born  March  9, 
1920.  He  also  was  delivered  at  our  house.  The 
railroad  gave  the  train  crew  permission  to  stop  at  the 
railroad  crossing  by  our  house. 

For  several  years  we  suffered  drought 
conditions  and  very  poor  crops.  My  father  was  a  very 
good  farmer,  and  always  got  his  crops  in  early  and  the 
harvest  in  before  the  storms  in  winter.  Around  1930 
he  bought  his  first  tractor  and  sold  all  those  horses 
that  had  to  be  fed  three  times  a  day.  He  enjoyed  not 
having  the  chores  of  currying,  feeding,  watering,  and 
harnessing  the  horses,  but  he  also  loved  all  animals. 
He  said  he  never  made  any  money  until  he  used  a 
tractor. 

My  brother  Hubert  died  in  1934,  and  at  that 
time  Harold  was  12  years  old.  He  stepped  in  and 
filled  Hubert's  shoes. 

The  winters  were  severe  and  the  only 
transportation  was  by  railroad,  sleigh,  and  snowshocs, 
etc.  Developing  the  Lamont  community  was  not  for 
sissies,  hard  work  and  a  desire  to  be  able  to  raise  a 
family  was  always  uppermost  in  our  minds. 

My  father  loved  the  freedom  of  living  in  the 
Lamont  area.  He  enjoyed  the  view  of  the  Teton  Peaks, 
the  good  drinking  water,  and  the  privacy,  but  when  he 
retired,  he  enjoyed  an  automatic  furnace  and  electric 
stove,  a  luxury  he  never  expected  to  have. 

In  1945  our  farm  was  sold  to  Harry  and 
Elaine  French.  Phillip  and  Edna  purchased  an 
apartment  building  in  St.  Anthony. 

Edna  was  often  called  as  a  midwife.  She  was 
called  to  deliver  the  Lee  Gallager  children  and  the 
Harry  French  children,  and  many  others. 


Editors  note:  The  above  information  was  written  by 
Georgia  H.  Lerwill  Harris  Cherry,  and  submitted  by 
Garry  Lynn  Lerwill.  The  following  notes,  data,  and 
general  helpful  information  come  from  them  also: 

Governors  of  Idaho  1913-1926 

1913-1915  John  Haines,  Rep. 
1915-1918  Moses  Alexander,  Dem. 
1918-1923  Davis  W.  Davis,  Rep. 
1923-1925  Charles  C.  Moore,  Rep. 

Families  living  in  the  Lamont  region  around  1916: 

The  Lamont  family  living  on  the  right-hand  side  of 
the  hill  on  Bitch  Creek,  where  the  road  crosses  Bitch 
Creek;  Elmo,  Clyde,  Ralph,  Grace,  Belva  Eloise, 
Elmo's  two  sons,  Ben  and  Dean.  Clyde  married  a 
Bailey  gjrl,  one  daughter. 

Schults  familv: 

Conlins;  Tom,  Mary,  &  John. 

Taspcr  Litton  family:  Ralph  (St.  Anthony  lawyer),  Ray, 
Ruth. 

Gibson:  Hazel,  Bemiece,  Cora,  Billie. 

Niendorf:  Harry,  Paul  (md.  Bemiece  Gibson),  Don, 
Harry  (md.  Hazel  Gibson). 

Elias  Cook  familv  living  on  Conant  Creek;  Joe  &  Lilly 
Cook  had  the  post  office  in  their  home  several  years. 

Elias  Gardner,  Bishop  (Presiding  Elder)  of  L.D.S. 
Church  services  at  Highland;  Ray,  Laura,  Lajetta, 
Reva  and  two  others.  Lajetta  Gardner  married  Arvid 
Glover,  who  was  a  cousin  of  Alta  Martindale  Lerwill. 
(Alta  married  Harold  James  Lerwill).  Their  daughter 
was  Utana  Bean. 

George  Fernev  came  about  1917;  Clifford,  Lyle, 
Merlin,  Lillian,  &  Leland.  Lillian  married  a  Wort 
from  Jackson  and  they  had  the  Wort  Hotel.  Merlin 
married  Leona  Atkinson  from  Highland  area. 
Fred  Morrison  &  Dolly  &  son  Douglas.  When  Fred 
died,  Dollie  married  Ernest  French. 

Frank  and  Ella  Smith.  When  Frank  died,  Ella  married 
Roy  Callow.  Frank  and  Ella  had  three  children.  They 
never  attended  Lamont  school.  Morrison  and  Smith's 
wives  were  sisters  -  they  all  came  from  Oregon. 

The  railroad  was  built  around  1910  or  1912  from 
Ashton  to  Victor.  About  that  time,  they  were  building 
the  Jackson  Dam.  Before  the  railroad  was  built  they 
freighted  the  merchandise  from  Marysvillc  on  the 
Reclamation  Road  &  over  the  hill  to  Jenny's  Lake. 
Marysville  was  named  after  the  residents  living  there 
by  the  name  of  "Mary".  239 


Note:    The  following  was  written  by  Doris  Ada 
Lerwill. 

Papa  always  wanted  to  farm  in  a  big  way  and 
raise  grain.  He  went  with  Uncle  Claude  Lee  to  look 
at  Palouse  County  in  Washington.  Papa  had  cousins 
there  who  were  well-to-do  farmers.  The  land  was  to 
high.  Later  they  went  to  look  at  state  owned  land 
near  Lamont,  Idaho.  They  had  quite  a  few  friends 
who  had  gone  up  there  from  Oregon  and  they  went 
and  stayed  with  them. 

We  went  to  Idaho  on  the  train.  It  was  like  a 
funeral  the  day  that  we  left  and  I  guess  Mama  and 
Papa  Lee  thought  we  would  never  see  each  other 
again.  Mama  (Edna),  Hubert,  Georgia  and  I  went 
back  for  a  visit  in  two  years,  and  later  Papa  and  Lois 
went.  We  landed  at  France  Siding,  June  1, 1916  in  a 
snow  storm.  Each  one  was  carrying  baggage.  We 
brought  our  limit.  Each  person  was  allowed  a  certain 
amount  by  weight.  We  walked  up  to  Martin's  place 
which  was  a  couple  of  miles.  They  had  a  nice  home. 
They  were  Perry  and  Minnie  Martin  and  their 
daughter.  Vera,  who  was  about  the  age  of  Herbert. 

Father  ordered  a  ready-to-build  house  that 
was  delivered  in  August.  We  lived  in  two  tents  while 
the  house  was  being  built.  The  house  was  quite  nice 
for  the  times,  and  was  the  newest  one  around  Lamont. 
It  was  four  rooms,  with  two  bedrooms,  a  kitchen  ,  and 
a  small  living  room.  It  was  heated  with  a  wood  heater 
and  a  wood  range  for  cooking.  Later  they  built  two 
rooms  on. 

One  morning  we  got  up  and  there  was  no 
sign  of  the  chicken  house.  It  was  completely  buried 
with  snow.  After  digging  it  out  we  found  the  chickens 
huddled  together,  and  all  ok. 

Oh,  how  cold  it  was.  Sometimes  in  the 
morning  when  we  woke  up  our  eyelashes  would  be 
frozen.  It  was  a  good  thing  Mama  had  so  much 
bedding  and  quilts  she  had  made,  and  feather  ticks. 
She  made  all  of  our  clothes  too,  and  washed  them  in 
water  which  had  to  be  carried  in  from  the  cistern,  but 
later  we  had  a  pump.  We  filled  the  water  tank  from 
Mud  Springs  with  a  bucket,  but  of  course  we  were 
lucky  to  have  the  spring  so  close. 

Papa  and  Mrs.  Gardner  played  at  the  school 
for  dances.  Whole  femilies  went,  and  it  was  a  lot  of 
fim.  Papa  played  his  fiddle  and  Mrs.  Gardner  played 
the  piano.  They  held  church  services  at  the  school 
house.  It  was  lucky  if  there  was  a  minister  close 
enough  to  come.  I  don't  remember  where  the  LDS 
held  their  services.  We  never  heard  of  the  Mormons 
until  we  moved  to  Idaho.  Actually,  the  Gardner 
family  is  the  only  ones  I  remember  that  were 
Mormons  at  Lamont.  I  am  sure  there  were  more, 
yes,  the  Lamont  family  were  too.  The  Gibsons, 
Niendorfs,  Littons,  Morrisons,  Homings,  Smiths  and 
us  were  not.  A  lot  of  these  people  had  come  from 
Oregon. 

They  had  quite  a  big  school  enrollment  at 
that  time.  We  walked  down  the  railroad  track  a  mile 
and  a  quarter  to  go  to  school.    Many  times  the  men 


a 

4. 

■5: 

V 


on  the  section  would  give  us  a  ride  and  I  am  sure  it 
was  against  the  rule. 

Georgia,  Herbert,  and  I  always  went  with  a 
lot  of  other  kids,  swimming  in  Conant  Creek  in  the 
summer,  which  followed  the  winter,  eventually. 

Our  first  Thanksgiving  in  Idaho,  Martins 
invited  us  for  dinner.  The  snow  was  really  deep  on 
the  horses.  Usually  in  the  winter  everyone  just  cut 
across  the  fences  which  were  covered  and  a  crust  that 
would  sometimes  hold  the  horses  up,  but  when  they 
broke  through  it  wasn't  so  good.  We  had  a  lot  of  fim 
skiing  behind  the  sled,  holding  on  a  long  rope.  We 
also  skied  down  the  hills.  Our  equipment  consisted  of 
a  cheap  pair  of  skies  with  a  strap  to  put  your  foot 
through. 

Papa  fished  a  lot  in  the  summer  and  we  always 
had  to  catch  grasshoppers  for  bait.  That  was  all  part 
of  the  fun  for  us. 

Afi:er  we  got  out  of  the  eighth  grade,  we  had 
to  go  to  Ashton  high  school.  Papa  bought  a  small 
house  in  Ashton  and  we  kids  lived  in  it,  in  the  school 
months  and  went  to  school.  We  always  went  home  on 
the  train  for  weekends. 


b.r.  Lois,  Doris,  Hubert,  Georgia,  f.r.  center  Harold  Lerwill 

CHILDREN  OF  PHILLIP  BERNARD  AND  EDNA 
VERIAN  LEE  LERWILL 

(1)  Lois 

md-  Mr.  Nef 

(2)  Doris  Ada  b-  1906 
md-  Arthur  Say 

(3)  Georgia  H.  b-  1908 
md-(l)  Clinton  Harris 

(2)-  Jack  Cherry 

(4)  Hubert  Lynn  d-  1934 

(5)  Harold  James  b-  1920 
md-  Alta  Ruth  Martindale 

Note:  Claude  Lee  and  Rex  Lee  who  farmed  in  our 
area  were  relatives  of  Edna  V.  Lee  Lerwill  mentioned 
above. 


b.r.  Harold,  Garry,  Alta,  Brent, 
f.r.  Shirley,  Danny,  David,  Marilyn  Lerwill 

CHILDREN  OF  HAROLD  AND  ALTA  RUTH 
MARTINDALE  LERWILL 

(1)  Garry  Lynn  b- 1943 

md-  Vema  June  Josephson 


(2)  Brent  Lee 

b- 

1947 

(3)  Shirley  Ann 

b- 

1949 

md-  Jim  Brock 

(4)  David  Harold 

b- 

1953 

md-  Shirley  Beard 

(5)  Danny  Philip 

b- 

1954 

md-  Cathy  Jackson 

(6)  Marilyn  Kay 

b- 

1955 

md-  Jim  Barnes 

240 


b.r.  Lisa,  Stacy,  Jeff  f.r.  Garry,  Vema,  Ryan  Lerwill 


CHILDREN  OF  GARRY  LYNN  AND  VERNA 
JUNE  JOSEPHSON  LERWILL 

(1)  Jeffrey  Lynn 
md-  Sandy  Blake 

(2)  Stacey  James 

md-  Brenda  Curtis 

(3)  Lisa  Cathryn 
md-  Scott  Wright 

(4)  Ryan  Garry 


LAWRENCE  BRAINARD  LINDSLEY 

and 

MARGARET  HAWKES 


Margaret  and  Lawrence  Undsley  1940 

"Lawrence  started  collecting  wrenches  before 
he  could  walk,"  said  his  mother,  Gertrude  Spoor 
Lindsley,  when  reminiscing  about  her  son's  early 
interest  in  all  things  mechanical.  "When  he  was  three 
years  old,  he  wanted  the  conductor  to  stop  the  train 
we  were  traveling  on.  He  had  spotted  a  wrench  lying 
in  the  roadbed,  wanted  to  get  off  and  pick  it  up.  He 
made  such  a  fuss,  his  Grandfather  Spoor,  who  was 
escorting  us  from  our  home  in  northern  Idaho  to 
Cheyenne  for  a  visit,  bought  a  wrench  from  one  of  the 
trainmen.  Looking  it  over,  Lawrence  said,  'Not  the 
same  kind,'  but  thank  goodness,  it  did  settle  him 
down  and  he  quit  howling,  'Stop  the  train.'" 

The  Lindsley  line  goes  back  to  Walter  de 
Lindsay  of  Normandy.  A  follower  of  William  the 
Conqueror,  he  was  granted  large  holdings  in  Scodand 
after  1066.  Some  of  the  family  went  to  England  in 
the  train  of  James  Stuart  when  he  became  king  of 
England  in  1603.  Later  in  that  century,  two  brothers 
emigrated  to  America,  settled  first  in  New  Jersey,  then 
moved  to  Connecticut.  The  New  Jersey  Lindsays 
began  spelling  their  name  Lindsley.  Some  of  these 
Lindsleys  settled  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky. 

The  Spoors  were  emigrants  from  the 
Rhineland  in  Germany  who  took  up  land  in  the  Finger 
Lakes  country  of  upper  New  York  State  after  the 
Revolutionary  War.  Lawrence's  mother  was  born  in 
Canandaigua,  New  York;  his  father  on  a  plantation 
near  Hickman,  Kentucky. 

His  paternal  grandfather,  John  Franklin 
Lindsley,  sided  with  the  Confederacy  during  the  Civil 
War;  his  maternal  grandfather,  Linus  Brainard  Spoor, 
campaigned  with  the  Union  forces  under  Custer. 
True  to  their  respective  heritage,  his  northern -born 
mother  always  voted  Republican;  his  Kentucky  bom 
father,  Democratic.  241 


After  the  Civil  War,  his  grandfather  Spoor 
worked  his  way  westward  with  the  Union  Pacific, 
eventually  settied  in  Cheyenne.  There  Linus  and  his 
son  were  employed  as  carpenters  who  did  the  special 
woodwork  that  distinguished  the  Union  Pacific 
passenger  cars  of  the  post-Civil  War  era. 

His  grandfather  Lindsley  returned  to 
Kentucky  after  the  Civil  War,  and  had  a  hat  factory  in 
St.  Louis.  When  he  travelled  to  Rico,  Colorado,  on 
business,  he  took  his  twenty  year  old  son,  Allen,  with 
him.  Allen  Franklin  Lindsley  went  out  mining  in  the 
Colorado  mountains  with  a  partner  and  found  a  rich 
vein  of  ore.  They  sold  out  to  a  developer  for  the  then 
princely  sum  of  535,000.  Taking  his  share,  young 
Allen  went  sightseeing  -  -  England,  the  Continent,  the 
Mediterranean,  South  America  -  -  until  the  money  ran 
out.  Then  he  came  back,  and  was  involved  in  the 
mining  business  in  one  capacity  or  another  for  the  rest 
of  his  life. 

Allen,  drawn  to  the  mining  developments  in 
northern  Idaho,  met  Gertrude  Spoor  when  she  visited 
her  married  sister  in  Hope,  Idaho.  They  began  their 
married  life  in  Hope,  moved  to  Cheyenne  for  a  time, 
then  to  the  Centennial  Valley  of  Wyoming. 

Lawrence,  bom  in  Spokane,  Washington,  in 
1903,  was  six  years  old  when  they  moved  to 
Centennial.  To  support  the  family,  his  father  operated 
a  store,  worked  some  local  mines,  and  travelled  for  a 
powder  manufacturing  company  demonstrating  the 
advances  in  dynamite  and  other  explosives  used  in 
mining. 

After  finishing  grade  school,  Lawrence 
attended  the  highly  respected  vocational-technical 
institution  in  Denver,  known  as  the  Opportunity 
School.  Here,  in  addition  lo  honing  his  mechanical 
skill,  Lawrence  leamed  all  they  could  teach  him  about 
the  recent  addition  to  their  curriculum,  welding. 

He  leamed  even  more  from  one  of  his  first 
employers,  a  dour  German  emigrant  knowledgeable 
about  metals,  their  peculiarities  and  how  to  weld 
them.  He  also  learned  that  this  testy  man  used 
criticism,  not  compliments,  as  teaching  tools. 

"I  show  you  all  vot  I  know  and  still  you  don't 
know  nottings,"  this  master  mechanic,  welder,  and 
machinist  would  complain. 

"The  next  time  I  send  you  to  do  some  ting,  I 
do  it  myself,"  was  his  favorite  putdown  when 
something  didn't  measure  up  to  his  strict  standards. 
As  an  expert  in  his  field  in  the  early  1920's  when 
welding  was  new  and  scarcely  understood  in  this 
country,  he  was  a  hard  taskmaster.  But  he  knew  his 
trade  -  -  and  by  the  time  Lawrence  said  'I  quit,'  he 
had  leamed  the  trade,  too. 

As  a  welder,  he  worked  in  Denver  and  Fort 
Collins,  Colorado;  at  Park  City  (now  Sinclair),  Casper 
and  Laramie,  Wyoming,  then  built  his  own  portable 
welding  rig  and  began  contracting  to  do  welding  work 
for  various  construction  companies  in  Colorado. 

During  this  period,  he  married  a  Centennial 
girl.  Jessie  Sawyer,    They  had  two  daughters,  Shirley 


and  Jessie;  two  sons,  Lawrence,  Jr.  and  Lloyd.    They 
were  divorced  in  1931. 


5 

ft 

■i 

V 


O 


Lawrence  B.  Lindsley  and  Prince  with 
his  portable  welding  truck  1947 

Lawrence  and  his  welding  rigs  found 
profitable  employment  with  the  contractors  on  the 
Dot  Siro  Railroad  cutoff  and  the  Gunnison  Dam  in 
Colorado.  During  his  work  at  the  latter,  he  met  Don 
German,  an  engineer  for  the  Bureau  of  Reclamation, 
who  got  him  interested  in  coming  to  Idaho  to  do 
some  work  for  the  Bureau. 

He  contracted  with  the  Bureau  of 
Reclamation  to  install  the  pipe  in  Grassy  Lake  Dam  in 
October,  1937,  and  to  do  diamond  drilling  and 
grouting  work  in  the  summer  of  1938.  He  met  and 
married  Margaret  Hawkes  that  year  and  they  went  to 
California  where  he  worked  construction,  travelled  for 
an  equipment  company,  and  did  contract  work  during 
WWII.  Their  daughter,  Helen,  was  bom  in  San  Jose, 
California,  December  26,  1943.  In  the  spring  of 
1946  they  moved  to  Drummond,  Idaho. 

For  nearly  two  decades,  Lawrence  had  a 
tractor  rebuilding  and  repair  shop  in  Drummond. 
During  that  time,  he  served  on  the  village  board,  was 
a  school  trustee,  a  volunteer  fireman,  was  active  in  the 
Masons  (Past  Master  of  Ashton  Lodge)  and  Eastern 
Star,  and  other  community  affairs. 

Margaret  was  born  in  Ashton,  January  9, 
1919,  grew  up,  literally,  in  Lillian.  Her  parents, 
Hazen  and  Helen  Hawkes,  had  purchased  and 
remodelled  the  building  that  served  originally  as  the 
Lillian  post  office  and  store,  located  on  the  north  side 
of  the  road  across  fi-om  the  WiUiam  G.  Baird  brick 
residence. 

Grade  school  teachers  included  Mrs.  Moon, 
Lucille  Hudson  Baird,  Cleora  Judd  Baker,  and  a  Mr. 
Miller.  In  the  seventh  and  eighth  grade,  Laura 
Manning  polished  up  her  spelling  skills  to  enable 


242 


Margaret  to  win  the  1932  Idaho  district  spelling 
championship,  a  plaque  and  a  loving  cup. 

In  the  'school  wagon,'  with  successive  drivers: 
Henry  Kidd,  Van  Clark,  and  Hazen  Hawkes,  she  was 
transported  to  school  in  the  company  of  other 
Drummond  students  that  included,  at  one  time  or 
another  the  following: 

Wayne,  Leone,  and  Don  Butler;  Dick,  Don, 
Emory,  Marcine,  and  Virginia  Clark;  Margaret, 
Marian,  and  Jack  Niendorf;  Lucille  Barrington;  Lee 
Carlson  and  his  brother;  Woodard  Sloss;  Billie,  Ethel, 
and  Marjorie  Fagjn;  Stella  and  Una  Hendrickson;  Bill, 
Dolores,  and  Thelma  Brown;  Francis  Bratt;  Emery 
Dewyer;  Beth  Kidd  (Mahlon  was  not  old  enough  for 
school);  Harold  and  Joyce  Hendrickson  (Dexter 
didn't  start  school  until  after  they  moved  to 
Drummond);  Marion  and  Maxine  Franz;  Alta  and 
Emery  Hawkes  (Gene  didn't  start  grade  school  until 
Margaret  was  in  high  school).  By  1931  the  Clarks  had 
moved  to  St.  Anthony,  the  Niendorfs  into 
Drummond,  and  the  Buders  spent  the  winters  in  St. 
Anthony,  so  the  school  wagon  did  not  have  to  go 
beyond  the  end  of  the  lane. 

Children  not  on  that  route -Amen,  Newcomb, 
Nyborg,  French,  Miller,  Garver,  Bowersox-wcre 
transported  to  school,  usually  in  rigs  driven  by  their 
fathers,  and  they  may  have  been  reimbursed  by  the 
school  board.  For  a  time,  there  was  a  school  in 
Grainville,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Drummond 
school  board,  maintained  for  those  children  living  on 
the  north  side  of  Conant  Creek;  and  ab>out  1932,  the 
Board  built  a  school  on  the  road  to  the  Nyborgs,  to 
serve  the  families  in  the  France  part  of  the  school 
district. 

Getting  to  and  from  high  school  was  more 
complicated.  At  that  time,  when  graduation  fi-om  the 
eighth  grade,  not  sixteen  years  of  age,  was  the 
requirement  for  schooling,  parents  had  to  underwrite 
the  expenses  of  a  high  school  education  for  their 
children.  Most  country  students  stayed  in  town 
during  the  school  week,  some  working  for  their  board 
and  room,  some  paying  for  their  board  and  room,  or 
renting  a  room  and  'batching.' 

Margaret  experienced  all  three  types  of 
accommodations  and,  like  most  students,  came  to 
favor  'batching.'  As  a  freshman  in  St.  Anthony,  she 
boarded  part  of  the  year  with  Mary  Lou  Dedman  and 
her  parents,  then  with  Glen  and  Lucille  Baird,  and 
when  they  moved  up  to  the  farm  in  the  spring,  with 
Wilma  Cazier  and  her  grandmother.  Her  sophomore 
year  in  Ashton,  she  worked  for  Cleora  Judd  Baker; 
when  she  was  called  away  to  southern  Idaho,  for 
Elaine  and  Claude  Lee;  while  they  were  visiting  in 
Utah,  she  worked  for  the  Hunts,  store  owners  in 
Ashton.  Her  junior  year  she  batched  in  a  room  in  the 
flats  rented  from  Mrs.  Cecil  Ezell,  an  aunt  of  Lucille 
Baird's,  who  operated  the  telephone  exchange  in  her 
home. 

In  her  senior  year,  she  and  her  sister,  Alta, 
enrolled  as  a  freshman,  batched  in  rooms  rented  from 


Joe  and  EfBc  Williams,  as  did  Marian  Franz  and  Edna 
Frank,  and  Orville  and  Lloyd  McFarlin. 

In  the  winter  time,  the  youngsters,  for  20 
cents  each,  rode  the  train  from  Ash  ton  to  Drummond 
on  Saturday  morning,  did  their  laundry  over  the 
weekend,  stocked  up  on  groceries,  and  returned  on 
the  Sunday  afternoon  train  to  Ash  ton.  Some  of  those 
who  made  the  weekend  train  trip  in  those  days  were: 
Bill  Smith,  Junior  Garz  (he  caught  the  train  at 
Grainville),  Janice  and  Jack  Jessen,  Naomi  and  Jake 
Harshbarger,  Orville,  and  Lloyd  MacFarlin,  Audrey 
Niendorf,  Ruth  and  Thelma  Garrity,  Sylvia  Engstrom, 
Harold  and  Joyce  Hendrickson,  Marian  Franz,  and 
Edna  Frank. 

After  graduation  from  Ashton  High  School  in 
1936,  Margaret  took  a  business-secretarial  course  at 
Kinman  Business  College  in  Spokane,  worked  in  the 
real  estate  office  for  Fess  Fuller  and  in  the  Rogstad 
laundry.  After  her  marriage  she  took  some  journalism 
and  creative  writing  courses  at  San  Jose  State  College, 
sold  her  first  article  at  age  nineteen,  and  has  been 
writing  in  some  form  or  another,  ever  since.  She 
wrote  a  prize  winning  column  that  appeared  weekly  in 
the  Ashton  Herald  for  five  years,  won  the  Denver  Post 
short  story  contest,  researched  and  wrote  a  substantial 
portion  of  the  articles  in  the  Ashton  Herald  Fiftieth 
Anniversary  issue. 

Her  research  and  writing  about  the 
Shoshone-Bannock  Indians  led  to  an  acquaintanceship 
with  members  of  the  Tribal  Council  who  offered  her 
the  position  of  Tribal  Secretary  in  1963.  At  that  time, 
daughter  Helen  was  working  in  Idaho  Falls  for  the 
police  department.  During  the  week,  Margaret  stayed 
with  Helen,  commuted  to  Fort  Hall,  then  on 
weekends  returned  to  Drummond.  In  1964  she  went 
to  work  for  Ready-to-Pour  Concrete  and  continued  to 
commute  until  they  sold  their  house  to  Wilma  and 
Billie  Miller.  Lawrence  commuted  from  Idaho  Falls  to 
the  Drummond  shop  until  he  finalized  arrangements 
for  moving  the  shop  to  Riric  in  1965.  Since  then  they 
have  made  their  home  in  Idaho  Falls  with  Lawrence 
commuting  six  days  a  week  to  Ririe. 

Editor's  note:  Margaret  Hawkes  Lindsley  also 
authored  a  375  page  book  in  1990,  Andrew  Henry  — 
Mine  and  Mountain  Major. 

MARTIN  LUETJEN 

and 

DORTHEA  WOLPERS 

Martin  Luetjen  came  to  Squirrel  from 
Concordia,  Missouri,  1908  and  was  met  by  the  Carl  F. 
Lenz  family.  Mr.  Lenz  had  Mr.  Luetjen  and  wife 
Dorthea  and  their  children  stay  with  his  family  until 
their  freight  could  be  moved  to  where  they  would  live. 

Mrs.  Paul  Bolland  says,  "Gramma's  family 
really  moved  in  style  as  they  rented  a  box  car  on  the 
railroad  and  put  all  their  possessions  in  it  for  the 
move.    This  included  homemade  barrels  of  molasses. 


flour,  home-dried  fruits,  plants,  shrubs,  seeds,  and 
even  a  span  of  mules  that  father  Luetjen  was  especially 
proud  of.  "He  rode  in  the  box  car  and  the  rest  of  the 
family  rode  in  the  coach." 

Snake  River  Echoes 

LEO  CURTIS  MARSDEN 

and 

MARY  GORDON 

Leo  Curtis  Marsden  and  Mary  Gordon  were 
bom  in  Tooele,  Utah.  Mary  Gordon's  ancestors  came 
from  England  and  Scotiand,  and  Leo  Curtis's  family 
came  from  England. 

Curt  and  Mary  had  a  happy  childhood  They 
remember  Indians  coming  into  town  to  beg  for  food. 
As  our  Dad  was  growing  up  he  did  a  little  farming 
with  his  Dad  and  also  hauled  freight  to  Ophir  (a  small 
adjacent  town)  for  some  time. 

Dad  went  on  an  L.D.S.  mission  to  Kansas 
when  he  was  a  young  man.  When  he  came  home 
from  his  mission  he  started  working  at  the  smelter  in 
Tooele.  He  hated  the  job  as  it  meant  working  in  a 
very  unhealthy  atmosphere 

Mary  was  able  to  get  enough  education  to 
become  a  school  teacher.  She  taught  school  for  two 
years  which  she  loved 

Curt  and  Mary  were  married  June  5,  1912  in 
the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  Mary  was  as  short  as  Curt  was 
tall.  At  that  time  there  was  a  great  movement  of 
people  from  Tooele,  Utah  to  Squirrel,  Idaho.  The 
Orme  family  especially.  Curt  came  with  a  group  of 
men  to  look  for  land.  They  liked  what  they  saw.  The 
fishing  was  fabulous  at  that  rime.  Together  with  a 
banker  friend  he  bought  160  acres  of  farm  land  right 
on  Conant  Creek.  About  three  and  one  half  miles 
east  of  the  Squirrel  store,  and  one  mile  south.  Good 
neighbors  at  that  time  were  the  Sam  Orme  family,  the 
Cooks,  and  Albertsons.  They  moved  to  Squirrel  in 
the  spring  of  1916.  They  had  two  children,  Rheva  was 
3  and  Alyce,that  was  6  months  old.  They  bought  and 
settled  on  200  acres  of  land  south  and  west  of 
Highland  school 

The  move  to  Idaho  must  have  been  hard  for 
our  mother,  leaving  all  her  family  and  friends  and 
conveniences  of  city  Hfe.  It  was  really  a  pioneering 
experience.  She  loved  flowers  and  all  nice  things.  She 
didn't  have,  any  of  either  for  some  time.  The  short 
growing  season  and  shortage  of  water  kept  her  from 
raising  many  flowers  or  much  of  a  garden.  She  always 
planted  a  small  garden  and  had  a  few  California 
poppies.  Ruth  remembers  our  first  place  had  a  well 
that  had  to  be  pumped  100  strokes  to  even  get  water. 

Their  winters  were  spent  in  Utah  until  1926. 
About  that  rime  they  moved  to  a  larger  ranch  (Gilbert 
Berry  place)  cast  of  Highland,  where  they  lived  until 
they  moved  to  Ashton  in  1947.  Their  son,  John,  still 
owns  and  farms  the  Berry  place.  Three  more  children 
were  added  to  the  family  after  moving  to  Idaho,  Ruth 
243    bo"""  June  5,  1917,  which  was  also  our  parents 


0 

■S: 

"5 


Ruth,  Rcva,  John,  Alycc,  Sarah  Gaylc,  f.r.  Curtis,  and  Mary  Marsdcn 


wedding  anniversary.  John,  was  bom  September  13, 
1920,  and  Gayle  was  bom  July  2,  1923. 

Curt  was  a  big  strong,  well  built  man.  He 
always  said  he  would  rather  work  for  a  mean  man  than 
a  slow  man.  When  it  came  to  shocking  grain  he  was 
among  the  best.  Someone  once  said  that  he  handled  a 
block  of  salt  as  if  it  were  a  biscuit. 

He  enjoyed  farming  and  the  outdoor  life  in 
spite  of  the  constant  struggle  to  make  a  living. 
Fishing  was  his  favorite  pastime  and  he  enjoyed  eating 
them.  He  especially  liked  horses  and  cattle.  He  ran 
cattle  on  the  Squirrel  Meadow  range.  During  a  period 
of  ten  years  he  was  the  only  one  running  cattle  there. 
He  served  as  county  commissioner  for  one  term. 
Mary  was  more  at  home  in  the  dty,  but  made  the  best 
of  pioneering  on  the  farm.  She  was  a  good  cook  and 
Dad  loved  to  eat  Mom's  good  meals.  She  was  always 
able  to,  add  a  few  extra  plates  to  the  table  at  a 
moments  notice. 

They  bought  one  of  the  first  Model  T  Fords. 
It  wasn't  too  practical,  so  shortly  after  the  enclosed 
ones  came  out  we  bought  one  of  them.  It  wasn't 
until  1934  and  another  new  ford,  that  we  were  able  to 
go  to  church,  regular  at  Famum.  Dad  was  a  counselor 
in  the  Bishopric  where  he  served  for  several  years. 
They  both  held  teaching  positions  in  the  church.  He 
was  a  good  speaker  and  was  often  called  on  to  speak  at 
funerals. 

The  Marsdens  attended  the  L.D.S.  Church 
wherever  the  meetings  were  being  held  either  in 
Lamont,  Highland,  Famum,  or  Ashton. 

Mary  died  January  5,  1953  and  Curt  died 
May  29,  1961.    Dad  was  really  lost  for  a  while.    He 


later  married  LaVerna  Robinson  from  Richmond, 
Utah.  She  took  good  care  of  him  until  his  death  on 
May  29,  1961. 

By:  Alyce  Marsden  Harshbarger 

CFnLDREN: 

(1)  Rheva  b-  1913        d-  1973 
md-  Earl  Valvin  Smith 

(2)  Alyce  b-  1915 
md-  Clifford  Harshbarger 

(3)  Ruth  b-  1917 
md-  Walter  Francis  Bratt 

(4)  John  b-  1920 
md-  Helen  Rciman 

(5)  Gayle  b-  1923 
md-  Robert  Schubach 

RHEVA  MARSDEN  SMITH 

Rheva  Marsden  Smith  was  born  April  16, 
1913  in  Tooele,  Utah.  She  was  the  first  child  bom  to 
Leo  Curtis  Marsden.  When  she  was  3  years  old,  the 
family  moved  to  a  form  east  of  Squirrell,  Idaho,  where 
she  grew  up  with  her  three  sisters  and  one  brother  , 
Alyce,  Ruth,  Gayle  and  John. 

Winters  were  severe  in  Squirrel  and  the 
Marsden  family  lived  a  long  distance  out  from  Ashton, 
Idaho.  She  went  to  Tooele  High  School  her  freshman 
and  sophomore  years,  then  she  boarded  at  the  home 
of  Rose  Edgington  in  Ashton  during  her  junior  and 
senior  years.  She  was  a  good  athlete.  She  liked 
basketball  and  was  good  at  it.  She  graduated  from 
Ashton  High  School  in  1931  and  then  attended  Ricks 
244    College  one  year. 


On  July  20,  1935,  Rhcva  married  Earl  Valvin 
Smith.  Four  children  were  born  to  them.  One 
daughter  Beverly  and  three  sons,  Gordon  Earl,  Warren 
Neil,  and  Curtis  Redge.  They  raised  their  femily  in 
Ashton.  Earl  was  employed  by  the  U.S.  Forest 
Service  when  the  children  were  small,  and  was 
stationed  at  the  Bishop  Mountain  Lookout.  He  also 
worked  as  a  potato  inspector  in  the  Ashton  area.  Earl 
passed  away  May  4,  1962. 

Rheva  loved  music  and  she  had  an 
outstanding  alto  singing  voice.  She  and  Alyce  did  a 
lot  of  singing  together  in  her  growing  up  years, 
sharing  their  talent  for  the  enjoyment  of  others  in  the 
church  and  the  community. 

Rheva  also  sang  duets  with  Myrtle  Millward 
and  joined  Gloy  Lyon  for  a  trio.  She  was  a  devoted 
member  of  the  L.  D.  S.  Ward  and  Stake  Choirs.  She 
liked  any  presentation  to  be  practiced,  well-prepared, 
and  done  right.  She  worked  hard  to  make  anything 
worthwhile.  The  highlight  of  her  singing  career  was 
singing  with  the  Tabernacle  choir  for  a  General 
Conference  in  Salt  Lake.  Only  the  best  voices  from 
each  area  were  selected  and  it  was  an  honor  to  be 
chosen. 

Rheva  donated  her  time  and  talent  and 
knowledge  for  many  years,  teaching  an  appreciation  of 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  very  young,  in  her 
calling  as  Junior  Sunday  School  Coordinator.  She  also 
taught  many  young  women  and  men  the  value  of  life, 
both  spiritual  and  personal.  Her  unique  and 
successful  leadership  ability  was  evident  in  the  way  she 
carried  out  her  church  responsibilities.  Earl  was  good 
to  help  her  get  where  she  was  needed  to  be.  At  the 
many  MIA  dances.  Earl  would  be  sitting  on  the  side- 
lines while  Rheva  took  care  of  her  assignments  and  to 
give  her  his  assistance  if  it  was  needed. 

Rheva's  talents  numbered  many  she  was  an 
excellent  cook,  enjoyed  preparing  family  meals.  Her 
children  remember  her  fresh  baked  home  made  bread, 
and  always  shared  her  candy  making  especially  dipped 
chocolates,  which  she  made  for  friends  and  neighbors, 
and  community  social  events  during  the  holidays. 
Rheva  never  let  a  birthday  or  special  occasion  go  by 
that  she  didn't  have  a  beautifully  decorated  cake  made 
up  to  surprise  a  person.  It  was  to  her  that  many  of  us 
went  when  we  needed  help  in  making  something  in 
crafts. 

Rhcva  had  a  "green  thumb"  and  won  many 
batties  of  the  soil.  She  raised  an  abundant  vegetable 
garden  every  year  which  she  shared  with  others,  while 
preserving  a  winter's  supply  and  cultivated  a  variety  of 
beautiful  flowers  in  her  yard.  She  enjoyed  creating 
floral  arrangements. 

But,  these  are  her  visible  talents,  like  being  a 
good  listener,  confidant,  and  friend.  She  would 
always  take  time  to  offer  a  strong  shoulder  to  lean  on 
during  happy  or  sad  times.  She  put  her  own  problems 
in  second  place. 

For  16  1/2  years,  Rheva  worked  for  Ross  and 
Thayle  Wynn  in  their  hardware  and  furniture  store.     245 


Earl's  help  was  also  appreciated  at  closing  time,  he 
would  come  to  the  store  and  ask  Rheva,  "are  you 
ready  to  go  home,  Hon?",  or  "Anything  you  need 
from  the  store,  Hon?".  He  was  not  the  kind  of  man 
who  demanded  an  accounting  of  time  or  money  from 
his  wife. 

In  the  last  years  of  her  life,  Rheva  took  several 
short  trips  which  she  enjoyed  to  the  fullest  with  her 
sister,  Alyce  and  some  of  their  friends.  She  was 
thrilled  with  a  trip  to  Hawaii,  a  gift  from  her  children, 
which  she  appreciated  very  much. 

Rheva  was  a  good  daughter  to  her  parents, 
helpfiil  and  loving  to  her  sisters  and  brother,  and  just 
like  a  sister  to  several  of  her  friends.  She  was  a 
thoughtful  daughter-in-law  to  Val  and  Mabel  Smith. 
She  had  a  special  place  in  her  heart  for  her  daughters- 
in-law  and  appreciated  them  as  her  own.  Rheva's 
grandchildren  was  her  most  loved  treasures,  as  were 
her  children  for  whom  she  expressed  constant  love 
and,  concern. 

Rheva  is  remembered  for  her  sense  of  humor. 
She  always  saw  the  brighter  side  and  wanted  everyone 
to  be  happy.  She  enjoyed  having  fun  and  was  easy  to 
laugh  with. 

Rheva  lived  a  life  of  forthright  honesty  and 
service  to  her  fellow  men,  and  as  a  scripture  states; 
"When  ye  are  in  the  service  of  your  fcllowmen,  ye  are 
only  in  the  service  of  your  God".  Rheva  passed  away 
January  26,  1973. 

By:  Daughter  in-law,  Judy  Smith 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Beverly  Jean  b- 1936 
md-  Arden  Goulding 

(2)  Gordon  Earl  b-  1939 
md-  Judy  Ann  Baker 

(3)  Warren  Neil  b-  1944 
md-  Kathleen  Ann 

(4)  Curtis  Redge  b-  1946 
md-  Margo  Karren  Marotz 

Alyce  Marsden  Harshbarger  history  is  in 
Harshbarger  section. 

Ruth  Marsden  Bratt  history  is  in  Bratt  section. 

JOHN  CURTIS  MARSDEN 

and 

HELEN  REIMAN 

John  Curtis  Marsden  was  born  in  Tooele, 
Utah  on  September  13,  1920,  the  fourth  child  and 
only  son  of  Leo  Curtis  Marsden  and  Mary  A.  Gordon. 
The  little  redheaded  boy  was  give  the  name  "John", 
after  both  his  maternal  and  paternal  grandfathers,  and 
"Curtis"  after  his  father. 

As  most  boys  are,  John  was  always  close  to  his 
mother,  and  enjoyed  the  stories  she  used  to  read  to 
him.  His  favorite  was  "The  Little  Lame  Prince".  His 
dad  always  sang  songs  with  the  kids  while  they  were 
working  and  he  had  several  favorites;  one  entitled 


b.r.  DccAnn,  Helen,  Mary  Lee,  Jcanie, 
f.r.  Steve,  John,  and  Gary  Marsdcn 

"Kicked  Olc  Nellie  in  the  Belly  in  the  Bam."  (John's 
own  children  and  grandchildren  loved  hearing  him 
sing  that  song  to  them.) 

John  began  grade  school  in  Tooele,  then, 
when  his  parents  bought  land  in  Idaho  and  moved  to 
Squirrel,  he  went  to  the  little  Highland  School  about  a 
mile  away.  One  of  his  favorite  teacher's  was  Gertrude 
Tanner.  It  was  she,  who  made  the  boys  stop  calling 
him  "Red",  a  nickname  he  always  hated. 

Farm  life  was  a  busy  one  for  John  and  when 
he  went  home  from  school  there  was  always  wood  to 
chop,  animals  to  feed,  and  water  to  haul.  He  and  his 
sisters  took  turns  working  the  pump  handle.  During 
vacation  time  in  the  summer  they  herded  sheep  and 
cattle. 

During  his  high  school  years  he  lived  in 
Rexburg  with  his  sisters,  Alycc  and  Ruth.  He  learned 
to  have  a  healthy  dislike  for  all  food  that  was  cooked 
together  in  one  pot.  He  used  to  fry  eggs  for  breakfast 
by  putting  the  electric  iron  upside  down  between  two 
chairs  and  setting  the  fiy  pan  on  it.  He  said  he  would 
have  starved  to  death  if  it  hadn't  been  for  two  friends, 
Frank  and  Wayne  Stephens,  who  used  to  invite  him  to 
their  home  where  he  enjoyed  home  baked  bread  every 
night.  He  was  sure  Mrs.  Stephens  didn't  notice 
another  mouth  at  the  table.  At  Madison  High  School, 
John  was  active  in  FFA  and  enjoyed  the  livestock 
judging.  He  graduated  in  1938. 

Back  in  Squirrel  John  thought  he  would  settle 
down  to  farming,  the  thing  he  always  enjoyed  most, 
but  when  World  Ward  II  erupted  he  joined  the 
Merchant  Marines  as  a  boiler  man  and  served  on  the 
S.  S.  Fairland,  S.  S.  Donner  Lake,  and  the  Dashing 
Wave.  When  he  worked  in  the  boiler  room  he  would 
have  to  stand  watch  for  12  hours  and  he  would  sit  on 
a  bench  and  hold  a  pipe  between  his  knees.  When  he 
dozed  off  the  pipe  would  clatter  to  the  floor  and 
awaken  him. 

His  favorite  port  was  Hawaii  and  he  always 
planned  to  go  back  there  one  day  and  take  Helen  to 
visit  the  Hawaiian  Temple.  His  leave  time  was  spent  at 


246 


home  plowing  and  cropping  in  the  spring  and 
harvesting  in  the  fall.  He  bought  the  first  truck  they 
ever  owned  with  his  first  earnings  in  the  Merchant 
Marines. 

John  met  Helen  Reiman  before  he  joined  the 
Marines  and  they  had  dated  a  couple  of  times,  but  she 
had  known  him  since  she  was  13  and  had  seen  him  in 
a  Sunday  School  class  in  the  Famum  Ward,  and  knew 
that  he  was  the  man  she  would  marry  someday.  When 
he  was  released  from  the  Merchant  Marines  they  were 
married  December  10,  1946  in  the  Idaho  Falls 
Temple. 

Helen  was  raised  in  Warm  River,  Idaho  and 
was  the  second  daughter  of  Joe  and  Blanche  Murdoch 
Reiman.  She  attended  grade  school  at  Warm  River 
and  when  she  and  her  sister  Jean  began  high  school 
the  family  moved  to  Ash  ton.  She  graduated  from 
Ashton  High  School  in  1942.  She  rouged  peas  in  the 
summer  and  worked  at  sorting  peas  in  the  winter.  Of 
course  there  was  potato  picking  in  the  fall  if  there  was 
to  be  any  money  for  new  clothing  or  other  necessities. 
She  began  working  in  the  City  Drug  her  second  year 
out  of  high  school  and  that  is  where  she  met  John 
again. 

John  and  Helen  struggled  together  to  make  a 
living  by  farming  and  ranching.  They  lived  in  Ashton 
in  the  winters  for  two  years  and  then  purchased  the 
Laura  Orme  home  and  farm.  They  lived  there  the 
year  around  until  their  oldest  daughter,  Jeanie  began 
grade  school,  then  they  moved  to  a  home  they  had 
purchased  in  Ashton.  Over  the  years  they  fiimished 
two  homes  so  all  that  had  to  be  moved  in  the  spring 
and  fall  were  clothes  and  bedding. 

They  remembered  the  winters  in  Squirrel. 
They  would  put  all  their  weeks  supply  of  eggs  and 
cream  in  the  covered  sleigh  and  go  across  the  field  to 
John's  sister  Alyce's,  where  the  jeep  was  parked. 
They  would  transfer  all  the  produce  and  two  kids  into 
the  jeep  and  drive  another  two  miles  to  the  Squirrel 
Store,  then  transfer  everything  again  to  the  car  that 
was  parked  there,  and  go  into  town.  It  never  failed 
that  as  soon  as  they  got  to  Ashton  it  would  begin  to 
blizzard  and  they  would  rush  back  home  the  same 
way  they  came  out.  One  memorable  time  they 
stopped  at  Alyce's  and  had  left  the  team  and  sleigh 
tied  out  by  the  garage  while  Helen  fixed  Alyce's  hair. 
The  team  got  loose  and  started  back  home  on  the 
run,  scattering  eggs  and  cream  all  along  the  way.  The 
eggs  that  hadn't  been  broken  were  frozen,  so  rations 
were  pretty  short  for  awhile  after  that.  They  finally 
got  a  snow-plane  and  it  would  eliminate  the  jeep  at 
least. 

Through  the  years  of  1947  to  1960  John  and 
Helen  had  five  little  Marsden's  come  to  join  them. 
Jeanie,  Gary,  Steve,  Mary  Lee  and  DeeAnn.  What  a 
joy  they  were! 

John  worked  with  the  Boy  Scouts  for  nine 
years  and  was  presented  a  plaque  for  "Outstanding 
Scout  Master  of  the  Year".  The  family  jokes  that  all  it 
cost  them  was  the  interiors  of  two  station  wagons! 


John  never  was  much  for  doing  dishes  after  his 
scouting  trips,  and  he  would  bring  the  soot  covered 
kettles  home  and  toss  them  out  on  the  lawn,  and 
Jeanie  and  Helen  would  end  up  cleaning  them. 

John  held  many  Church  positions  through 
the  years,  as  President  of  the  Young  Mens  Mutual, 
Stake  Mission,  First  Councilor  to  Keith  Nyborg,  High 
Council,  President  of  the  High  Priest  Quorum  and 
Sunday  School  Councilor.  Through  most  of  his  years 
he  suffered  from  problems  with  his  hips.  Because  he 
was  a  big  man  he  thought  he  could  lift  anything.  He 
had  five  total  hips,  and  two  open  heart  surgeries 
within  a  period  of  20  years. 

John  and  Helen's  second  Son  Steve,  passed 
away  October  5,  1989  from  a  brain  tumor,  leaving  his 
wife  Mary  and  two  sons,  Gichin  9  and  Tyler  5.  And  a 
week  later,  Ortobcr  12,  1989,  John  passed  away  of  a 
heart  attack.  He  was  on  his  farm  in  his  tractor,  that 
was  where  he  loved  to  be. 

His  Christian  attitude  was  an  example  to  all 
who  knew  him.  He  was  always  willing  to  go  the  extra 
mile  in  helping  others.  His  philosophy  was  hard  work 
and  common  sense,  great  strength,  both  physical  and 
spiritual,  were  John's  hallmark. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Jeanie  b- 1947 
md-  Kim  V.  Jenkins 

(2)  Gary  John  b- 1951 
md-  Susan  Ann  Martz 

(3)  Steve  "R"  b-  1955        d-  1989 
md-  Mary  Lynn  Taylor 

(4)  Mary  Lee  b-  1957 
md-  Charles  Lee  Dawsey 

(5)  DeeAnn  b-  1960 
md-  Guy  Pate  Johnson 

SARAH  GAYLE  MARSDEN 

Sarah  Gayle  Marsden  was  bom  July  2,  1923, 
the  last  child  born  to  Curt  and  Mary  Marsden.  She 
was  bom  in  Tooele,  Utah. 

She  was  raised  in  the  Squirrel  area  along  with 
her  sisters,  Rheva,  Alycc,  Ruth,  and  Sarah  Gayle,  and 
her  brother  John.  Being  the  youngest,  she  was  "the 
apple  of  her  parent's  eye".  She  went  to  elementary 
school  in  Tooele,  Utah  and  Highland  grade  school  in 
the  Squirrel  area.  She  graduated  from  Madison  High 
School  in  Rexburg,  Idaho. 

Soon  after  graduation  she  went  to  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah,  to  work.  She  met  and  married  Robert 
Schubach,  July  19,  1949.  They  had  two  children, 
Judith  Ann,  born  June  5,  1951  and  Henry  Robert, 
bom  April  7,  1954. 

They  now  have  three  grandchildren  which 
they  enjoy  very  much.  They  live  in  Salt  Lake  City,  in 
the  summers  and  in  Palm  Springs  in  the  winter.  Both 
are  ardent  golfers. 

By:  Alyce  Marsden  Harsh bargcr 


PERRY  MARTIN 

and 
MINNIE  FRENCH 

Perry  Martin  was  born  May  15,  1871,  in 
^\^llows,  California,  the  son,  of  William  Martin  and 
Nancy  Jones  Martin. 

Minnie  Myrtle  French  was  born  March  10, 
1881,  in  Loup  City,  Nebraska,  the  daughter  of  Ruben 
Sampson  French  and  Ida  Mae  Norris. 

Perry  and  Minnie  French  Martin  and  their 
daughter.  Vera,  came  to  Idaho  in  1914  on  the  train 
from  Oregon.  They  came  to  France  Siding  in  a  box 
car  bringing  their  household  belongings,  horses  and 
everything  they  had,  in  same  car,  to  the  place  they  had 
homesteaded,  one  and  one-forth  miles  southwest  of 
the  France  Siding,  it  being  the  best  and  closest  place 
to  unload. 

Vera,  being  10  years  old,  said  she  could 
remember  watching  them  unload  the  horses  and 
everything  from  the  boxcar.  They  lived  on  the 
homestead  and  farmed  for  a  number  of  years.  Two  of 
Minnie's  brothers,  Chester  and  Harry  French,  came 
from  Oregon  to  stay  with  them  and  work  for  Perry  on 
the  farm.  They  also  lived  in  the  Squirrel  area  for  a  few 
years  and  farmed  there. 

The  Perry  Martin  homestead,  today,  is  known 
as  the  Miller  place,  being  owned  by  Bill  Miller,  whose 
sons,  Joe  and  Bill,  farm  the  place,  since  the  passing  of 
their  father. 

Perry  Martin  died  May  8,  1941,  at  Idaho 
Falls,  Idaho.  After  Perry's  passing,  Minnie  went  to 
Eugene,  Oregon,  to  be  dose  to  her  daughter  who  was 
living  there  at  the  time.  Minnie  passed  away  Nov.  15, 
1968,  at  Eugene. 

Vera  Martin  Webster  still  lives  at  Eugene, 
Oregon. 

By:  Doug  and  Darlene  French 

CHILDREN  OF  RUBEN  SAMPSON  AND  IDA 
MAE  NORRIS  FRENCH 

(1)  Minnie  Myrtle  b-  1881        d-  1941 
md-  Perry  O.  Martin 

(2)  Charles  Emest  b-  1886        d-  1968 
md-  Anna  Nora  Piper  Morrison 

(3)  Chester  Norris  b-  1900        d-  1986 
md-  Geneva  Christensen 

(4)  Harry  Wilbur  b- 1903        d- 1978 
md-  Elaine  Hill 

Note:  there  were  eight  other  children  in  this  family 
who  did  not  come  to  this  area  to  live. 

JOHN  MCFARLIN 

and 

DAISY 

John    McFarlin    came    to    the    town    of 

Drummond  to  seek  employment  and  make  their 

home.    He  worked  for  Loyd  Niendorf  in  his  farming 

247    business  for  a  while.    Later  he  acquired  the  building 


> 

a. 

V 

:2 


just  north  of  the  George  Baum  Store,  where  he  set  up 
a  barber  shop  which  also  had  a  couple  of  pool  tables, 
where  the  men  could  play  a  game  or  so  while  waiting 
their  turn  for  a  haircut. 

They  lived  most  of  their  years  in  Drummond 
in  a  two-story  yellow  frame  house  just  east  of  the 
above  mentioned  building. 

John  was  the  Rural  Route  US  Mail  carrier  for 
many  years.  He  used  a  horse  drawn  sleigh  in  the 
winter.  It  had  a  canvas  covered  top  with  a  small  wood 
burning  stove  to  keep  him  warm.  In  the  summer  he 
used  his  car  and  later  on  a  jeep.  He  delivered  mail  on 
the  route  that  ran  west  and  south  of  Drummond. 

He  retired  from  the  mail  route  in  1958  and 
soon  moved  away.  He  and  his  wife  Daisy  had  three 
sons;  Orville,  Lloyd,  and  about  20  years  later  a  son, 
Larry. 

MERRICK  FAMILY  HISTORY 


b.r.  Harriet,  George  (Jr.),  George  (St.), 
Ruth,  f.r.  Charles,  Frank,  (Mary  not  shown)  Merrick 


Hattie  Henry  Merrick  was  born  in  Virginia, 
Illinois,  on  June  8,  1871.  Virginia  is  in  Lincoln 
County,  maybe  20  miles  from  New  Salem  where 
Abraham  Lincoln  started  his  law  practice. 

Her  father,  Ira  B.  Henry,  became  the  pastor 
at  the  Methodist  church  in  Virginia.  He  was  a  veteran 
of  the  Civil  War,  an  officer  in  the  Illinois  detachment 
of  the  Union  Army.  While  in  the  service  of  his 
country  he  contraaed  tuberculosis  and  was  mustered 
out  before  the  war  ended.  Soon  after,  he  enrolled  and 
completed  a  degree  at  Northwestern  University.  This 
was  followed  by  divinity  school.  His  first  charge  was 
the  Methodist  church  in  Virginia,  Illinois,  where 
Hattie  was  bom. 

An  important  event  for  Hattie  was  her  father's 
transfer  to  the  pastorate  at  Illinois  Wesleyan  College  in 
Bloomington,  Illinois.  Later  she  would  attend  and 
graduate  from  this  college. 

Because  of  his  deteriorating  health,  the 
Reverend  Henry  sought  and  received  a  transfer  to  the 
warm  and  drier  climate  of  the  southwest  (the  only 
treatment  for  tuberculosis  in  those  days).    His  final 


248 


church  was  in  Mason,  Texas,  about  100  miles  west  of 
Austin. 

It  was  near  Mason  a  small  ranch  that  my 
Grandmother  Hattie  spent  her  teen  years.  In  addition 
to  her  family  and  church,  music  and  horses  were  her 
teenage  loves.  She  became  an  expert  rider,  always 
riding  sidesaddle.  In  those  days  "proper"  women 
wore  skirts  and  therefore  could  not  ride  astride  as  is 
seen  today. 

While  taking  the  census  in  the  area,  Hattic's 
father  was  soaked  by  a  rare  rain  torrent,  and  took  a 
chill  from  which  he  never  recovered.  She  was  19  at 
the  time.  Her  mother,  Nellie  Case  Henry,  disposed  of 
the  property  and  moved  the  family  back  to 
Bloomington,  Illinois,  where  Hattie  and  her  sister 
Ruth  enrolled  at  Illinois  Wesleyan  College.  The 
family  lived  on  the  father's  Civil  War  pension  during 
the  time. 

Music  was  an  important  part  of  Hattie 's  life 
and  a  major  emphasis  in  her  college  program.  She  was 
an  accomplished  pianist  and  vocalist.  A  second 
academic  emphasis  was  in  religion,  which  led  to  a 
vocation  and  first  job  as  deaconess  and  assistant  pastor 
to  the  Methodist  church  in  Mt.  Pleasant,  Utah. 

George  F.  L.  Mcyrick  (Merrik)  was  born 
October,  1871,  in  Utah.  He  grew  up  in  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Utah.  While  in  Mt.  Pleasant  she  met  George  Fredrick 
Louis  Mcyrick  (Merrick).  It  was  her  love  of  horses 
and  riding  that  brought  them  together.  He  was  an 
accomplished  horseman  and  owned  some  fine  stock. 
Riding  together  led  to  marriage,  a  change  of  religious 
emphasis  for  him,  and  a  change  of  name  for  her.  They 
were  married  on  her  birthday,  June  8,  1897. 

Some  of  the  last  good  land  opened  for 
homesteading  was  in  the  high  plains  of  southeastern 
Idaho.  The  year  following  their  marriage,  George 
F.L.  Merrick,  and  a  friend,  Chris  Christenscn,  rode  a 
freight  wagon  to  Ashton,  Idaho,  to  look  for 
homestead  land.  He  selected  and  filed  on  160  acres 
bordering  Fall  River  in  the  vidnity  of  Conant  Creek. 
The  land  practically  lay  in  the  shadows  of  the  Teton 
Mountains,  noted  mountain  range  of  Jackson  Hole, 
Wyoming. 

The  sight  was  magnificent,  but  the  area  was 
hard  and,  at  times,  cruel.  The  elevation  was  over  a 
mile  high  and  the  country  to  the  west  was  high  desert. 
This  translates  into  lots  of  snow,  lots  of  cold,  long 
winters  with  lots  of  wind,  and  short  growing  season. 
For  dry  farming  land,  on  which  the  Merricks  settied, 
the  climate  would  change  from  adequate  rainfall  one 
year  with  a  good  harvest,  to  drought  the  next,  in 
which  they  would  be  lucky  to  get  back  their  seed. 

Today,  with  dams  on  the  Snake  River  and  its 
tributaries,  irrigation  has  turned  the  country  into  a 
premier  seed-potato  producing  area.  (Interestingly, 
George  freighted  supplies  to  the  first  dam  site  on  the 
Snake  River,  and  he  raised  one  of  the  first  prime 
patches  of  seed  potatoes.) 

Such  was  not  the  case  when  Hattie  moved 
into  the  two-room  log  house  with  the  sod  roof  which 


had  been  built  by  her  husband.  The  previous  year 
George  had  "gotten  out**  his  house  logs  (when  he  had 
filed  on  his  homestead.)  The  second  year  he  moved 
household  goods  and  Hattie's  piano  from  Mt. 
Pleasant  to  the  homestead  by  covered  wagon,  raised 
the  cabin,  and  sent  for  her. 

The  Union  Pacific  Mainline  traveled  through 
Ogden,  Utah.  When  the  mines  at  Butte,  Montana, 
became  major  producers,  a  branch  line  was  built  to 
Butte  fi-om  Ogden.  This  line  passed  through  Idaho 
Falls.  Hattie  rode  this  line  to  Idaho  Falls,  was  met  by 
her  husband  and  taken  to  their  new  home,  the  two- 
room  log  cabin  near  Fall  River. 

At  the  time  she  was  pregnant  with  her  first 
child.  Fredrick  was  bom,  lived  just  32  hours,  and  was 
buried  near  the  site  of  the  log  home.  A  year  and  a  half 
later  another  son  was  stillborn.  Before  the  third  child 
(George)  was  to  be  bom,  grandmother  returned  to 
Mt.  Pleasant,  Utah,  to  be  near  better  medical  help. 
The  other  children  Ruth,  Frank,  Charley  and  Mary, 
were  born  at  Farnum,  Idaho,  the  address  of  the 
homestead. 

Mr.  Merrick  worked  for  the  Highland  Ranch, 
a  large  incorporated  ranch  to  the  east  near  the  small 
town  of  Squirrel.  He  was  foreman  of  the  irrigators. 
His  expertise  probably  came  fi-om  being  raised  in  Utah 
where  the  Mormons  perfected  the  science  of  irrigation 
in  the  West.  (It  has  been  rumored  that  a  few 
Mormons  could  actually  run  water  uphill!) 

Each  year  he  would  break  out  a  few  extra 
acres  on  his  homestead.  Within  five  years  he  was 
farming  about  30  acres.  He  would  cultivate  and  plant 
before  assuming  his  duties  with  the  Highland  Ranch, 
and  harvest  in  the  fall  after  he  had  completed  his 
duties  at  the  ranch.  This  left  his  wife  alone  with  her 
youngsters.  One  summer  the  family  moved  to  "the 
ranch"  where  the  family  lived  in  a  spare  granary. 

During  those  summers  (and  at  many  other 
times)  Hattie  did  all  the  outside  chores,  which 
included  feeding  and  looking  after  a  dozen  head  of 
cattle,  several  horses,  a  sow  with  little  pigs,  and  also 
milked  four  cows  twice  a  day.  She  always  had  a  flock 
of  chickens  and  a  big  garden. 

Except  for  such  things  as  salt,  sugar  and  a  few 
staples,  the  family's  nutritional  needs  were  met  by  the 
farmstead.  Once  each  week  Hattie  would  make  the 
three-and-one-half-mile  trip  to  Marysville  to  trade 
eggs  and  butter  (which  she  had  chumed  by  hand)  for 
salt,  flour,  cloth,  etc.  To  do  this  she  would  saddle  her 
faithfiil  mare  Old  Maude,  tie  on  the  eggs  and  butter, 
mount  the  horse,  and  ride  over  to  a  fence  where  her 
children  George  and  Ruth  were  perched.  George 
would  climb  on  behind  the  saddle,  and  Ruth  was 
placed  in  front  of  her  mother  in  the  saddle.  They 
would  ford  Fall  River,  which  could  be  swollen  with 
extra  water  in  the  spring,  and  made  the  trading  trip  to 
Marysville. 

In  later  years  they  purchased  a  white-topped 
buggy  for  the  ttck  as  there  just  wasn't  enough  room 
on  Old  Maude  for  more  children!     After  the 


acquisition  of  the  buggy,  Hattie  harnessed  the  mare, 
hitched  her  to  the  buggy,  loaded  the  buggy,  and  again 
forded  the  river. 

For  flour,  on  several  occasions  throughout  the 
year,  Mr.  Merrick  would  fill  40  sacks  with  wheat,  take 
them  to  the  mill  in  St.  Anthony  (a  town  about  17 
miles  away),  and  return  with  10  sacks  of  flour  plus  a 
littie  cash. 

Hattie  was  an  expert  seamsttess.  She  made  all 
the  clothes  for  the  family.  Most  sewing  was 
performed  on  a  tteadle-operated  sewing  machine  and 
fancy  work  was  done  by  hand. 

Water  was  hauled  from  Fall  River  in  barrels. 
The  barrels  were  on  a  sled  which  was  pulled  to  and 
from  the  river  by  horses.  Enough  water  for  one  week 
was  drawn.  Not  imtil  later  when  the  family  moved  to 
a  frame  house  near  Q)nant  Creek  did  the  family  enjoy 
water  from  a  well.  This  well  was  dug  by  hand.  Hattie 
and  a  neighbor  raised  the  dirt  in  a  large  bucket  to  the 
surface  after  Mr.  Merrick  had  dug  it  out  down  below. 
During  dry  years,  the  well  would  dry  up.  Then  water 
must  again  be  hauled  in  bartels  for  domestic  use  and 
for  the  chickens.  At  these  times  the  stock  must  be 
trailed  to  Conant  Creek  to  drink,  then  returned  to 
their  pastures  and  corral. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  normal 
housewife  and  family  duties  were  also  attended  to. 
Cooking  was  done  on  a  range  for  which  wood  must 
be  cut,  packed  and  burned.  Irons  for  ironing  (and 
everything  was  ironed)  were  heated  on  this  stove  The 
stove  served  as  a  water  heater.  In  addition  to  the 
teakettie,  a  water  reservoir  was  attached  to  one  side  of 
the  firebox  for  such  purposes. 

At  first,  washing  was  all  done  by  the  hand- 
operated  washboard.  Later  Mr.  Merrick  built  a  lean- 
to  on  the  cabin  and  bought  a  hand-operated  washing 
machine  with  a  hand-operated  wringer  (before,  the 
water  was  wrung  from  the  clothes  by  hand.)  In  those 
days,  clothes  were  washed  in  water  as  hot  as  one's 
hands  could  stand.  The  soap  was  homemade  and 
rather  high  in  lye.  During  the  summer  months, 
washing,  ironing  and  baking  were  sriflingly  hot  for 
farm  women  in  those  pre-elcctric  days.  Finally,  all 
clothes  had  to  be  hung  outside  on  drying  lines.  In  the 
winter  months  they  froze  and  would  have  to  be 
moved  inside  to  complete  the  drying  process. 

Mr.  Merrick  freighted  materials  to  a  dam 
being  built  on  the  upper  Snake  River.  The  site  is  in 
Jackson  Hole,  Wyoming.  It  was  to  enlarge  Jackson 
Lake  from  which  water  would  be  drawn  to  reclaim  dry 
desert  land  and  convert  it  to  irrigated  land  in 
southeastem  Idaho.  The  road  over  which  he  freighted 
is  still  known  as  the  Old  Reclamation  Road. 

At  that  time  the  closest  railhead  was  at 
Ashton,  Idaho.  Here  materials  (his  freight  loads  were 
generally  50-pound  sacks  of  cement)  were  transfcrtcd 
to  wagon  boxes  and  taken  through  a  mountain  pass 
between  the  Teton  Range  and  Yellowstone  Park  to 
Moran  Junction,  70  miles  away.  The  trip  would  take 
249    seven  days,  four  days  over  there,  and  three  days  back. 


i^i-'^U 


li,.' 


He  did  this  between  spring  planting  and  fell  harvest, 
and  sometimes  was  able  to  make  a  trip  or  two  after 
harvest.  When  snow  came,  which  was  generally  early 
in  the  high  country,  the  route  was  dosed.  Again, 
during  these  trips  Mrs.  Merrick  would  be  alone. 

There  was  lots  of  family  singing  around  the 
piano.  Some  of  Hattic's  most  joyful  moments  came 
when  she  was  leading  and  singing  with  a  group. 
Especially  when  the  music  was  popular  church  hymns. 
Her  love  of  music  was  well-known  in  the  area,  and 
though  she  was  not  of  the  Mormon  faith  she  was 
asked  to  and  did  participate  in  many  of  their 
programs,  especially  when  they  needed  someone  to 
play  the  piano,  sing  or  give  a  recitation. 

In  the  early  years  the  Mormon  neighbors 
vv^anted  to  have  a  school  for  their  children.  For  several 
summers  Hattie  taught  the  school  in  the  log  building 
which  served  as  their  church  and  meeting  house. 

The  nearest  Methodist  church  was  in  Ashton, 
six  miles  away.  Sunday  School  and  church  were 
important  to  her  and  the  family  attended  both.  Many 
times  she  filled  in  for  teachers  or  leaders  who  might  be 
absent.  When  the  family  couldn't  go  to  church,  she 
always  had  Bible  readings  and  simple  service  at  home. 
Generally,  each  day  she  had  a  religious  service  before 
breakfast,  at  which  time  she  would  read  and  disaiss  a 
passage  from  the  Bible  and  offer  a  prayer. 

In  1909  Mr.  Merrick,  with  the  help  of 
neighbors  and  his  brother  Hy  (Hyrum),  built  a  frame 
house  on  the  Conant  Creek  side  of  the  property, 
about  one-half  mile  south  of  the  location  of  the  log 
cabin.  This  was  a  two-story  home,  two  bedrooms 
upstairs  and  a  kitchen  and  living  room  down. 

In  1916  when  their  son  George  was  13  and 
had  finished  the  eighth  grade,  his  mother  insisted  that 
he  attend  high  school.  Ashton,  six  miles  away,  had  the 
closest  high  school.  George  rode  a  pony  to  the  school 
in  Ashton  during  the  fall  and  spring  of  that  year. 

The  next  year  when  daughter  Ruth,  the 
second  child,  finished  the  eight  grade  at  Famum,  the 
family  farm  was  beginning  to  pay  quite  well.  Mrs. 
Merrick  proposed  and  pressed  for  a  move  "to  town" 
(Ashton)  so  both  youngsters  could  attend  high  school. 
A  house  was  rented  and  the  femily  moved.  This  no 
doubt  was  one  of  the  highlights  of  Hattie's  life.  She 
immediately  immersed  herself  in  the  work  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  spending  parts  of  three  or  four 
days  a  week  in  duties  associated  with  the  church.  She 
also  did  her  bit  "for  the  school  and  community,"  but 
the  church  was  the  important  part. 

That  Christmas,  according  to  son  George, 
was  a  "wonderfiil,  wonderfiil  Christmas."  The  family 
ranch  was  quite  profitable  and  things  were  "very 
pleasant."  There  was  a  large  celebration  at  the  church 
in  which  Mrs.  Merrick  had  a  large  part.  The 
Christmas  dinner  was  "a  thing  to  behold."  The 
Christmas  tree  and  gift  giving  was  warm  fhiitfiil  and 
happy. 

Then,  during  the  night  of  January  10,  Hattie 
called  out  in  a  ftmny  way.    Everyone  rushed  into  the    250 


bedroom  to  find  she  had  a  stroke.  She  couldn't  talk 
or  use  her  right  hand. 

As  spring  came,  work  on  the  ranch  still  had  to 
be  done.  The  oldest  son  George  moved  out  there  and 
boarded  with  the  people  who  were  renting  the  house. 
Then  on  April  10,  1918,  a  buggy  appeared  in  the 
driveway.  Someone  had  come  to  tell  him  his  mother 
"was  gone." 

The  funeral  was  big,  many  people  came. 
Hattie  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Ashton  Idaho. 
She  left  her  husband  George  and  five  children:  George 
(15),  Ruth  (13),  Frank  (12),  Charles  (7),  and  Mary 

(4). 

Ruth  took  over  the  household  duties  and 
served  as  a  second  mother  to  "the  little  ones"  after 
their  mother's  death. 

Mr.  Merrick  never  remarried  and  did  the  best 
he  could  to  be  father  and  mother  to  his  children.  He 
lived  alone  for  many  years  and  lived  with  his  daughter 
Ruth  Hossner  and  her  family  and  also  with  his  son 
Charley's  family.  He  died  on  December  10,  1954,  at 
the  age  of  83. 


f.  r.  Caries  (Chuck),  Frank,  Mary,  George  Merrick 

(Condensed  from  family  history,  The  Grandmother  I 
Never  Knew:  Hattie  Henry  Merrick,  by  Harry  George 


Merrick 

* 

CHILDREN: 

(l)Son 

bl899 

d- 

Infant 

(2)  Son 

bl901 

d- 

Infant 

(3)  George  H. 

bl903 

md-  Dora  Wright 

(5)Rutii 

bl904 

d- 

md-  Ralph  Hossner 

(6)  Frank    J. 

bl906 

md-  lone  Jensen 

md-  Dorthea  McClane 

(6)  Charles  I. 

bl910 

md-  Dora  (Billie)  Peterson 

(7)  Mary 

md-  Richard  Elhert 

FRANK  J.  MERRICK  and  1st  lONE  JENSEN 
and  2nd  DORTHEA  Mc  CLANE 


Frank  Merrick  family 

I  was  born  October  9,  1906,  in  Farnum, 
Idaho  on  the  ranch  that  Wayne  Oberhansley  owns 
now  (1990).  My  father  and  mother,  George  and 
Hattie  Henry  Merrick  were  the  first  family  to 
homestead  between  Conant  Creek  and  Fall  River.  A 
640  acre  plot  of  land  had  been  set  aside  for  the  school 
district  called  the  Cunningham  Ranch. 

The  reason  Dad  settled  in  that  area  was  the 
water,  which  was  hauled  from  Falls  River  in  barrels  on 
a  skid  to  our  log  house  with  dirt  roof  and  we  had  to 
cross  the  river  in  a  buggy  when  we  went  to  Ashton  to 
shop.  A  mid-wife  named  Miss  Staley  attended  mother 


when  I  was  bom.  I  was  bom  at  9:15  in  the  moming 
(which  I  knew  was  true  as  I  was  there). 

I  went  to  Famum  school  several  years  until 
my  mother  died  in  1918.  I  was  in  love  with  Verna 
Schofield  and  Mary  Brothcrton,  though  they  didn't 
know  it. 

I  attended  Ashton  school,  less  one  year,  when 
I  ran  away  and  attended  Wasatch  Academy  in  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Utah. 

I  was  married  to  lone  Jensen,  who  was 
teaching  at  the  Famum  school  in  1928.  We  moved  to 
St.  Anthony  in  1930  and  worked  in  the  seed  house, 
herded  sheep,  worked  in  shearing  sheds,  sold 
magazines  Idaho  Farmer,  and  any  other  job  I  could 
do  to  make  a  buck  or  two. 

My  wife  lone  died  in  1938  giving  birth  to  our 
daughter,  lone  Merrick  (Bush).  At  that  time  I  was 
back  at  the  ranch  in  Famum  so  I  sold  out  and  went  to 
Salt  Lake  to  become  a  barber.  I  barbered  awhile  in 
Salt  Lake  and  Gooding,  Idaho. 

I  have  three  children  from  my  wife,  lone: 
First,  Glenda  Merrick  (Bayless)  who  lives  in  San 
Bernardino,  Califomia,  who  is  a  successful  business 
woman,  a  CPA,  teacher  and  chairwoman  of  a  bank  in 
Rialto,  Califomia. 

Second,  Bryant  Frank  Merrick,  who  has 
taught  English  in  Everett,  Washington,  for  27  years. 

Third,  lone  Merrick  (Bush)  who  lives  in  St. 
Anthony  and  has  worked  for  the  State  Youth  Services 
Center  for  about  nine  years. 

My  fourth  and  fifth  children  were  from  my 
second  wife,  Dorothea  McClane:  Hal  and  Jana 
Merrick  (Anderson).  Jana  lives  in  Kemmerer, 
Wyoming,  and  is  a  housewife. 


Frank  Merrick  family 

251 


*ia»~ 


c 


I  married  Dorothea  McClane  in  1940.  She 
was  also  a  teacher  at  Famum.  Incidentally,  I  was  on 
the  school  board  when  we  hired  her. 

After  getting  fired  in  a  barbering  job  at 
Gooding,  I  decided  to  go  to  California  so  I  found  four 
other  people  who  also  wanted  to  go  and  I  charged 
them  $5.00  each  and  off  we  went  to  California. 

After  getting  in  Los  Angeles,  I  decided  I 
wanted  to  be  a  bar  tender  so  after  two  weeks  of 
schooling  I  got  a  job  near  Santa  Anita  Race  Track. 

Dorothea  came  down  from  Idaho  and  I  quit 
bar  job  and  went  to  Long  Beach  to  work  for  Darnell 
Caster  working  in  shipping  room  for  $.75  per  hour. 

War  was  declared  and  Dorothea  and  I  went  to 
work  for  Douglas  Aviation  in  Long  Beach.  We  worked 
on  A20's,  A26,  C47,  B17  and  C84  airplanes.  At 
Douglas's  peak  there  were  over  40,000  people  working 
there,  more  than  any  dty  in  Idaho.  After  getting  laid 
off  from  Douglas,  I  went  to  work  for  War  Assets  as 
shipping  foreman  dispensing  of  the  surplus  materials 
left  over  after  the  war.  When  that  job  was  finished,  I 
went  to  work  for  North  American  Aviation  working  on 
A-T6  trainers,  F86,  FlOO,  XIO,  Hound  Dog,  Souza, 
USA  program,  all  space  crafts  to  moon. 

I  worked  for  Rockwell  as  a  leadman  and 
supervisor  in  quality  control  for  over  25  years  and 
retired  in  1974. 

I  got  interested  in  coin  collecting  and  for 
several  years  travelled  to  the  coin  shows  throughout 
the  west,  which  was  a  very  successful  and  rewarding 
experience. 

I  have  32  offspring  and  am  head  of  5 
generations  in  my  family.  I  have  been  president  of  the 
North  American  Coin  Club,  one  of  the  largest  in 
California;  vice  president  of  AARP  and  after  retiring, 
was  on  City  Museum  board;  served  on  SCAT  team  in 
1983-84  and  again  in  1989-90,  which  is  the  governing 
board  of  the  Senior  Citizens  center,  which  has  a 
membership  of  over  200  seniors. 

While  I  worked  for  North  American  Aviation 
and  Rockwell  International,  we  would  take  my 
vacation  by  going  to  Idaho.  We  were  glad  to  take  the 
thousand  mile  trip,  one  way,  but  happier  to  get  out  of 
the  mosquitoes  and  back  to  California,  but  the  next 
year  we'd  do  the  same  thing. 

My  wife  Dorothea  died  of  cancer  in  1984  after 
44  years  of  marriage.  During  her  sickness  we  heard 
they  had  a  cancer  clinic  in  Matamoros,  Mexico,  across 
the  border  from  Brownsville,  Texas.  The  treatment  was 
not  successful  though  we  spent  over  four  thousand 
dollars.  We  then  took  her  to  the  University  of 
California  of  Irvine  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Disia, 
supposedly  the  best  cancer  doctor  of  the  country.  He 
put  her  on  the  new  Interfom  (sic)  program  introduced 
by  experts  of  the  government  which  was  free  to  about 
15  patients  and  would  cost  the  government  around 
$90,000  but  Dorothea  was  too  far  gone  for  it  to  help 
her. 

Our  daughter  Jana  and  Jay  Anderson  had 
moved  to  Midland,  Texas,  and  were  a  great  help 


assisting  Dorothea  while  she  was  in  Brownsville, 
Texas. 

I  now  live  in  Garden  Grove,  California,  which 
is  centrally  located  in  southern  California  near  Knotts 
Berry  Farm,  Disneyland,  and  home  of  the  Angels 
baseball  team  (owned  by  Gene  Autry),  Crystal 
Cathedral,  the  Queen  Mary  and  other  interesting 
places. 

In  conclusion,  after  a  span  of  eighty-three 
years,  I  always  check  the  obituaries  in  the  morning 
paper.  If  my  name  doesn't  appear,  I  feel  I'm  good  for 
another  day. 

I've  had  good  days  and  I've  had  bad  days; 
I've  had  sorrow  and  joy,  but  it's  still  been  a  good  life. 
Adios. 

Written  Feb.  1990 

EMMA  lONE  JENSEN  MERRICK 


252 


lone  Jensen  Merrick 

Emma  lone  Jensen  was  born  in  Mancos, 
Colorado,  4  December,  1906,  to  Daniel  Christian 
Jensen  and  Emma  Adella  Decker  Jensen. 

lone's  parents  lived  on  a  ranch  in  Mancos  for 
the  first  few  years  of  their  marriage  under  very  arduous 
conditions.  Rattiesnakes  were  so  numerous  that  pigs 
were  raised  to  kill  the  snakes  and  keep  them  under 
control.  The  water  was  so  alkaline  that  it  had  to  be 
filtered  through  charcoal  and  stored  in  cisterns.  The 
dstems  couldn't  be  scaled  off  very  well  and  were  often 
infested  with  small  ugly  Uzards  called  water  dogs.  The 
soil  was  thin  and  barren.  As  a  result,  crops  were 
stunted  and  sparse. 

There  were  still  many  Indians  who  lived  in  the 
area.  They  were  no  longer  hostile  to  the  scttiers,  but 
they  often  visited  the  ranches  for  handouts  of  food 
and  sometimes  to  help  themselves  to  whatever  they 
fancied.  On  one  occasion  a  tall,  strong  buck  walked 
into  the  Jensen  house  without  knocking,  which  was 
quite  customary  for  them,  and  stood  by  the  door 
watching  while  Mrs.  Jensen  was  bathing  her  small 
daughter,  lone.  The  Indian  showed  a  keen  interest  in 
the  littie  girl  because  she  had  dark  brown  hair  and 
quite  a  dark  complexion.  Without  warning  the  Indian 
buck  picked  lone  up  and  oflfered  to  trade  for  her.  He 
told  lone's  mother  that  she  was  a  "fine  papoose"  and 


he  would  like  to  have  her  very  much.  Obviously, 
lone's  mother  didn't  negotiate  any  trade  with  him. 

In  1909  the  Jensen  family  purchased  a  farm  at 
Chapin,  Idaho,  which  is  about  6  to  8  miles  south  of 
Driggs.  They  farmed  there  for  about  2  years  then  the 
parents  separated  and  were  later  divorced.  Mrs. 
Jensen,  Delia,  and  her  four  small  daughters,  Clarice, 
lone,  Lutran  and  Dea,  who  were  between  the  ages  of 
7  and  just  a  few  months  old,  came  in  a  white-top 
buggy  down  to  the  Egin-St.  Anthony  area,  where  Mrs. 
Jensen  started  teaching  school  to  support  her  family. 

Eventually  Mrs.  Jensen  had  a  home  built  on 
the  south  side  of  St.  Anthony.  lone's  daughter,  lone 
Merrick  Bush,  still  resides  in  this  home. 

Mrs.  Jensen  taught  in  various  schools  in  the 
St.  Anthony  area.  Her  daughters,  including  lone, 
attended  school  in  St.  Anthony.  lone  graduated  from 
St.  Anthony  High  School  on  May  29,  1925. 

lone  was  a  very  good  student  academically. 
In  her  1925  yearbook.  The  Tattler,  it  states  in  the 
class  "Will  and  Testament"  that  lone  would  "bestow 
her  studious  nature  on  Jennie  Meredith."  She  also 
won  2nd  prize  in  the  chemistry  essay  contest  of  1925. 

When  her  class  started  high  school  there  were 
63  members,  but  by  graduation  in  1925  the  class  had 
diminished  to  36  graduates.  As  a  Senior  she  was  one 
of  14  students  who  belonged  to  the  Teacher's 
Training  Class  that  had  been  organized  in  1924  by 
Mrs.  Harriet  C.  Wood. 

It  appears  she  had  a  goal  for  several  years  to 
become  a  school  teacher.  The  Teacher's  Training 
class  helped  prepare  high  school  students  to  take  the 
teacher's  examination  the  then  go  on  to  a  Normal 
school,  either  Ricks  or  Albion. 

lone,  as  a  senior,  took  and  passed  the 
required  nine  exams  for  teachers  along  with  14  other 
Teachers  Training  Class  members.  Geography  books 
were  given  to  the  four  students  with  the  highest 
averages.  lone  was  one  of  these  four. 

After  high  school  graduation,  she  attended 
Albion  Normal  School  in  southern  Idaho  for  the  next 
2  or  3  summers  and  taught  school  at  Judkins  and  then 
Famum  until  her  marriage  to  Frank  J.  Merrick  whose 
parents,  George  F.  L.  and  Hattic  Henry  Merrick,  had 
homesteadcd  at  Famum. 

Frank  and  lone  were  married  August  11, 
1928,  at  Idaho  Falls  and  lived  in  St.  Anthony  where 
their  first  two  children  were  bom.  Then  they  moved 
back  to  Farnum  to  the  Merrick  family  homestead, 
which  was  later  purchased  by  lone's  sister  and 
brother-in-law,  Clarice  and  Byron  Oberhansley. 
Clarice  still  lives  in  the  home. 

lone  died  in  St.  Anthony  hospital  the  day  she 
gave  birth  to  their  youngest  daughter,  lone,  on  May 
29,  1938.  She  and  Frank  had  two  other  children  at 
the  time:  Glenda,  9  years  old,  and  Bryant,  7  years  old. 
After  their  mother's  death,  the  three  children  were 
raised  by  their  maternal  grandmother  and  step- 
grandfather,  Emma  Adella  and  George  Stimpson  in  St. 
Anthony.  253 


Frank  was  later  re-married  to  Dorothea 
McClain  and  they  moved  to  Califomia  to  work  in  the 
air  defense  plants  during  the  Second  World  War. 
Dorothea  also  died  in  recent  years  and  Frank 
continues  to  live  in  Garden  Grove,  Califomia. 

By:  lone  Merrick  Bush  June,  1988 

CHARLES  MERRICK 

and 

DORA  PETERSON 

My  mother,  Hattie  Henry,  graduated  from 
Wesleyan  University,  a  Methodist  school,  and  came  to 
Mount  Pleasant,  Utah.  She  married  George  Merrick, 
June  8,  1895  at  Sanpete  County.  She  was  one  of  the 
first  Methodist  missionaries  in  Utah.  After  they 
married,  they  packed  a  wagon,  took  three  or  four 
horses,  and  migrated  to  Marysville,  about  350  miles, 
in  1896. 

They  homesteaded  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
Fall  River.  There  were  no  bridges  or  canals.  They 
built  a  two-room  log  shack  with  a  dirt  roof  and,  I 
think,  a  wooden  floor.  Dad  spent  the  summers 
irrigating  on  the  Highland  Ranch  in  Squirrel,  leaving 
Mother  to  tend  the  cows  and  hogs.  She  had  a  very 
good  cow  so  she  rode  a  horse  to  Marysville  to  deliver 
butter,  and  came  home,  hopefiilly,  with  salt,  sugar  and 
coffee.  There  was  no  refrigeration,  only  a  dugout,  so 
she  had  to  take  the  butter  to  town  frequendy. 

Mother's  first  child  died  at  birth.  They 
buried  him  near  the  house  and  had  a  large  grass  plot 
and  mound.  The  same  thing  happened  with  their 
second  son,  two  mounds.  Dad  always  plowed  around 
them,  but  there  is  no  sign  of  them  now.  When  the 
third  baby  was  due.  Dad  decided  to  take  her  back  to 
Mount  Pleasant.  George  was  bom  January  5,  1903,  so 
it  was  late  November  or  December  when  they  left. 
Imagine  setting  out  on  a  three  hundred  fifty  mile  trip 
with  only  bonfires  for  heating  and  cooking  and 
blankets  on  the  floor  of  a  white -top  covered  wagon  for 
a  bed.  I  am  sure  they  thought  it  worth  while  because 
they  came  home  that  spring  with  a  healthy  boy.  Ruth 
and  Frank  were  bom  at  home,  and  Mary  and  I  were 
bom  in  the  house  he  built  later  in  the  canyon  above 
Conant  Creek. 

Hattie  was  a  talented  pianist,  who  played  for 
dances  in  the  local  Mormon  church  as  well  as 
entertaining  in  her  home  with  music  and  song. 

About  1909,  three  bridges  were  built  over 
Fall  River  (Kirkham  upper,  middle  at  Griffels,  and 
lower  at  Farnum.)  Dad  built  a  four-room  square 
house  of  rough  lumber.  Unable  to  afford  wallpaper, 
Hattic  pasted  white  muslin  over  natural  colored 
building  paper.  There  were  three  or  four  apple  trees 
in  the  field.  One  of  them  is  still  alive.  They  must  have 
been  planted  about  1900. 

I  started  elementary  school  at  Famum  when  I 
was  six.  My  first  grade  teacher  was  Helen  Emery,  a 
wonderful  lady,  who  married  Hazen  Hawkcs,  a 
trapper  and  handyman.    Lawrence  Lindsley's  wife  and 


'S; 

'■'it'- 

:% 


Lloyd  Van  Sickle's  wife  are  her  (laughters.  She  was 
back  to  see  them  two  years  ago  at  the  time  of  the 
Famum  reunion.  She  was  still  active  in  1990. 

We  lived  about  four  miles  from  school  and 
had  to  make  our  way  imtil  it  snowed  enough  for  sleds. 
We  walked  mosdy,  but  rode  a  horse  in  bad  weather. 
After  it  snowed,  the  school  district  hired  a  driver  for  a 
canvas-covered  school  sleigh.  The  school  district 
furnished  a  wick- burning  kerosene  stove.  We  got  on 
first  so  we  got  next  to  the  stove.  By  the  time  we 
picked  up  the  Hill  boys,  we  pretty  well  took  up  the 
heat,  and  the  Murdoch  kids  had  to  take  the  cold. 

After  a  storm,  it  always  drifted  deep  on  the 
crest  of  the  hill  south  of  Hill's  place.  Dad,  Hansens 
and  Hills  were  always  there  to  break  the  snowdrifts. 
Uncle  Joe  drove  the  school  sleigh.  They  would  take 
their  teams  off  their  sleds  and  start  one  team  up,  and 
when  they  would  quit,  they  would  turn  around  and 
try  another.  Sometimes  only  ten  or  twelve  feet  a  try. 
When  they  got  one  team  through,  they  came  back  and 
got  their  sleighs  and  drove  through.  Then  came  the 
school  sleigh.  When  the  roads  were  bad  and  we 
started  to  tip,  somebody  had  to  grab  the  stove. 

At  that  time,  we  had  a  two-room  school 
house  which  is  still  standing.  There  was  a  hall 
between  the  two  rooms  and  a  water  pail  to  drink 
from.  In  cold  weather,  wc  had  to  break  the  ice  to  get 
a  drink.  There  was  a  well  with  a  hand  pump  so  we 
had  good  fresh  water.  Wc  had  a  big  coal  stove  with  a 
jacket.  If  we  were  really  cold,  the  teacher  let  us  sit 
around  the  stove  to  keep  warm. 

In  the  summer  of  1916,  Mother  had  a  stroke 
and  Dad  moved  into  Ash  ton  where  I  went  to  school. 
Mother  died  on  April  10,  1917,  seven  days  before  my 
birthday.  George  was  about  fourteen  and  Ruth  was 
about  twelve  or  thirteen.  She  started  mothering  us 
then  and  never  cut  the  apron  strings.  She  was  still 
mothering  Mary  and  me  when  she  started  her  own 
family. 

After  graduating  from  Ashton  High  School,  I 
went  to  Gooding  College  on  a  scholarship  from  the 
Methodist  Church.  I  took  a  general  course  and  could 
not  afford  to  go  back.  I  married  Dora  (Billie) 
Peterson  in  Blackfbot  on  September  3,  1929.  She  was 
bom  in  Minot,  North  Dakota  on  July  19,  1910.  Her 
father  worked  in  the  land  office  in  Blackfoot.  In 
Blackfoot,  she  met  the  Methodist  minister's  family  and 
came  with  the  Flemings  to  Ashton,  where  we  met  in 
school. 

My  brother,  George,  had  a  4-H  potato 
project  in  1924  and  from  that  time,  I  was  interested  in 
raising  potatoes.  I  have  spent  all  of  my  life  on  the 
farm. 

I  also  like  to  hunt  and  fish  and  was  a  licensed 
guide  for  almost  four  years  until  insurance  for  the 
business  became  too  high.  Each  simimer,  we  took  a 
church  group  of  twelve  to  fourteen  year-olds  on  a 
horseback  camping  trip  into  the  Bechler  area. 

I  have  tried  to  be  active  in  pubUc  affairs, 
helping  to  organize  the  first  Parent-Teacher 


254 


Association  (the  first  president)  and  being  a  charter 
member  of  both  the  local  Farm  Bureau  and  the 
Fremont  Co-op  (secretary  for  several  years). 

I  am  one  of  the  few  living  members  of  the 
group  that  introduced  the  first  elk  herd  into  the  Sand 
Creek  Wild  Life  Refuge,  and  that  brought  the  first 
partridges  to  the  Ashton  area. 

My  family  has  always  been  important  to  me.  I 
lost  my  wife  in  1980,  and  until  recently  have  lived 
alone.  At  the  present  time,  my  eldest  daughter,  Jenc 
Ueberroth,  is  staying  with  me.  My  other  children  are 
Jim  from  Pocatello;  Bevcrlee  Thomas  from  Ashton; 
Marilyn  Mitchell  from  Ephrata,  Washington;  Carol 
Kidd  from  Idaho  Falls;  and  Lyn  in  Eagle,  Colorado. 
They  all  call  and  visit  frequently.  I  have  19 
grandchildren  and  18  great  grandchildren  if  one 
counts  step-children,  and  I  do.  There  always  seems  to 
be  a  lot  of  activity  at  our  house. 

JOSEPH  MEYRICK 

and 

ZELLA  BEATRICE  ALLRED 

Joseph  Meyrick  was  bom  in  Mount  Pleasant, 
Sanpete  County,  Utah,  on  January  10,  1883.  He  was 
the  12th  of  fifteen  children  of  John  and  Jamima 
Meyrick.  This  family  was  poor  in  worldly  possessions, 
but  rich  with  a  great  heritage.  Joseph  spent  four  years 
in  school.  He  was  needed  at  an  early  age  of  ten  or 
eleven  to  help  support  a  large  family. 

Joseph's  boyhood  was  hard.  He  lost  one 
younger  sister  and  two  younger  brothers  in  death. 
His  father  died  when  Joseph  was  sixteen.  Joseph  had 
a  bad  fall  which  hurt  his  leg  high  in  the  thigh  joint. 
This  fall  caused  one  leg  to  be  shorter,  and  he  limped 
the  rest  of  his  life. 

Joseph  was  thoughtful,  generous,  kind,  quick 
tempered,  witty,  and  always  ready  to  joke  with  people. 
A  defender  of  the  "underdog,"  cheerful,  and  ready  to 
fight  at  the  "drop  of  a  hat." 

As  a  young  boy,  Joseph  tended  camp  and 
helped  with  his  brother  James'  sheep.  Later  he  made 
cigars  in  a  cigar  faaory  at  Mount  Pleasant. 

Joseph  met  a  beautiful  young  lady,  Zella 
Beatrice  Alfred,  daughter  of  Alvin  Erin  Alfred  and 
Maria  Jenann  Borresen.  She  was  bom  in  Spring  City, 
Utah  on  November  28,  1886. 

They  were  married  on  Oaober  19,  1910  at 
Manti,  Utah.  The  young  couple  made  their  home  in 
Mount  Pleasant,  Utah.  Zella  did  not  approve  of 
Joseph's  employment  in  a  cigar  factory.  So  he  did 
other  jobs,  farm  work  and  tending  sheep.  The  work 
with  the  sheep  kept  him  away  for  many  weeks  at  a 
time  and  so  caused  many  lonely  nights  and  days. 

On  July  27,  1911,  the  young  couple  were 
delighted  by  the  birth  of  a  fine  baby  daughter.  Z^lla's 
sweet  soul  must  have  been  overflowing  with  joy  at 
that  time.  They  named  her  Marjoric  Beatrice. 

Joseph's  older  brother,  George,  had  moved  to 
Farnum,  Idaho,  and  was  engaged  in  dry  farming. 


George  encouraged  Joseph  and  ZcUa  to  move  there 
also  and  purchase  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Conant 
Creek.  The  young  couple  decided  this  was  a  good 
venture  so  agreed  upon  it.  They  waited  until  about 
two  months  after  the  birth  of  their  second  child,  a  son 
born  February  21,  1915,  named  Joseph  Vernon. 
Joseph  loaded  all  his  family  possessions  in  a  wagon 
with  a  grain  box  on  top,  pulled  by  a  team  of  "cayuscs" 
(his  expression  for  horses)  and  headed  for  Farnum, 
Idaho.  The  journey  took  about  two  weeks.  Zella 
followed  shordy  afterwards  with  her  two  children  by 
train. 

The  place  where  the  Meyrick  family  moved  to 
was  referred  to  by  them  as  "The  Hollow."  It  was  a 
wild  and  beautiful  spot.  Cool,  clear  Conant  Creek. 
Quaking  aspen  trees  filled  "The  Hollow"  with  an 
indescribably  beautiful  golden  color  in  the  fall  of  the 
year.  Hawthorne  trees  bore  delicious  dusters  of  seedy 
berries.  Chokecherry,  service  berry,  tag  alder,  green 
willow,  kinni-kinnic,  wild  currant,  and  an  occasional 
cedar  covered  the  canyon  floor  and  wall.  A  sparkling 
spring  about  300  feet  away  from  the  cabin  supplied 
the  family's  water.  Coyotes  roamed  and  uttered  their 
weird  cries  at  night.  Mink,  otter,  and  marten 
journeyed  back  and  forth  along  the  banks  of  the  creek. 
Large  flattail  beavers  built  dams  across  the  creek, 
backing  the  water  up  for  their  own  purposes  of  good 
deep  swimming,  and  slides  into  the  water  from 
slippery  dirt  banks.  When  frightened,  or  to  give  an 
alert  their  broad  flat  tails  smacked  the  water  with  a 
resounding  whack  which  could  be  heard  from  a  good 
distance.  The  beaver's  smaller  cousins  called  the 
muskrat  made  their  homes  in  the  mud  banks  above 
the  dam.  The  muskrats'  tails  were  round  and  looked 
hke  a  file. 

Drummer  grouse  could  often  be  heard 
drumming  on  a  fallen  tree.  Cottontail  rabbits 
scampered  across  the  floors  of  the  canyon  and  made 
their  homes  in  the  rocky  ledges  of  the  north  side. 
Gray  ground  squirrels  "tee-heed"  from  the  edges  of 
their  holes.  Rockchucks  came  down  from  their  caves 
and  holes  in  the  canyon  walls  to  feast  upon  grass  and 
white  clover. 

At  dusk,  bats  would  start  flitting  and  making 
littie  rasping  noises.  The  night-hawk  could  be  heard 
with  his  shrill  cry,  "Pee-ycr,  pce-yer,"  and  then  a 
"Whoo-oo-m"  as  the  air  rushed  through  high  wings 
on  a  long  earthward  dive.  Now  and  then  a  hoot  owl 
would  call  from  the  forest.  "Kill-deer"  uttered  their 
distressing  call.  The  long-legged  jackrabbit  dug  his 
holes  in  the  fields  above  the  canyon.  Towards 
wintertime  he  wisely  changed  his  coat  to  a  white 
color.  When  standing  or  sitting  still  he  could  hardly 
be  distinguished  from  the  snow. 

The  vicious  foul-smelling  but  beautiful 
reddish  colored  weasel  turned  white  also  in  the  winter 
except  for  about  an  inch  of  the  end  of  his  tail,  which 
was  jet  black.  He  would  kill  a  rabbit  six  or  eight  times 
his  own  size  and  suck  the  blood  from  it,  leaving  all  the 
flesh  for  hawks,  magpies,  owls,  coyotes  or  whatever    255 


came  upon  it  first  and  was  able  to  protect  itself  from 
other  enemies.  On  spring  and  summer  mornings  wild 
yellow  canaries,  robins,  chickadees,  English  sparrows 
and  woodpeckers  could  be  heard  as  they  began 
hustling  about  in  their  search  for  food  or  nest 
building.  The  meadow  lark  would  begin  his  many 
different  cheery  calls.  The  beautiful  coated  black 
skunk  with  its  broad  white  stripe  running  the  length 
of  its  entire  back  and  tail  proudly  wandered  through 
the  forest.  When  frightened  or  angered  his  odor 
could  be  smelled  a  long  ways  off  and  for  days 
afterwards.  Badgers  dug  large  holes  in  the  ground 
leaving  high  mounds  of  dirt  piled  alongside  the  hole. 
What  a  lonely,  wild  and  beautiful  spot.  Almighty  God 
in  his  great  tender  mercy  must  have  prepared  it  for  his 
purpose  to  give  joy  and  happiness  to  his  children. 

The  Hollow  was  about  two  miles  up  Conant 
Creek  from  where  it  empties  into  Fall  River.  Joseph 
and  Zella  made  their  home  there  for  the  next  three 
years.  It  was  a  log  cabin  and  is  believed  to  have  had 
two  rooms.  Bare  ground  served  for  a  floor.  To  seal 
the  cracks  between  the  logs  kinni-kinnic  willows  had 
been  cut  and  nailed  end  to  end  about  two  inches 
below  the  cracks.  This  served  to  hold  mud  from 
slipping  before  it  dried.  The  cabin  was  situated  in  a 
canyon  approximately  three  hundred  feet  deep  and 
one  thousand  feet  across  its  floor  at  that  point. 
Chokecherry  trees  and  service  berry  bushes  were 
plentiful.  In  season  Zella  picked  and  canned  these 
delicious  wild  fhiit.  She  made  pies,  jams  and  jellies  of 
them. 

Sage  hens  were  plentiful  on  the  farm  land 
above  the  canyon.  They  were  delicious  when  cooked 
properly.  Prairie  chickens  and  pine  hens  abounded  in 
the  canyon.  They  made  fine  eating.  Zella  prepared 
delicious  meals  from  these  birds.  She  made  great 
fluffy  loaves  of  bread  which  she  served  with  butter 
churned  from  cream  skimmed  off  pans  of  milk  that 
had  set  overnight. 

Allen  Hendrickson  and  his  pretty  young  wife 
lived  down  the  creek  about  a  half  mile.  This  was  a  fine 
family  of  father,  mother,  and  several  sons  and 
daughters.  The  two  families  became  close  friends  as 
well  as  close  neighbors.  Mother  Hendrickson  assisted 
Zella  with  the  birth  of  two  more  fine  healthy 
daughters.  Beth  was  bom  23  August  1916,  and  was 
followed  by  Loa  May,  22  December  1917. 

The  south  wall  of  the  canyon  had  a  steep 
winding  foot  trail  running  from  the  creek  to  the  top  of 
the  wall.  It  was  used  by  Joseph  to  bring  his  horses 
down  to  water  at  noon  time  and  day's  end.  It  was  too 
steep  and  narrow  for  a  wagon  or  buggy  until  one  day 
Joseph  tried  driving  the  wagon  down  the  creek  to  the 
Hendrickson's  where  there  was  a  dugway  out  of  the 
canyon,  and  then  back  up  to  the  farm  land.  Zella  was 
going  about  her  daily  tasks  when  she  heard  a  loud 
noise.  She  looked  up  the  trail  and  saw  Joseph 
standing  up  in  the  wagon  box  straining  on  the  reins 
guiding  his  best  team  of  horses  down  that  hazardous 
and  rocky  trail.  When  they  hit  the  floor  of  the  canyon 


J 

"5 


O   '•' 


they  were  traveling  at  a  great  speed.  Joseph  was  given 
a  very  sharp  and  emphatic  reprimand  to  never  try  that 
same  thing  again.  2^ila  probably  didn't  know  it  but 
the  reprimand  was  imneedfiil. 

In  1918,  the  family  moved  to  another  log 
house  on  Fall  River.  It  was  located  about  one  eighth 
mile  west  from  where  Conant  Creek  empties  into  the 
river,  and  about  the  same  distance  south  from  the 
river.  Joseph  purchased  the  land  consisting  of  some 
twenty  to  forty  acres.  The  land  on  the  north  side  of 
the  river  was  just  pasture  land,  being  steep  and  hilly. 

The  1919  season  was  a  season  of  drought. 
The  dry  lands  refused  to  raise  a  crop.  Joseph  obtained 
work  on  a  road  job,  on  the  Warm  River  dugway.  He 
drove  a  four-horse  fresno,  to  move  the  dirt  and  rocks. 
His  little  four-year-old  son  missed  him  terribly  and 
one  day  asked  Zella,  "Mother,  why  can't  dad  come 
home?  "Mother  looked  at  his  little  worn  out  shoes 
and  replied,  "Because  he  has  to  work  to  buy  you  some 
new  shoes."  J.V.,  as  he  was  often  called,  pondered 
upon  this  thought  for  a  moment  and  then  burst  out, 
"Damn  the  shoes,  I  want  my  Dad!" 

The  little  boy  was  overjoyed  to  awake  one 
morning  to  find  his  dear  father  had  come  during  the 
night. 

Joseph  got  a  job  from  the  school  district 
driving  the  school  sleigh.  It  paid  $40.00  a  month. 
During  early  fall  days  and  late  spring  the  children  of 
school  age  rode  ponies  or  walked  to  school.  When 
snow  piled  up  and  nasty  weather  began,  the  school 
district  furnished  a  canvas-covered  box  which  could  be 
placed  upon  a  wagon  or  four-runner  sleigh.  It  was 
equipped  with  a  coal  oil  stove  about  a  foot  in  diameter 
and  about  30  inches  high.  It  had  a  wick  and  reservoir 
on  the  bottom. 

Neighbor  children  who  rode  the  "school 
sleigh,"  were  cousins  Frank,  Charles  and  Mary 
Merrick;  Edwin,  Leonard,  Bruce,  Gene  and  Blaine 
Hill;  Harold,  Clinton,  Harvey  and  Letty  Green; 
Dallas,  Reed,  Thomas,  Elaine  and  Jean  Murdoch;  and 
two  of  Thomas  Todd  Murdoch's  boys,  Todd  and 
Vaughn.  There  was  also  some  Chichester  children 
whose  names  are  forgotten,  Jim  Giles  family,  too. 
Some  other  families  of  the  Famum  distria  of  that  time 
are  Johnny  Williams,  James  D.  Whitmore,  Asa 
Hawkes,  Byron  Oberhansli,  several  related  Bratt 
families,  Joseph  Cazier,  Joe  and  two  other  Schofields, 
Elmer  Hill  and  several  related  Hendricksons. 

Joseph  leased  the  Gray  place  for  several  years. 
It  was  an  80 -acre  field,  and  bordered  the  forty  acres 
farming  land  of  The  Hollow,  but  was  located  on  "The 
Bench"  above  The  Hollow.  The  family  moved  to  the 
Johnny  Williams  ranch  which  borderd  the  Gray  Place 
to  the  west  and  lived  there  the  winter  of  1923-24. 
Joseph  began  building  a  home  on  the  Bench.  Z^Ua 
planted  several  rows  of  raspberry  bushes.  Loa 
remembers  that  she  and  Beth  carried  water  every  day 
from  a  ditch  about  a  quarter  mile  away  to  water  the 
raspberry  bushes.  But  the  home  was  totally  destroyed 
by  fire  just  a  few  weeks  after  they  had  moved  in.  ycf^ 


Throughout  the  years  of  hardships,  Zella 
managed  to  keep  her  children  in  dean  clothes  which 
mosdy  were  a  product  of  her  Singer  sewing  machine. 
The  material  she  used  was  flour  sacks,  old  dresses  and 
pants  cast  off  by  the  older  people.  Many  an  old  bunch 
of  clothes  came  by  parcel  post  to  her  from  her  mother. 
These  were  gready  appreciated.  She  made  quilts  also 
of  these  materials. 

Joseph  and  2^11a  loved  their  children  beyond 
words  and  were  extremely  proud  of  them.  Z«lla  was 
the  one  that  corrected  the  children  most  of  the  time. 

The  fall  of  1925,  Marjorie  graduated  from  the 
eighth  grade  and  the  family  moved  to  St.  Anthony  in 
order  that  she  could  attend  high  school.  They  rented 
the  Al  Singleton  home  which  was  near  the  Allen  Seed 
House,  which  employed  possibly  two  hundred 
women.  Their  jobs  were  to  sort  pea  seeds  as  the  seed 
spilled  out  of  a  small  hopper  onto  a  table  where 
women  sat.  Zella  went  to  work  at  this  place.  She 
earned  approximately  $12.50  a  week. 

Joseph  continued  farming  for  two  years  and 
also  worked  in  the  same  seed  house  bucking  sacks, 
tending  hopper  and  truck  driving  during  the  winter. 
He  also  "rogued  peas"  during  the  summer  months. 

Joseph  also  worked  with  sheep.  He  did 
lambing  and  herding.  He  was  well  liked  by  the  men 
for  whom  he  worked.  Zella  was  active  in  church  work 
during  her  four  years  in  St.  Anthony. 

In  the  fall  of  1929,  Zella  became  quite  ill. 
She  had  been  ailing  for  several  years.  She  died  23 
January  1930.  Her  death  was  an  awftil  shock  to  the 
family.  Joseph  had  been  in  poor  health  for  some  time 
also.  He  was  broken  in  spirit  and  body,  and  for  over  a 
year  was  unable  to  find  himself.  Marjorie  stayed  in  St. 
Anthony  and  worked  at  Skalet's  Department  Store. 
Joseph  and  his  son  and  two  younger  daughters  went 
to  Mount  Pleasant,  Utah,  where  Joseph  stayed  with 
his  sister  Mary  Johansen.  Loa  and  Beth  went  to 
Heber  City  with  Uncle  Ted  and  Aunt  Dot  Jensen. 
Joseph  Vernon  helped  Uncle  Jim  Meyrick  for  a  short 
time  and  returned  to  Drummond,  Idaho.  He  worked 
for  and  stayed  with  Uncle  Frank  and  Aunt  Jen 
Christensen. 

Joseph  was  a  most  lonely  and  heartbroken 
man.  He  lived  for  the  day  when  he  could  be  able  to 
work  and  gather  his  children  together  with  him. 

In  the  spring  of  1931,  Joseph  returned  to  St. 
Anthony.  He,  Marjorie  and  Joseph  Vernon  lived  in  an 
upstairs  apartment  at  Jim  McArthur's  home,  Marjorie 
was  still  working  at  Skalets  department  store.  Joseph 
and  his  son  did  odd  jobs  whatever  they  could  find,  in 
the  potatoes,  peas  and  farm  work. 

Joseph's  daughters,  Beth  and  Loa,  came 
home  which  necessitated  a  move  into  the  Flathaway 
home.  Joseph's  heart  was  set  upon  having  a  home  of 
their  own.  In  1934,  they  moved  across  town  to  the 
north  side  and  lived  in  a  house  east  of  the  First 
National  Bank  on  the  river's  very  edge.  Joseph 
worked  for  the  W.Pj\.  and  also  in  a  sawmill  up  in  the 
hills,  where  he  received  lumber  for  pay.    He  and  his 


son  borrowed  a  team  of  horses  and  a  wagon  from 
George  Merrick  and  went  into  the  hills  north  of 
Ashton  and  cut,  peeled  and  dried  logs.  These  logs 
and  some  others  which  Joseph  bought  from  Mel  Hill 
were  hauled  by  team  and  wagon  to  St.  Anthony  where 
a  lot  had  been  purchased.  A  four-room  house  was 
erected  by  the  family,  and  was  moved  into  in  1936. 
Joseph  began  once  again  his  work  with  the  sheep.  He 
liked  this  work  and  knew  how  to  care  for  sheep.  He 
worked  for  Lcs  Hill,  also  George  Hill,  and  Bill  Kooch. 
Years  before  Zclla  died  he  had  worked  for  the  Toolson 
Brothers,  George,  Don,  Fay,  Ray  and  Rex.  These 
men  all  liked  Joseph  for  himself  as  well  as  his  know 
how  with  sheep. 

Joseph  was  much  happier  now.  He  could 
laugh  and  joke  and  have  his  peace  among  men.  His 
family  began  to  leave  him  but  he  was  glad  for  them. 
Beth  was  married  to  Charles  Purser  in  1937.  Joseph 
Vernon  was  married  to  Louise  Timpson.  Marjorie  was 
married  to  Albert  Nelson  in  1940  and  Loa  to  Blaine 
Clayton  in  1941.  Joseph  worked  with  the  sheep  until 
the  fell  of  1942  when  he  became  very  ill  of  fluid  in  his 
lungs.  His  daughters  had  moved  to  Oregon  and 
Washington  and  returned  home  to  be  with  him.  He 
recovered  from  this  and  went  to  Pordand,  Oregon  to 
be  with  Marjorie.  He  visited  for  a  while  with  Joseph 
Vernon  and  Louise  in  their  trailer  house  at  Madras 
and  also  Bend,  Oregon.  Joseph  Vernon  was  following 
construction  work. 

In  the  spring  of  1943,  Joseph  began  working 
for  his  son-in-law,  Albert  Nelson.  They  worked  at 
Vanport,  a  housing  project  destroyed  by  flood  about 
1950.  In  the  fall  of  1943,  Joseph  Vernon  went  into 
the  service  of  his  country,  the  Seabees.  Joseph  showed 
his  great  tender  love  for  his  son  by  kissing  him  full  on 
the  mouth. 

Joseph  became  very  sick  in  1944  and  was  sent 
to  the  Edgediff  Sanitarium  in  Spokane,  Washington. 
He  was  thought  to  have  had  tuberculosis.  Scar  tissue 
on  one  of  his  lungs  was  supposed  to  have  grown  over 
the  disease.  He  was  bcdfiist  for  about  a  year.  Joseph 
had  smoked  from  the  time  he  was  a  young  boy.  He 
gave  up  smoking  at  his  entry  into  the  hospital,  after  a 
period  of  about  47  years.  In  relating  of  his  giving  up 
tobacco  he  told  that  it  just  came  about  and  did  not 
bother  him. 

In  the  fall  of  1947,  Joseph  was  released  from 
the  sanitarium  and  went  to  Klamath  Falls,  Oregon. 
He  longed  to  go  back  to  Idaho.  So  in  the  fall  of 
1948,  he  went  to  Burlcy,  Idaho,  to  be  near  his 
youngest  daughter  Loa  and  her  family.  He  bought  a 
home-made  trailer  house  and  parked  it  in  Loa  and 
Blaine  Clayton's  yard.  Loa  was  very  kind  to  him.  She 
understood  his  needs  and  helped  him  in  every  way  she 
could. 

In  October,  1953,  he  suffered  a  stroke.  His 
four  children  spent  a  short  rime  with  him  and  he 
recovered  both  physically  and  spiritually.  He  was 
unable  to  take  care  of  himself  and  was  moved  to  a 
private  home  where  a  lady  cared  for  elderly  people.     257 


On  22  December  1956  he  passed  away  after  suffering 
another  stroke.  At  the  time  of  passing  he  called, 
"George,  George!"  (his  oldest  brother).  George  had 
died  10  December  1954. 

Joseph  was  buried  in  the  Wilford  Cemetery, 
south  of  St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  by  the  side  of  his 
beloved  wife.  Both  their  lives  upon  this  earth  had 
been  ones  of  many  illnesses,  hardships  and  near 
poverty.  Besides  Zella's  love  for  her  husband,  she  had 
two  other  great  loves,  her  Church  and  four  children. 

By:  (son),  Joseph  V.  Meyrick 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Jvlarjorie  Beatrice        b- 1911        d- 
md-  Albert  Nelson 

(2)  Joseph  Vernon 
md-  Sarah  Louise  Timpson 
md-  Norma  F.  Quimby 

(3)  Beth  b-  1916 
md-  Charles  P.  Purser 
md-  Robert  Anderson 

(4)  Loa  May  b-  1917 
md-  Blaine  Clayton 
md-  Kcitii  V.  Korb 
md-  Lawrence  B.  Jardine 


b-  1915        d-  1960 


Joseph  (Joe),  Joseph  V.  Meyrick 


Zclla  Allred  Meyrick  1910 


mm^ 


i 

c 


Marjoric,  Beth,  Loa,  and  Joe  V.  Merrick 

MARJORIE  MEYRICK 

Marjoric  was  bom  July  27,  1911,  at  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Sanpete  County,  Utah,  to  Joseph  and  Zclla 
Allred  Meyrick.  At  the  age  of  four  she  moved  with 
her  parents  and  baby  brother,  Joe  V.,  to  Farnum, 
Idaho,  a  small  farming  community  near  Ashton,  in 
Southeastern  Idaho,  where  she  spent  many  happy 
childhood  days  helping  her  parents  with  her  younger 
brother  and  two  younger  sisters,  who  were  bom  in 
Famum,  doing  form  and  household  chores,  and  riding 
her  favorite  pony  Midget.  She  loved  to  ride  and  race 
with  others  claiming  Midget  as  the  fiastcst  pony  in 
Fremont  County,  and  was  always  racing  with  others  to 
prove  it.  In  1925  the  femily  moved  from  the  farm  to 
St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  When  Marjorie  was  18  years  old, 
her  mother  passed  away.  She  took  over  the 
responsibility  of  mothering  and  helping  her  father  care 
for  her  15  year-old  brother  and  13,  and  12  year  old 
sisters.  It  was  through  her  love  and  determination  to 
fulfill  her  mother's  wishes  that  the  two  younger 
children  could  finish  high  school. 

Marjorie  was  quick  to  learn  in  school,  and 
upon  her  graduation  from  high  school  she  secured  a 
position  as  bookkeeper  in  Skalets  department  store  in 
St.  Anthony,  and  it  was  through  this  job  that  she 
could  keep  her  brother  and  sisters  in  school.  Times 
were  hard  and  work  was  hard  to  find,  her  father 
worked  on  the  WPA  and  self-help  jobs  to  keep  the 
family  together.  Marjorie  was  the  mainstay  that  did 
keep  us  together.  She  soon  gained  a  position  at  the 
local  bank,  where  she  worked  until  her  marriage. 

On  April  13,  1940,  she  married  Albert 
Nelson  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  and  it  was  there  their 
son  Galvin  (or  Butch  as  he  was  called)  was  born. 
About  1942  they  moved  to  Portland,  Oregon,  where 
Larry  their  second  son  was  bom.  Later  they  moved  to 
Klamath  Falls  where  a  lovely  daughter  Linda  was  bom, 
and  then  to  Adel,  Oregon,  where  they  lived  and 
worked  on  a  cattle  ranch.  In  1947  they  came  to 
Lakeview  and  had  resided  there  since  that  time. 

Marjorie  loved  to  fish,  inheriting  her  mother's 
love  for  fishing,  and  this  was  a  hobby  she  enjoyed  all 


258 


her  life  until  her  later  years  when  she  was  unable  to 

go- 

Marjoric's  home  was  always  open  to  everyone, 
and  she  was  a  mother  to  many  besides  her  own 
children. 

Marjorie  was  always  proud  of  her  pioneer 
heritage,  and  deeply  interested  in  her  ancestors  who 
came  fi'om  Scandinavia  and  England  after  hearing  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  was  deeply  appreciative  of 
the  sacrifices  they  made  in  coming  to  this  wonderful 
land,  and  of  their  accomplishments.  She  also  loved 
her  family  very  much,  and  her  children  were  her  life. 
She  had  a  great  heart,  and  a  heart  full  of  love  for 
everyone. 

By:her  sister  Loa  M.  Clayton  (Corb)  Jardine 

JOSEPH  VERNON  MEYRICK 

I  was  born  in  Mount  Pleasant,  Utah,  Febmary  21, 
1915.  My  father  was  Joseph  Meyrick,  my  mother  was 
Zella  Beatrice  Allred,  born  November  28,  1886  at 
Spring  City,  Sanpete  County,  Utah.  1  am  the  only  son 
of  four  children  born  to  our  parents  and  a  firm 
believer  in  the  saindy  character  of  his  children.  When 
I  grew  older  I  realized  how  much  I  loved  my  father. 

I  began  school  in  Famum,  Idaho,  in  1921.  I 
completed  the  first,  third,  fourth,  fifth,  grades  there  in 
three  years.  My  teachers  were  Mrs.  Peter  Madsen, 
Mrs.  Lily  Osbomc,  possibly  a  Mrs.  Cheney.  In  1925 
we  moved  to  St.  Anthony  where  I  finished  grade 
school  and  spent  about  three  years  and  one  half  years 
in  high  school.  I  played  left  tackle  on  the  high  school 
football  team  in  1932.  In  1933  played  right  tackle.  A 
good  friend  and  classmate  of  mine,  Katherinc  Tony, 
named  our  school  paper  "School  Daze,"  and  I  believe 
she  also  named  the  football  team,  "Cougars",  (1928). 

My  favorite  sports  were  football,  fishing, 
swimming,  diving,  hunting,  bowling,  pool,  skiing,  and 
riding  horses.  I  worked  at  such  jobs  as  setting  pins  at 
the  bowling  alley,  thinning  beets,  haying,  farm  jobs, 
rogueing  peas,  etc.  During  the  hardest  part  of  the 
depression,  my  father  worked  in  the  woods.  He  and  I 
went  into  the  hills  north  of  Ashton  and  cut  down  pine 
trees,  cut  them  in  proper  lengths,  peeled,  dried  and 
hauled  by  horses  and  wagon  to  St.Anthony,  where 
father  built  a  log  house.  My  three  sisters  and  myself 
assisted  at  times.  Around  1938  my  Father,  Frank 
Merrick,  and  myself  went  to  Dillon,  Montana,  on  a 
haying  job.  Actually  this  was  west  of  Armstead,  some 
fifteen  or  twenty  miles  on  the  Old  Oregon  Trail.  Dad 
and  Frank  drove  wagon  all  the  way.  I  rode  a  horse 
driving  several  other  horses.  After  some  time  we  came 
home,  because  they  were  not  paying  our  wages.  We 
would  have  gone  hungry  on  the  desert  between 
Kilgore  and  St.  Anthony  had  I  not  killed  a  sage  hen 
with  a  mbber  "flipper"  I  made. 

My  mother  worked  in  the  old  "Allen  Seed 
Factory"  picking  peas  from.  Fall  of  1925  until  Fall  of 
1929  when  she  became  too  ill  to  work.  She  was  bed- 
ridden for  about  three  or  four  months  before  her 


death  on  January  23,  1930.  My  poor  father  nearly 
lost  his  mind.  He  had  been  in  poor  health,  mostly 
due  to  worry  about  Mother. 

In  Providence  Rhode  Island,  during  World 
War  11,  Captain  Eddie  Rickcnbachcr  addressed  our 
battalion.  He  told  of  his  own  trying  days  adrift  on  a 
life  raft  in  the  middle  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Their  food 
was  gone.  They  were  faced  with  nothing  but  blue  in 
every  direction.  A  sea  gull  drew  close  enough  to  him 
that  he  hit  with  his  oar.  The  meat  probably  saved  the 
lives  of  himself  and  whoever  was  with  him. 

By:  Joe  V.  Meyrick 

(Joseph  V.  served  in  the  Marshall  Islands 
during  WW  11.  After  being  released  honorably  from 
the  Navy  Seabees,  Joe  V.  worked  in  road  construction. 
He  was  killed  in  a  construction  accident  in  August 
1960  near  Klamath  Falls,  Oregon,  where  he  was 
residing  at  the  time  of  his  death). 

By:  Loa  Meyrick  Jardine. 

BETH  MEYRICK 

Beth  was  born  August  23,  1916  at  Famum, 
Fremont  County,  Idaho,  third  child  of  Joseph  and 
Zella  Allred  Meyrick.  Beth  was  always  a  happy, 
mischievous  child.  She  was  called  the  "spitfire"  of  the 
family,  and  would  always  come  up  fighting  if  you 
called  her  "lefty"  because  she  was  left  handed.  She 
loved  to  play  with  her  littie  sister  Loa  and  was  always 
teaching  her  whatever  she  learned  in  school  when  she 
was  in  the  first  grade  and  Loa  hadn't  started  school 
yet. 

Beth  inherited  her  mothers  love  for  fishing 
also,  and  she  and  Loa  used  to  go  down  to  the  creek 
and  play  in  the  shallows  while  their  mother  fished. 
The  girls  were  heartbroken  when  they  moved  from 
Famum  to  St.  Anthony  in  1925. 

It  was  a  terrible  blow  when  their  mother 
passed  away.  Beth  was  thirteen,  the  femily  was  split 
up  for  a  while,  with  the  httie  girls  being  sent  to  Utah 
to  stay  with  relatives,  as  their  father  was  stricken  with 
grief  Beth  and  Loa  went  to  school  their  Freshman 
year  at  Hebcr  City,  Utah,  and  then  came  back  to  St. 
Anthony  to  finish  school. 

In  1936  Beth  married  Charles  Purser  from 
Ash  ton,  and  two  daughters  were  bom  to  them.  Patty 
Jo  and  Judy.  Patty  Jo  contracted  polio  when  she  was 
three  years  old,  which  left  her  with  a  paralyzed  arm. 
Beth  was  devoted  to  her,  and  spent  countless  hours 
exercising  the  arm  and  doing  therapy  on  it.  They 
visited  innumerable  doctors  and  hospitals  trying  to 
revitalize  her  arm,  with  numerous  operations,  but 
Patty  Jo  never  regained  the  use  of  it.  Patty  Jo  grew 
into  a  happy,  useful,  well-adjusted  woman,  who 
became  a  teacher  of  foreign,  dislocated  persons.  She 
teaches  English,  2nd  languages,  including  Polynesian, 
Hungarian,  Japanese,  etc. 

Beth  and  Charles  were  divorced,and  Beth 
went  to  Klamath  Falls,  Oregon,  where  she  took 


business  courses  and  other  training.  Needless  to  say, 
she  became  very  successful,  starting  a  business  of  her 
own,  becoming  a  tax  consultant  and  operating  an 
employment  agency. 

Her  next  door  neighbor  was  an  elderly 
woman  who  lived  with  her  son,  Robert  Anderson.  A 
romance  developed  between  Beth  and  Bob,  and  they 
were  married  in  1950.  Beth  has  a  heart  of  gold.  She 
has  helped  countless  people,  not  only  with  good 
deeds,  but  out  of  her  pocket  too.  She  has  taken  in 
people  to  live  with  her  who  had  no  place  to  go,  and  is 
always  going  out  of  her  way  to  help  other  people.  She 
loves  to  work  with  young  people  and  relates  to  them 
in  special  ways,  and  has  held  many  civic  and  religious 
positions  in  charitable  endeavors. 

Beth's  youngest  daughter,  Judy,  is  also  a 
teacher,  who  has  been  engaged  in  that  profession  25 
years.  She  has  given  Beth  four  grandchildren,  and 
Patty  Jo,  three  grandchildren.  Bob  has  been  a  very 
loving  supportive  husband  and  father  to  the  family. 
He  was  a  stone  mason  professionally  until  his 
retirement,  and  since  then  has  been  an  active  working 
partner  with  Beth  in  her  work. 

By:  her  sister  Loa  M.Jardine 

LOA  MEYRICK 


259 


Loa  Merrick 

I  am  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Meyrick  and 
Zella  Allred  Meyrick 

I  was  bom  December  22,  1917,  at  Famum,  Fremont, 
Idaho. 

My  earliest  recollections  of  Famum  are  happy 
ones-wading  in  Conant  Creek  just  in  front  of  our  log 
house  that  Dad  built.  This  was  the  original  log  house 
built  farther  up  the  creek,  some  remains  of  the  house 
are  still  visible.  There  was  only  a  lane  from  the  store 
(which  was  owned  by  Jim  Hill  at  this  rime),to  our 
house. 

My  mother  was  a  great  fisherman  and  loved 
to  wade  out  in  the  river  casting  her  fishing  line  and 
catching  lots  of  fish  that  she  would  put  in  a  bag  and 
tied  around  her  waist,  she  always  seemed  to  catch  a 
good  mess. 

It  seemed  like  I  always  got  sick  about 
Christmas  rime  with  bronchitis  or  pneumonia,  and 
Beth  would  have  to  take  my  part  in  the  Christmas  plays 
or  church  programs. 


:>;    I, 


O   •- 


Jim  Hill's  family  were  dose  neighbors  and  we 
really  liked  them.  I  had  a  crush  on  Jay  Hill  when  I 
was  about  six  or  seven  years  old.  He  made  a  necklace 
out  of  rose  berries  and  put  it  around  my  neck.  I  wore 
it  for  days  until  it  fell  off  in  pieces.  Gene  Schofield 
was  Beth's  beau. 

When  the  Hill  twins  were  born,  Jay  came 
running  down  the  lane  to  tell  Joe  V.,  "I  ain't  the  baby 
now,  Joe."  Joe  V.  always  teased  him  about  being  the 
baby  of  the  family.  Also  I  remember  a  song  that  Jay 
used  to  sing,  "Oh  I  don't  like  Monday  morning,  I'd 
rather  stay  in  bed,  as  I  go  toddling  off  to  work  a- 
wishin'  I  was  dead.  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  Thursday, 
Friday,  bring  me  no  delight— Oh,  I  don't  like  Monday 
morning,  I'd  rather  have  Saturday  night." 

I  think  Gene  Hill  was  Joe  V,'s  age,  and 
Marjorie  took  turns  falling  in  love  with  the  other  boys. 

The  Brown  brothers  used  to  always  have  a  lot 
of  eggs.  Jim  invited  us  up  one  Easter  to  get  all  the 
eggs  we  wanted  to  color  for  Easter.  He  had  a  whole 
bin  full.  I  had  never  seen  so  many  eggs. 

One  other  time  I  remember  was  a  24th  July 
celebration  down  in  the  hollow.  All  the  women 
brought  really  good  things  to  eat.  My  mother  fixed  a 
delicious  potato  salad  with  radishes  all  over  the  top. 
We  had  games,  horse  races,  pitched  horseshoes,  and 
foot  racing.  There  was  a  big  spot  up  on  the  hill  under 
the  cliff  they  kept  covered  with  straw  which  kept  the 
snow  fi-om  melting,  so  we  had  ice  cream  even  in  July. 

Dad  drove  the  school  sleigh  a  year  or  two. 
He  liked  to  take  me  with  him  before  I  started  school. 
Mrs.  Lora  Madsen  taught  five  grades  then.  Dad 
would  take  me  in  before  the  school  was  over  and  I 
would  listen  and  take  part  too.  I  could  read  all  the 
cards  the  teacher  held  up  as  well  or  better  than  the 
first  graders,  so  Mrs.  Madsen  let  me  start  school  when 
I  was  five  and  then  let  me  skip  the  second  grade  after  I 
completed  the  first  grade.  After  we  moved  to 
StAnthony,  it  was  my  greatest  desire,  to  return  to 
Famimi  to  teach  school  after  I  grew  up.  I  loved  Mrs. 
Madsen  dearly,  and  she  was  my  ideal. 

Dad  and  mama  loved  to  dance,  too,  at  the 
church  or  old  time  dances — ^The  Virginia  Reel,  Circle 
two-step,  Schottiche,  and  others. 

Mama  had  a  good  voice  and  was  always 
singing,  through-out  all  her  life.  She  said  she  heard 
Jenny  lind,  the  Swedish  nightingale,  sing  in  Salt  Lake. 
She  worked  there  at  one  time  as  a  maid  in  the  New 
House  Hotel  before  her  marriage. 

One  of  my  fondest  memories  of  Farnum  is 
one  of  when  my  brother  Joe  V.  brought  me  back  to 
Farnum  to  go  fishing  in  Fall  river  when  we  were 
grown.  He  loved  the  place  and  went  back  every  time 
he  had  the  chance.  We  always  had  great  times.  One 
of  my  most  choice  letters  was  fi-om  him  when  he  was 
in  the  Seabees  in  the  Marshall  Islands,  and  he  wrote 
and  told  me  I  was  his  best  fishin'  buddy. 

When  we  moved  up  to  the  last  farm  before  we 
left  Farnum,  it  was  on  high  ground,  and  certain  nights 
you  could  sec  the  lights  of  St.  Anthony.   There  was  a 


260 


terrific  thimderstorm  one  time,  and  a  tornado  threats, 
so  we  ran  down  to  the  neighbors  and  got  in  their 
cellar  with  them.  Lightening  struck  all  around  there, 
and  we  didn't  want  to  be  out  in  it. 

I  have  always  enjoyed  going  back  to  my  old 
childhood  surroundings  and  think  of  the  beautiful 
bouquets  of  bluebell  and  horscheads  (as  we  called 
them).  They  had  such  a  beautifiil  perfume,  and  we 
would  pick  them  and  take  them  to  mama.  I  really 
enjoy  taking  my  children  and  grandchildren  back  to 
share  my  beautiful  memories  of  Farnum. 

Many  families  are  still  familiar  to  me — the 
Hills,  Brig  Murdochs,  T.T.  Murdochs,  Lester  and 
Vera  Hendrickson,  Iver  Hendricksons,  Asa  Hawkes' 
the  Chichesters,  the  Greens,  Whitmores,  Schofields, 
George  Merricks,  Caziers — there  were  more  which  I 
would  remember  if  someone  brought  them  to  my 
mind.  We  moved  fi-om  there  when  I  was  eight  years 
old  down  to  St.  Anthony,  but  we  kept  in  touch  with 
them  for  a  long  time. 

We  have  a  wonderful  heritage,  and  I  am 
thankful  for  them  and  the  many  sacrifices  they  made 
for  us.  It  may  have  been  a  sad  time  for  them  leaving 
Farnum,  I'm  sure  it  was  ,  but  I  will  never  forget  the 
dearest  place  in  the  world  where  I  have  roots — 
Farnum,  Idaho!. 

By:  Loa  Meyrick  Jardine. 

ALMO  ERNEST  MILLER 

and 
MARY  (LIDELL)  MILLER 

This  is  not  in  order,  but  just  as  I  would 
remember  something,  I  would  write  it  down. 

I  do  not  know  when  my  mom  and  dad 
purchased  their  dry  farm,  but  I  do  not  remember  any 
other  home.  My  parents  were  A.E  and  Mollie  Miller. 
We  lived  on  this  farm  every  summer  until  it  was  sold  to 
the  Worrell  family. 

The  one  thing  I  do  remember  was  the  peace 
and  quite  at  the  farm.  In  the  night,  you  could  hear  the 
fi-ogs,  crickets  and  the  coyotes.  I  miss  that  even  now. 
Another  remembrance,  is  the  fresh  turned  ground  after 
the  plow.  That  was  such  a  good  smell,  the  fresh  and 
newly  plowed  ground.  It  was  fun  to  watch  the  crops 
mature.  I  liked  to  ride  on  the  combine  and  eat  the 
fresh  grain  or  make  wheat  gum  out  of  it. 

Dad  usually  raised  a  lot  of  oats  and  the 
bundles  were  put  into  the  big  bam  to  feed  the  horses 
during  the  winter.  They  were  also  good  to  eat,  but 
took  quite  a  bit  of  work  to  get  at  them.  Dad  loved  to 
farm  with  the  horses,  and  when  he  became  mechanical, 
he  lost  some  of  the  love  of  the  farm. 

Our  home  was  two  rooms  most  of  the  time, 
but  mom  was  a  good  "home-maker"  and  a  super  cook. 
She  raised  a  garden  and  chickens  as  we  always  had 
plenty  to  cat.  A  grist  of  flour  was  arranged  for  each  fall 
which  lasted  nearly  a  year.  Butter  was  made  as  was 
soap  to  do  the  laundry  with.  That  was  made  over  a  fire 
in  the  yard,  and  a  big  roimd  tub  and  you  stirred  and 


srirrcd  and  it  surely  had  a  bad  smell.    But  it  surely 
washed  the  clothes  good. 

Always  plenty  of  work  to  be  done.  Washing 
was  done  on  a  wash  board  until  a  gas  motored  Maytag 
washer  was  bought.  We  baked  and  ironed  on  the  same 
day  so  we  did  not  need  to  heat  up  the  house  more  than 
one  day.  And  a  hot  fire  was  needed  to  keep  the  irons 
warm  enough  to  iron  with. 

A  windmill  provided  water  for  the  stock  as 
well  as  for  the  house.  A  dstem  was  dose  to  the  house 
and  a  buried  pipe  came  from  the  windmill  to  the 
cistern  for  the  house  use.  Also,  a  larger  cistern  was 
build  dose  to  the  water  trough  by  the  windmill.  These 
were  kept  fiill  so  on  the  days  the  wind  did  not  blow, 
we  had  water  for  us  and  the  stock.  I  only  remember  of 
two  times  taking  the  water  wagon  down  on  the  Teton 
River  several  miles  away  to  get  water  for  the  stock. 
Maybe  we  also  used  this  for  the  house,  I  do  not 
remember  that. 

Dad  kept  his  fences  in  good  repair  and  did  not 
like  them  to  become  pardy  fallen  down.  He  could  not 
stand  weeds,  and  my  job  in  the  fall,  was  to  hoe  all  the 
weeds  from  the  summer.  He  was  combining  grain  and 
did  not  have  time  to  "rod-weed"  again.  I  always 
thought  this  was  a  "tough"  job.  Mom  did  not  like 
weeds  in  her  garden  neither.  One  year,  we  planted  the 
garden  close  to  the  cistern  by  the  house,  and  tried 
some  irrigation  on  it. 

In  the  ^ring  and  fall,  I'd  stay  with  friends  in 
St.  Anthony.  This  was  so  that  I  could  stay  in  school. 
We  lived  in  St.  Anthony  during  the  winter,  and  that  is 
where  we  attended  church.  However,  about  once  a 
year,  we  would  attend  church  in  Famum.  Sometimes, 
we  attended  the  celebration  they  would  have  on  the 
24th  of  July.  And  we  would  attend  some  of  the 
wedding  dances  they  held. 

In  the  fall,  when  dad  would  have  the  combine 
ready  in  early  afternoon  on  a  Friday,  mom  would  ride 
the  combine  and  do  the  bagging.  She  could  really  tie 
those  sacks  of  wheat!  Then  over  the  week-end,  dad 
would  hire  a  man  to  help  in  the  harvest.  I  remember 
mom  and  I  shingling  a  couple  of  the  granaries.  She 
may  have  built  them.  I  do  not  remember  that  part. 
But  she  did  build  things.  Her  people  were  carpenters 
from  Scotland. 

Dad  would  ski  or  go  on  snow  shoes  to  the 
farm  in  the  winter  to  check  on  the  horses.  He  would 
usually  go  on  Monday  morning  and  not  come  back 
until  Saturday  sometime.  He  would  also  put  some 
straw  on  a  snow  bank  among  the  trees  so  we  could 
have  Ice  cream  during  the  summer.  This  was  surely 
good!  During  watermelon  time  we  would  put  one 
under  a  gunny  sack  on  the  north  of  the  house,  and 
pour  water  on  to  keep  it  cool  until  time  to  cat.  It  was 
so  good. 

Mom  would  make  "fly  catchers"  which  she  sat 
on  top  of  the  "slop  bucket".  The  flies  surely  would  go 
into  that  and  this  helped  to  keep  them  out  of  the 
house.  Then  we  could  feed  "slop"  to  the  pigs,  and 
most  had  these  buckets  sitting  in  their  yards.  261 


Sometimes,  I  could  walk  over  to  Worrell's  on 
the  south  of  us  to  play  and  sometimes,  I'd  go  east  to 
Roger's  to  play.  Then  sometimes  dad  would  drop  me 
off  at  Bensen's  to  play  while  he  took  a  load  of  grain  to 
Drummond  or  France,  or  Lamont.  This  was  always 
spedal  days  to  me  as  I  was  the  only  child.  Sometimes, 
we  would  visit  Uncle  Jim  Miller  and  then  I'd  have  my 
cousins  to  play  with.  They  were  shy  at  first,  but  later 
would  play  with  me. 

In  the  fall,  we'd  go  to  the  Teton  River  or  to 
Fall  River  in  search  of  choke  cherries.  They  made  the 
most  wonderful  jelly  and  syrup.  We  would  also  go  to 
see  if  we  could  find  huckleberries.  I  surely  did  enjoy  a 
good  "huckleberry  pie". 

Dad  turned  the  big  bam  into  a  granary  when 
he  no  longer  had  the  horses  to  farm  with.  It  surely 
held  a  lot  of  grain. 

I  remember  the  "Model  T  Ford  car"  we  had. 
Dad  finally  made  it  into  a  pickup.  And  many  times 
we'd  have  to  turn  around  and  back  up  the  "goose- 
neck" just  before  we  reached  Worrell's.  It  had  3 
pedals  on  the  floor.  The  younger  generation  will  not 
know  what  this  is. 

Grandpa  and  Grandma  Miller  lived  just  below 
the  hill  from  us.  They  stayed  year  around  on  the  farm. 
Would  really  bundle  up  in  quilts  and  such  to  go  to 
Ashton  a  couple  of  times  in  the  winter  to  get  supplies. 
They  bought  their  farm  from  Levi  Lcatham  when  he 
moved  to  the  Shelley  area. 

We  always  had  a  small  patch  of  "red  spuds" 
which  was  enough  to  last  us  most  of  the  winter.  And 
a  small  field  of  hay  so  we  could  feed  the  cow.  Usually 
had  a  pig  for  winter  meats  also.  Mom  and  dad  would 
salt  the  hams  and  bacon  and  mom  would  bottie  the 
rest. 

We  did  not  have  much  "fresh  meat"  and 
sometimes  dad  would  kill  a  rabbit  and  dress  it  out  and 
mom  would  fry  it.  It  really  tasted  good.  But  I  guess 
my  favorite  time  was  when  the  peas  and  spuds  were 
ready  and  mom  would  cream  them,  fry  some  chicken, 
make  soda  biscuits  and  apple  pic  with  ice  cream. 

Dad  would  get  up  and  go  after  the  horses  out 
in  the  pasture.  Mom  and  I  would  have  breakfast  ready 
when  he  would  have  the  horses  home,  harnessed,  and 
grained.  Many  times,  he  would  bring  mom  a  bouquet 
of  wild  flowers.  They  were  so  beautiful. 

I  loved  the  fi-eedom  of  the  dry  farm.  You 
could  just  go  and  be  outside  and  feel  secure.  It 
seemed  that  peace  was  everywhere. 

After  I  had  a  bike  to  pedal,  I  would  ride  over 
to  the  Tom  Murdoch  home  to  play  with  Delia. 
Sometimes  we  would  go  over  to  her  cousins  to  play. 
This  way  I  also  became  acquainted  with  the  Brig 
Murdoch  family.  The  Famum  people  are  some  of  the 
greatest  there  arc.  I  enjoyed  my  childhood  days  on 
the  dry  farm  very  much. 

By:  Phyllis  Miller  Jensen 

CHILDREN: 
(1)  Phyllis 

md-  Leonard  Jensen 


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WILLIAM  IL  MILLER 

and 

LEONA  BARRETT 

William  R.  Miller  known  as  Bill,  son  of  Frank 
A.  and  Bertha  Flint  Miller  and  Leona  daughter  of 
Albert  and  Ellin  Winter  Barrett,  moved  to  Drummond 
to  live  in  1932  with  their  two  children  Bert  and  Bettie 
age  3  and  1.  Bill  had  worked  there  off  and  on  for  his 
father  for  quite  a  few  summers  but  he  didn't  live  on 
the  form  until  1932,  moving  there  to  stay. 

Bert  started  school  at  Drummond  at  the  age 
of  5.  At  the  age  of  6  Bettie  started  to  school  having 
Glen  and  Ludlc  Baird  as  teachers.  They  taught  until 
Bettie  was  in  the  7th  grade,  when  she  had  Floy  Bratt 
the  last  two  years  of  school.  We  then  rode  the  school 
bus  to  Ashton  having  to  catch  the  bus  at  Blaine 
Baird 's  home.  In  the  winter  there  were  quite  a  few 
days  that  we  never  got  to  school. 

When  we  first  moved  to  Drummond  there 
was  no  electricity  at  all,  and  we  didn't  have  water.  My 
father  hauled  water  from  John  Brown's  place  and  put 
it  in  a  cistern.  In  1937  they  finally  got  electricity  and 
then  in  1938  they  had  a  well  dug.  Boy  that  was  really 
something  to  have  running  water. 

Dad  drove  the  school  bus  to  take  the  kids  to 
school.  In  the  early  spring  and  winter  he  had  to  take 
us  by  horses,  he  had  a  trailer  he  used  and  then  when  it 
snowed  he  had  a  covered  sleigh  that  had  a  stove  in  it 
so  we  kept  warm. 

In  the  winter  you  were  about  snowed  in 
because  the  road  we  lived  on  was  always  snowed  in. 
We  left  our  car  at  Blaine  Baird 's  corner  and  would 
either  walk  or  ride  a  horse  or  stay  home. 

At  first  they  farmed  with  horses  and  then  later 
on  we  got  a  tractor  to  farm  with.  We  always  milked  a 
herd  of  cows  and  had  cattle  to  feed.  Dad  finally  sold 
the  cows  and  then  they  moved  to  St.  Anthony  in  the 
winter.  He  went  to  work  for  Parker  and  Stones  selling 
cars  and  did  the  farming  at  night  or  on  week  ends. 
He  then  put  his  land  in  soil  bank  for  over  a  ten  year 
period.  When  this  time  was  up  he  sold  it  to  Ray 
Hawkcs  and  Max  Parkinson. 

Bill  passed  away  Feb  1972.  Leona  is  still  living 
in  St.  Anthony. 

Burt  is  a  truck  driver  and  lives  in  Ucon, 
Idaho. 

By:  Bettie  Miller  Grover 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Bert  b-  1928 
md-  Ruth  Warren 

(2)  Bettie  b-  1931 
md-  Clyde  Grover 

BERT'S  CHILDREN 

(1)  William  Frank  b- 1949 

md-  Sherry  McKinley 

(2)  Patsy  b-  1950 
md-  (1)  Rick  Harris 

(2)  Allen  Peterson 


(3)  Mitzi 

b- 

1952 

(4)  Stacy  Arnold 

b- 

1956 

(5)  Mark  Warren 

b- 

1962 

(6)  Albert 

b- 

1970 

md-  Suzette  Murri 

262 


Bettie  lives  in  St.  Anthony, Idaho,  and  is  to  married 

Clyde  Grover. 

CHILDREN: 

(l)Mikki  b- 1956 

(2)  Lynn  b-  1959 

md-  Teresa  Cummings 

(3)  Joe  b-  1964 

md-  Cindy  Rathbun 

WILLIAM  MILLER  AND 
JOSEPHINE  MARY  SCHWARTZ 

William  Miller  was  born  April  19,  1895  at 
Oppenau,  Baden,  West  Germany  to  Ludwig  Miller  of 
Oppcnau,  West  Germany  and  Pauline  Panter  Miller 
who  was  bom  at  Ebach,  West  Germany. 

William  came  to  the  United  States  in  1913. 
He  worked  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  for  a  year  and 
then  came  to  St.  Anthony  on  the  train.  Not  knowing 
the  train  came  to  Ashton,  he  walked  from  St.  Anthony 
to  Franz  Siding  lugging  his  heavy  suitcase.  He 
worked  for  Bob  Franz  that  first  year.  Then  he  worked 
at  the  Salisbery  (don't  know  if  the  spelling  is  correct) 
Sawmill  in  Jackass  Meadows.  Following  that  he  did 
some  trapping.  He  had  many  stories  and  adventures 
while  trapping.  Then  he  went  to  Salmon,  Idaho  and 
worked  in  the  hay  for  the  summer.  He  bought  a 
buckskin  horse  and  saddle  from  3/-  Indian  for  $50.00 
and  rode  from  Salmon  back  to  1  nz  Siding.  We  still 
use  the  saddle  that  he  brought  back. 

The  summer  times  he  worked  in  Butte, 
Montana  mines  and  in  the  winter  he  would  trap.  He 
got  hurt  or  nearly  killed  in  the  mines  in  Butte  when  a 
slab  of  rock  came  down  and  hit  him  on  the  back  and 
took  most  of  the  skin  off  his  back.  One  spring  and 
summer  he  spent  around  Juneau,  Alaska.  After 
coming  back  from  Alaska  he  returned  to  this  area  and 
started  trapping  again. 

He  started  farming  in  1921  at  Highland, 
which  is  in  the  Squirrel  area.  He  bought  a  farm  from 
Perry  Martin  in  1924  which  is  still  in  the  family  being 
farmed  by  two  of  the  sons.  Bill  and  Joe.  He  firmed 
until  the  1970's  when  he  semi-retired.  He  became  a 
naturalized  citizen  in  1943.  William  met  Josephine 
Mary  Schwartz  in  1925,  at  Coal  Creek,  Colorado, 
when  he  took  a  friend,  Mr.  Barker,  down  there  to  visit 
fiicnds.  They  corresponded  and  on  July  8,  1927  he 
married  Josephine  at  Florence,  Colorado. 

Josephine  Schwartz  Miller  was  bom  August 
28,  1900,  at  Coal  Creek,  Colorado,  to  Nichols  an, 
Virginia  Brentari  Schwartz.  Her  father  died  when  she 
was  11  years  old  and  she  had  to  stay  home  to  help  her 
mother  rake  care  of  her  younger  sister  and  brother. 
As  a  young  girl  and  until  she  married,  she  worked  at 


resorts  at  Colorado  Springs  and  Glcnwood  Springs. 
At  Glcnwood  Springs,  she  worked  most  of  the  time 
for  two  sisters,  who  were  the  owners  of  the  resort. 
Josephine  corresponded  with  the  sisters  until  they 
passed  away. 

She  and  her  husband  worked  hard  to  make 
the  farm  profitable.  It  was  hard,  but  they  went 
through  the  depression  and  finally  made  the  farm  pay. 
She  raked  and  helped  put  up  hay;  cooked  for  hired 
men  and  threshing  crews;  took  horses  out  to  the  field 
to  change  them  off  before  the  tractors  came  into  use; 
and  raised  four  kids.  Never  a  complaint  was  heard 
from  her,  no  matter  how  tired  she  got. 

William  passed  away  at  the  age  of  84,  on 
March  25,  1980  at  home.  Josephine  at  the  age  of  66, 
passed  away  May  21,  1966.  To  this  union  four 
children  were  bom,  William,  Joe,  Albert  Ray,  &  Carol. 
Also  a  legacy  of  nine  grandchildren.  Bill  and  Joe  farm 
the  family  farm,  with  Joe  living  there.  Albert  Ray  now 
resides  in  Challis,  Idaho,  and  Carol  Miller  (Spencer) 
Albertson  live  at  Lamont,  Idaho. 

By:  Bill  Miller 

MARGARET  MOON 


b.r.  Kay,  Jean,  Carol,  f.r.  Howard,  Margaret,  Harris  Moon 

In  the  spring  of  1939,  Margaret  Moon  signed 
a  contract  to  teach  at  Famum,  where  we  moved  early 
that  summer. 

We  lived  in  the  teacherage,  a  three-room, 
small,  white  house  about  a  hundred  yards  southeast  of 
the  school.  There  were  both  front  and  back  doors.  I 
believe  there  was  a  cold  water  line  into  the  house  from 
a  windmill-powered  pump  nearby.  The  windmill 
could  be  activated  or  stopped  through  a  control  brake. 

The  school  was  a  two-room  stone  building. 
Only  one  room  was  used  at  that  time  and  all  eight 
grades  were  taught  together.  I  usually  did  my  own 
work  quickly  and  then  tried  to  focus  on  what  was 
being  taught  to  another  grade.  I  have  often  wished  I 
had  paid  more  attention  to  math.  It  was  a  very  special 
and  fiin  year  for  me. 

There  were  five  Moon  children.  My  older 
brother,  Harris,  boarded  in  Ashton  and  attended  high 
school  there.  Jean  drove  to  and  from  Ashton  High 
School  for  a  couple  of  months  until  the  old  car  gave     263 


up,  when  she  kept  house  and  cared  for  Kay,  who  was 
too  young  to  be  in  school,  but  attended  frequently. 
Carol  and  I  attended  at  Famum. 

I  greatiy  enjoyed  that  year.  I  remember  the 
other  students  as  a  somewhat  extended  family.  They 
were  kind  and  generous  and  I  appreciated  being  part 
of  the  group.  The  neighbors  were  fine  people  also. 
The  Henry's  lived  to  the  west  and  the  Benson's  east. 
I  also  remember  going  to  the  Hawkes  home  a  lot 
because  Lawrence  was  a  good  friend.  I  particularly 
remember  Melvin  Benson  as  a  good  playground 
overseer,  who  kept  differences  to  a  minimum  and  saw 
to  it  that  each  student  was  included.  He  had  an 
exceptional  sense  of  fairness.  We  played  games  that 
included  everyone.  Playground  equipment  consisted 
of  swings  and  a  merry-go-round. 

My  mother  was  in  failing  health  that  year,  and 
finances  were  strained  more  than  usual.  She  always 
thought  of  the  year  there  as  the  lowest  time  of  her  life. 
On  Saturdays,  she  drove  down  to  the  St.  Anthony- 
Egin  area  to  teach  music:  piano,  violin,  etc.  We  had  a 
lot  of  music  in  the  school  as  well.  When  the  year 
ended  she  took  a  year  off  to  recuperate,  then 
continued  teaching  at  Egin-Parker  and  St.  Anthony. 
She  remained  vitally  interested  in  the  education  of  the 
area  until  her  death  in  1986. 

The  second  room  in  the  school  was  used  for 
storage  of  desks,  etc.  There  was  also  a  set  of  shelves 
there  for  interesting  books,  many  of  which  were 
hastily  replaced  on  the  floor  after  a  reading  period. 

I  recall  singing  at  the  small  church  beside  the 
highway  to  the  east,  a  community  center  for  everyone. 
I  remember  playing  in  the  fields  between  the  school 
and  Bensons'.  There  were  some  low  bluffs  there  to 
cHmb  in  and  enjoy.  I  remember  a  spring  party  at 
Grahams',  up  Conant  Creek,  (where  Wayne 
Obcrhansley  now  lives)  which  included  a  picnic  and 
lots  of  group  games. 

On  a  sadder  note.  I  recall  that  shortly  after 
school  was  over  in  the  spring  of  1940,  Jimmic 
Whitmore  drowned  in  Fall  River.  It  was  my  first 
acquaintance  with  personal  tragedy  of  such  scope. 

The  Moon  family  left  Famum  in  the  summer 
of  1940.  Margaret  Moon  taught  sixteen  more  years  in 
Fremont  County.  She  moved  to  Twin  Falls  and 
worked  in  educational  services  many  years.  She  died 
Febmary  16,  1986,  in  Twin  Falls,  and  is  buried  beside 
our  father  at  Parker.  Harris  [Huck]  and  Betty  run  the 
St.  Anthony  Laundry.  Jean  Holder  is  retired  from  a 
management  position  with  Mountain  Bell.  Carol 
Weisbord  is  a  charge  nurse  at  a  Los  Angeles  hospital. 
J.  Howard  is  a  teacher  and  counselor  at  Filer  High 
School.  Kay  Stcil  was  a  nurse.  She  died  in  1987. 

By:  J.  Howard  Moon 

C.  C.  MOORE 

Author's  Note:  We  enter  a  short  report  on  Govemor 
C.  C.  Moore  as  he  was  instrumental  in  bringing 
several  early  settlers  into  our  area.    This  information 


was  taken  from  a  Missouri  newspaper  clipping  dated 
April  1, 1904. 

OFF  FOR  IDAHO 


> 

Ct 

O 


v„.  L..  xMLxjrc  idKCi  d  i  diL)  Lu  oc.  Anthony 

Hon.  C.  C.  Moore,  of  St.  Anthony,  Idaho, 
after  a  visit  of  several  days  in  Mound  City,  left  Monday 
with  a  party  of  twelve  for  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  The 
party  accompanying  him  is  composed  of  T.  W.  Munn, 
Loyd  Niendorf,  Ed  Gould,  Chas.  Hiatt,  Warren 
Kunkel,  H.  S.  Pew,  Wm.  Hensley,  Clarence  Carver, 
Webb  Patton  and  family,  and  Socrates  Moore  and  his 
wife  Eliza  McCune.  The  latter  are  C.  C.'s  parents, 
who  go  with  the  expectation  of  spending  the 
remaining  years  of  their  life  with  their  son.  The  other 
members  of  the  party  go  to  secure  employment,  most 
of  who  will  engage  in  farm  work. 

The  departing  of  such  a  large  party  attraacd 
some  attention  and  in  consequence,  a  large  number  of 
persons  gathered  at  the  depot  to  bid  them  farewell. 
Among  the  number  was  quite  a  delegation  of  old 
soldiers  who  came  to  say  good  bye  to  their  old 
comrade,  Mr.  Moore  (82),  and  his  companion  (71). 
Other  old  friends  of  the  aged  couple  were  there  to  bid 
them  Godspeed. 

Inasmuch  as  Mr.  Moore  has  resided  in 
Mound  City  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  as  he  is 
a  most  honorable  citizen  and  has  many  warm  friends, 
we  print  the  following  biography  of  his  life,  written  by 
Mrs.  S.  N.  Ferguson,  a  near  neighbor,  which  will  be  of 
interest  to  all  his  acquaintances. 

Socrates  S.  Moore  was  bom  on  a  farm  near 
Beaver,  Beaver  county,  Pennsylvania,  Sept.  29,  1821, 
where  he  lived  until  23  years  of  age.  He  was  the 
youngest  of  eleven  children,  having  eight  brothers  and 
two  sisters.  After  the  death  of  his  father,  he  cared  for 
his  mother  for  seven  years.  She  died,  and  then  he 
worked  in  Pittsburgh,  and  afterward  hired  out  on  a 
steamboat  nmning  from  new  Orleans  to  St.  Louis  and 
Rock  Island,  111.  In  the  spring  of  1854  he  left  the  river 
at  Muscatine,  la.,  and  went  to  Cedar  county,  where  he 
went  to  work  on  a  form.    He  was  married  to  Eliza 


264 


McCune,  April  5,  1855.  They  lived  in  Green  county, 
Iowa,  four  years,  coming  to  Holt  county,  Missoun,  in 
Sept.  1850.  He  enlisted  in  the  Union  Army,  March 
17, 1862,  for  three  years  during  the  Civil  War. 

They  are  the  parents  of  12  children,  five  sons 
and  seven  daughters. 

"Father"  Moore  has  been  a  good  citizen,  a 
good  neighbor,  and  a  good  patriot. 

DAVTD  MOORE 

and 

HARRI£T  PENWELL 

David  Moore  and  his  wife,  Harriet  Penwell 
Moore,  moved  from  Pierce  County,  Nebraska  about 
1901  to  Squirrel,  Idaho  where  they  homestcaded  land 
situated  right  next  to  what  is  now  the  Reclamation 
Road,  at  the  Targhee  Forest  boundary.  They  built  a 
home  of  logs  and  other  buildings  also.  They  lived 
here  until  David  died  in  1917. 

Their  children  are:  Ray  Moore,  Clarice 
Prencton,  Norah  Gallagher,  Wayne,  Jay  and  Cliff. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  104 

PHILLIP  MOORE 

Phillip  Moore,  a  cousin  of  David  Moore,  lived 
at  Squirrel.  His  son,  Laurence  T.  Moore,  and  wife 
Mae  R.,  daughter  of  William  Brunette  Brookhier 
Bowersox  was  born  September  7,  1888  at  Lock 
Springs  Missouri.  She  married  Lawrence  T.  Moore  18 
March  1908.  They  moved  to  Squirrel  in  1910.  They 
moved  to  Ashton  in  1918.  Mr  Moore  worked  as  a 
butcher.  They  have  two  daughters,  Marian  who 
married  Jack  Rice  and  Ardith  who  married  Wally 
Mueller. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  103 

FRED  DOUGLAS  MORRISON,  SR- 

and 

ANNA  NORA  PIPER 

and 

CHARLES  ERNEST  FRENCH 

Fred  D.  Morrison  was  born  at  Rcinbeck, 
Iowa,  March  9,  1884.  His  parents  were  J.  D.  and 
Carrie  Atwood  Morrison  and  he  had  two  sisters,  Ruth 
and  Henrietta.  His  mother  and  sister,  Henrietta, 
passed  away  in  July  and  March,  1917.  Fred's 
boyhood  was  spent  in  Reinbeck,  where  he  was 
graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1902.  He  then 
took  a  collegiate  course  at  Grinnell  College  at 
Grinnell,  Iowa,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1907. 
Soon  after  his  graduation  he  left  Iowa  for  the  west, 
working  for  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  for  a  time  and 
later  for  his  uncle,  M.  L.  Morrison,  in  the  store. 

In  1909,  he  was  married  to  Anna  Nora 
(Dollie)  Piper  of  Helix,  and  to  this  union  in  1912,  a 
son,  Fred  Douglas,  was  born.  Soon  after  their 
marriage,  Fred  and  Dolly  engaged  in  farming  in  the 


Fred  Douglas  and  Doilic  Morrison 


Dollie  and  Ernest  French  and  Beverly  Morrison 


b.r.  Freda,  Doug,  Bud,  Joyce, 
f.r.  Julie  Morrison  and  Beverly,  and  Kim  Johnson 

vicinity  of  Helix,  where  they  continued  to  live  until 
they  bought  land  near  Lamont,  Idaho,  in  1914. 

They  worked  the  farm  for  five  years  until 
February  5,  1919,  when  Fred  died  during  the  flu 
epedemic  while  the  family  was  visiting  Fred's  uncle  at 


Jerome,  Idaho.    He  was  buried  in  Walla  Walla, 
Washington. 

Dollie  took  her  seven  year  old  son 
Douglas  and  moved  to  Walla  Walla,  Washington, 
living  there  for  a  couple  of  years  before  coming  back 
to  the  homestead  at  Lamont.  While  Dollie  was  in 
Washington,  Perry  Martin,  who  later  became  her 
brother-in-law  by  marriage,  and  a  Mr.  Rodecker 
formed  her  farm. 

Shortly  after  returning  to  the  homestead  at 
Lamont,  she  married  Charles  Emcst  French,  a  brother 
of  Minnie  French  Martin,  wife  of  Perry  Martin,  on 
June  21,  1921.  They  farmed  the  homestead  and 
Douglas  went  to  school  and  grew  to  manhood  in  the 
Lamont  area. 

They  enjoyed  the  beauties  of  nature,  working 
the  farm  and  visiting  with  their  relatives,  friends  and 
neighbors. 

FRED  DOUGLAS  MORRISON 

and 

FREDA  NEFF 

and 

PERRY  (PAT)  BAILEY 

In  September  1935,  Perry  (Pat)  Bailey 
bought  the  land  and  property  belonging  to  George 
Femey.  He  lived  in  the  house  there  on  the  property 
and  bought  grain  for  the  Sterling  Company. 

In  1939,  Freda  Neff  came  to  Lamont  from 
Blackfoot,  and  taught  school  for  one  year.  She 
married  Pat  Bailey  in  May  of  1940.  They  bought  out 
the  Cooks  in  1941,  and  moved  into  the  home  and 
store  they  built  there  at  Lamont.  They  had  the  post 
office,  store,  and  gas  business.  Pat  died  in  the  spring 
of  1942.  Freda  continued  operating  the  business. 

Douglas  Morrison  married  Freda  Neff  Bailey 
at  Blackfoot,  Idaho,  the  25  of  Nov.  1944.  They 
moved  onto  the  homestead,  farming  with  Douglas' 
mother  and  his  step-father  Ernest  French. 

The  two  families  lived  there  and  farmed 
together  until  Ernest  passed  away  in  1968.  Dollie 
continued  to  take  a  part  and  an  interest  in  the  farm 
that  her  son  Douglas  and  his  son,  "Bud"  as  he  was 
called,  having  been  named  Fred  Douglas,  were 
running  until  her  health  forced  her  to  retire. 

Douglas  became  ill  and  passed  away  in  1978, 
and  his  mother,  Dollie,  a  year  later  in  1979,  thus 
leaving  Freda  and  Bud  and  his  family  to  run  the  farm. 
Freda,  Bud,  Lawanna,  and  their  two  children  live  on 
the  farm  today. 

(Written  from  notes  from  Doug  and  Darlene 
French  and  Freda  Morrison.) 

CHILDREN  OF  FRED  DOUGLAS  &  FREDA 
NEFF  MORRISON 

(1)  Beverly  Ann  b- 1946 

md-  Kenneth  D.  Johnson 


265 


^^^^^■3 


> 
< 

J 

c 


(2)  Fred  Douglas  (Bud)  b-  1949 
md-  Lawanna  Ranac  Brower 

(3)  Joyce  b-  1953 
md-  Michael  Sedler 

(4)  Julie  b-  1956 
md-  Michael  Howard 

THOMAS  TODD  MURDOCH 

and 
SARAH  INGABORG  HANSEN 

It  was  in  1860  when  Thomas  Todd's  parent's 
immigrated  to  the  United  States,  from  their  beloved 
land  of  Scodand  with  it's  beautiful  heathered  hills  and 
loved  ones  and  friends  and  settle  in  the  beautiftil 
Wasatch  Valley  of  Heber  City,  Utah  where  Thomas 
Todd  was  bom  March  4,  1866  to  John  Murray  and 
Ann  Steele  Murdoch.  He  was  the  eleventh  child  and 
the  first  bom  son  to  survive  childhood.  When  his 
fether  announced  his  birth  to  his  neighbor,  Mr.  Todd, 
said  "go  into  your  child,  and  that  he  would  survive 
and  grow  up  to  be  a  fine  man.  This  and  the  fact  that  a 
loved  relative  carried  the  name  of  Thomas  Todd, 
influenced  them  to  name  him  Thomas  Todd.  Tom  as 
he  was  called  said  "  my  mother  cried  when  his  long 
golden  ringlets  were  cut  off  when  he  was  six  years 
old".  A  beautiful  scotch  lad  with  many  adoring 
sisters.  He  was  the  eldest  of  six  brothers  that  were 
bom  during  the  next  eight  years. 

The  boys  were  taken  to  the  fields  at  an  early 
age  by  their  father  to  learn  to  till,  sow,  and  harvest  the 
crops.  They  also  learned  how  to  care  for  the  sheep 
that  went  to  the  southem  mountains  in  the  summer  to 
range.  School  was  a  must,  and  Thomas  was  an  apt 
student.    He  learned  to  love  good  books  and  quoted 


often  some  of  the  poems  and  quotes  of  famous 
authors.  He  was  very  strong  in  his  arms  and  being 
small  in  stature,  amazed  many  with  his  ability  as  a 
wrestler.  His  youth  was  spent  pleasantly  in  the 
community  where  he  grew  up,  and  he  was  then 
privileged  to  attend  the  BYU  Academy  for  two  years. 

In  1900,  Tom  and  his  brother,  Brigham, 
made  a  trip  to  Idaho  to  look  over  the  vast  prairie  of 
tall  grass,  clear  streams,  and  rich  sagebrush  land 
surrounded  by  the  majestic  mountains  as  it  had  been 
described  to  them.  They  were  not  disappointed  by 
what  they  saw.  (1):(  James  and  Mary  Murray 
Murdoch  Family  History). 

It  was  at  this  time  that  they  paid  a  visit  to 
their  sister,  Margaret  Ann,  who  was  married  to  Lewis 
Hawkcs  and  living  in  what  was  called  Horseshoe  Flat, 
(what  is  now  near  the  Drummond  area).  Looking 
over  the  area  and  choosing  some  likely  spots,  they 
returned  to  their  homes  in  Utah  and  made  plans  to 
retiu-n  to  the  area  in  1901.  And  so  it  was,  that  on 
April  1,  1901,  they  arrived  by  rail  in  Rcxburg,  Idaho, 
the  end  then  of  the  Oregon  Shortiine  Railroad.  Now 
winter  was  having  its  last  fling  and  they  and  their 
livestock  and  belongings  were  put  off  the  train  and 
scattered.  It  was  hard  to  find  feed  and  lodging  and 
the  storm  lasted  for  three  days.  Finally  all  was 
gathered  and  the  trek  to  Famum  began. 

On  the  ground  that  Uncle  Brig  had  chosen 
was  a  one  room  log  cabin  and  dad,  uncle  Brig  and  a 
Danish  immigrant,  Hans  Nielsen,  took  refuge  here 
until  they  could  get  settled.  Dad's  ground  had  no 
buildings  and  he  stayed  summers  with  uncle  Brig  and 
retumed  to  Utah  in  the  winter  months.  Hans  Nielsen 
had  a  log  cabin  but  spent  much  of  his  time  with  uncle 
Brig  and  dad  and  soon  uncle  Brig  married  Louannie 


b.r.  Betty,  Clara,  Delia,  Vaughn,  Lynn,  Thomas  Todd,  Sarah  Hansen,  Gilbert  Murdoch 

266 


Hammon  and  she  became  the  cook,  seamstress,  and 
laundry  woman  for  these  three  men.  She  was  an 
important  lady  in  their  lives. 

They  worked  long  and  hard  to  develop  their 
land  using  hand  plows  and  horses  to  break  up  their 
prairie  land  and  soon  had  much  of  their  160  acres 
under  cultivation.  They  were  busy  with  other  men  in 
the  community  surveying  canals  and  ditches  so  they 
could  bring  water  to  their  land. 

In  December  1907,  dad  received  a  call  to  go 
on  a  mission  to  the  Central  States,  headquartered  in 
Texas.  He  gladly  answered  the  call  and  was  set  apart  in 
Salt  Lake  City.  He,  as  all  other  missionaries  of  that 
time,  traveled  without  purse  or  script  and  had  many 
wonderfiil  and  valuable  experiences.  He  returned  in 
December  1909  in  time  to  attend  his  mother's  funeral. 

He  resumed  his  farming  and  noted  that  the 
community  was  growing.  They  now  had  a  post  office, 
a  church  house  had  been  built  and  dedicated,  and  a 
rock  school  house  had  been  built.  The  land  had  all 
been  taken  up  and  it  was  a  thriving  Mormon 
community.  Dad  fiddled  at  the  dances  while  uncle 
Brig  corded  on  the  piano  accompanied  by  Johnny  Van 
Sickle  on  the  banjo  and  guitar  while  Claude  Henry 
played  harmonica  and  the  accordion.  The  church 
house  fairly  rocked  as  the  dancers  danced  the  circle 
two-step.  Coming  Through  the  Rye,  the  Virginia  reel 
and  the  Schotishe.  What  fun  they  had! 

In  the  summer  of  1911,  a  lovely  16  year  old 
girl  and  her  friend,  Cedlia,  came  to  spend  the  simimer 
on  the  Hans  Nielsen  form.  Sarah  Hansen,  my  mother, 
was  a  step-niece  and  this  was  "Uncle  Hans."  They  had 
such  a  good  time  as  Thomas  would  visit  along  with  his 
nephew,  Piercy  McMullin,  and  would  play  the  violin 
and  they  would  sing  and  dance.  They  also  tried  to 
teach  the  gospel  to  Sarah  and  Cedlia,  but  they  were 
young  and  not  too  interested. 

The  years  passed  pleasantly  and  dad  was  called 
on  another  mission  in  1914.  This  time  he  went  to 
Missouri  with  headquarters  in  St.  Louis.  During  this 
time,  Sarah  Hansen  was  working  for  an  L.D.S.  family 
in  Salt  Lake  City.  Sarah  wrote  letters  to  Thomas  while 
he  was  on  his  mission,  and  on  his  return  they  planned 
and  were  married  July  15,  1915.  The  couple  then 
came  to  live  in  Famum  in  a  modest  four  room  home 
dad  had  built  and  quickly  settled  into  the  life  of 
Famum,  both  being  active  in  the  Famum  Ward. 


Thomas  T.  Murdoch  homestead  north  of  school 


During  the  next  few  years,  two  sons,  Thomas 
Todd  and  LaVaughn  Hansen,  were  bom  to  them  and 
life  was  good.  World  War  I  was  just  ending  and  the 
storm  clouds  cleared  away.  Dad  and  uncle  Brig 
dedded  to  sell  their  farms  and  move  to  Rupert.  Their 
forms  did  not  readily  sell  and  so  they  rented  them  and 
moved  in  1919  to  Rupert.  While  here  a  daughter, 
Delia  Ann,  was  bom.  Hard  times  came  upon  them 
and  in  1923  they  decided  to  move  back  to  Farnum. 
Soon  two  more  daughters,  Clara  Marie  and  Betty  May, 
blessed  their  home.  Dad  taught  us  all  to  sing  and 
dance  the  dances  of  the  day.  In  1927,  another  son, 
Gilbert  Dean  joined  the  family. 

During  these  years,  mom's  sisters,  Clara  and 
Ann,  came  and  stayed  summers  and  then  her  brother, 
Edler,  and  wife,  Beth,  and  baby,  Nicky,  lived  with 
them.  They  were  always  willing  to  share  their  home 
with  others  and  many  people  spent  time  with  them. 

In  1928,  tragedy  struck  our  home  and  we  lost 
our  brother  and  son,  Todd  to  diphtheria.  It  was  a 
hard  time  for  us  as  mom  was  quarantined  in  the  house 
with  Todd  and  the  rest  of  us,  including  a  year  old 
baby,  lived  in  Hans  Nielsen's  sheep  camp  in  the  yard. 
People  could  come  and  leave  food  at  the  gate  but 
could  not  come  any  closer  for  fear  of  catching  the 
disease.  Mom  could  not  cook  for  us  or  anything.  It 
was  harvest  time  and  without  the  help  of  all  the  good 
neighbors  we  couldn't  have  made  it. 

Late  in  1928,  dad  was  called  to  be  the  Bishop 
of  Famum  Ward  and  was  set  apart  January  12,  1929. 
Walking  was  our  way  of  life,  and  Sunday  momings  in 
the  winter  would  sec  him  walking  through  the  fields 
very  early  to  get  a  fire  going  in  the  big,  pot-bellied 
stove  so  the  church  house  would  be  warm. 

The  Bishop  was  also  the  custodian  of  the 
church  and  as  such  we  all  had  to  help  clean  and  dust. 
Summertime  we  would  find  mom  and  us  kids  on 
Molly,  the  mail  carrier's  white  horse,  Mr.  McFarlin  let 
us  keep  her  over  the  summer,  riding  to  the  church 
house  to  clean.  The  small  glass  sacrament  glasses  were 
the  hardest  to  keep  sparkling.  In  this  calling,  dad 
spent  many  hours  helping  the  people  in  the  Ward 
through  sicknesses,  births,  blessings,  and  deaths.  He 
had  a  loving,  comforting  personality. 

In  1930,  another  son,  Lynn  Ray,  was  born 
and  idolized  by  his  family. 

The  great  depression  came  upon  us  and  times 
were  hard.  Many  people  came  through  the  country 
looking  for  work  and  a  meal.  None  were  ever  turned 
away  hungry  from  our  home.  Mom  was  a  wonderful 
homemaker  and  her  household  was  blessed  because  of 
her  thrift  and  industry.  Clothes  were  fashioned  from 
the  dothcs  sent  to  us  from  sisters  in  California,  and 
her  brothers  in  Salt  Lake.  Many  nice  warm  quilts  were 
made  from  the  scraps. 

Dad  rode  a  work  horse  to  Marysvillc  to  work 

on  the  WPA  every  week  day  just  to  keep  bread  on  his 

family's  tabic.  It  was  late  fall  and  it  was  cold,  the  work 

was  hard  and  involved  lots  of  shoveling.    Sometimes 

2^7    he  would  be  so  stiff  and  cold  he  could  hardly 


> 
< 

a: 

c 


c: 


dismount.  Through  these  times  I  recall  that  many 
times  during  the  winter  months  we  would  go  to  our 
sleigh  after  church  and  tucked  away  in  the  blankets 
would  be  some  pieces  of  meat,  some  eggs,  sometimes 
a  few  jars  of  fruit  or  jelly.  We  never  knew  for  sure,  but 
we  strongly  suspected  it  was  from  Jim  and  John 
Brown.  Anyway,  it  was  greatly  appreciated. 

Our  parents  were  good  managers  and  we 
never  were  in  want  for  a  good  home,  good  food,  dean 
clothing  and  love.  Hard  work  was  done  by  all,  as 
wood  had  to  be  hauled  from  the  mountains  with 
horses,  sawed  and  chopped  by  hand.  We  had  no 
electricity  or  modem  conveniences,  water  was  always 
scarce,  as  we  had  only  a  dstem,  a  large  hole  in  the 
ground  cemented.  It  was  filled  with  water  from  the 
ditch  and  it  was  the  best  water  ever.  In  the  winter 
time  we  melted  snow  for  washing  dishes,  dothes  and 
bathing.  The  cows  and  horses  were  driven  to  the  river 
two  miles  away  to  drink  each  day  and  when  there  was 
no  more  drinking  water  in  the  dstem,  we  carried  it  in 
barrels  from  the  river.  We  always  felt  so  luxurious  in 
the  summer  when  the  water  was  in  the  ditch  and  we 
could  use  all  we  wanted  of  it. 

Looking  back,  it  all  seems  so  romantic  and 
good,  but  I'm  sure  our  parents  went  through  toils  and 
trials  that  few  of  us  will  ever  have  to  know,  but  they 
bore  it  well  and  with  dignity.  In  1935  dad  and  mom 
said  good-bye  to  Famum  and  moved  their  family  to 
Idaho  Falls.  Farnum  was  always  so  special  in  our 
minds  and  their  friends  and  relatives  that  made  up 
Famum  will  have  a  special  place  in  our  hearts,  never  to 
be  forgotten. 

Dad  passed  away  in  1953  and  mom  in  1985, 
thus  dosing  a  chapter  in  our  lives  that  is  filled  with  so 
many  spedal  memories.  They  were  great  pioneers  and 
stalwart  servants  of  our  Heavenly  Father.  Famum  was 
the  molding  place  for  all  that  is  good  an  honorable  in 
our  lives. 

By:  Delia  Murdoch  Davis  Perry. 

Sources: 

(1)  James  and  Mary  Murray  Murdoch  Family  History. 

(2)  Compiled  by  Delia  Murdoch  Davis  Perry. 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Thomas  Todd,  bom  November  23,  1916,  died  at 
the  age  of  12  at  Farnum,  of  diphtheria.  He  was 
nursed  and  cared  for  almost  six  weeks  when  on 
September  17,  1928,  he  was  called  home.  This  grief 
dad  and  mom  never  frilly  got  over,  and  I'm  sure  that 
all  of  us  missed  his  sweet,  kind  ways.  He  was  quiet 
and  fiill  of  love  like  dad. 

(2)  Vaughn  Hansen,  bom  August  24,  1918.  Married 
Beth  Holbrook,  August  26,  1945.  He  lives  in  Idaho 
Falls  where  he  works  for  Pacific  Fruit  Company.  He 
enjoys  hunting  and  fishing  and  has  purchased  property 
at  Bone,  Idaho,  named  "Murdoch  Mountain"  which 
he  has  made  into  a  beautiful  wildemess  hide-away. 

(3)  Delia  Ann — My  earliest  recollections  begin  in 
Farnum.  I  was  born  in  Rupert,  Idaho,  March  22, 
1921  to  Thomas  Todd  and  Sarah  Hansen  Murdoch.     268 


We  moved  back  to  Famimi  in  1922  and  my  memories 
only  stretch  back  to  about  1926. 

By  this  time  life  was  really  buzzing  and 
Famum  was  a  prosperous,  happy  community  with  a 
wonderful  school  and  a  church  that  seemed  to  indude 
everyone.  The  buildings  both  were  used  for  social 
activities  as  well. 

As  my  sister,  Clara,  and  I  observed  the  circle 
of  mountains  around  us,  we  assumed  that  the  whole 
world  was  in  this  valley  surrounded  by  them,  and 
indeed  it  was.  We  were  so  protected  from  all  the 
stmggle  and  strife  outside  of  this  valley.  How  spedal 
were  the  wonderfiil  teachers,  relatives,  friends  and 
loved  ones  who  taught  us  and  shaped  our  lives  and 
filmed  our  minds. 

School  was  a  place  of  learning,  not  just 
reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic,  but  of  honesty, 
faimess,  serving  others,  and  using  our  talents.  Those 
special  Christmas  programs  with  an  evening's 
entertainment  from  the  grade  school.  We  were  truly 
actors  and  actresses,  and  we  did  learn  music  with  Mr. 
Bean  pumping  the  old  organ  and  fingering  the  notes 
for  us.  Marching  around  the  room  to  keep  warm  early 
in  the  mornings  until  the  fire  warmed  the  school, 
always  felt  good.  I  still  wonder  how  we  kept  from 
burning  the  huge  Christmas  tree  down  as  it  was 
beautiftil  with  all  the  candles  on  every  bough.  Santa's 
bag  of  gifts  and  treats  for  everyone  was  always  spedal, 
too. 

As  I  think  of  the  people,  I  remember 
Grandma  Bratt's  caraway  seed  cookies;  Aunt  Hattie 
Oberhansley's  egg  noodles;  a  warm  cup  of  fresh 
separated  milk  from  Aunt  Louannie's  separator; 
marvelous  chocolate  cake  from  Anna  Benson.  What  a 
privilege  to  spend  the  night  at  the  Dave  and  Rose 
Rogers'  home,  the  wonderful  cheese  from  Star  Valley 
they  always  had.  Pancakes  with  real  jelled  jelly  at  the 
George  White  home.  Whites  got  a  new  davenport. 
When  Afton  told  me,  I  thought  it  was  a  piece  of 
machinery.  I  had  never  seen  or  heard  of  a  davenport. 
Everyone  used  chairs  to  sit  on  in  the  home.  I 
remember  cake  with  white  fridge  frosting  at  Liza 
Schofield's;  crisp  snow  white  apples  at  George  Kidd's 
in  the  winter. 

Cold  winter  nights  in  December  as  we  walked 
the  mile  to  uncle  Brig's  home  to  hear  Santa  say 
"hello"  from  the  North  Pole.  Our  first  radio  came  in 
the  1930's  and  then  we  were  in  touch  with  the 
outside  world — espedally  Amos  'n  Andy. 

The  dances  in  the  Famum  Church,  falling  to 
sleep  to  the  beat  of  dad,  imde  Brig,  Johnny  Van  Sickle 
and  Claude  Henry  playing  the  music.  Uncle  Lew 
Hawkes  as  he  prodaimed  the  gospel  from  the  pulpit  in 
his  best  "Southem  Preacher"  noisy  way.  Wondering  if 
Bishop  Hendrickson  really  had  a  mouth  opening 
under  his  big  mustache.  I  really  watched  for  it  as  he 
took  the  Sacrament. 

We  were  so  lucky  to  have  Vera  Hendrickson 
in  our  Ward  as  she  was  the  music.  I  can  still  see  her 
tiny  feet  pumping  the  old  organ.    She  played  so  very 


well,  it  was  really  dull  at  church  if  she  ever  missed 
coming. 

All  the  good  times  we  had  at  Farnum 
celebrations,  either  at  the  church  or  down  on  the 
creek.  I  particularly  remember  two  outings  when 
Florence  Schofield  picked  all  of  us  Primary  girls  up  in 
her  trailer  drawn  by  two  mules  and  we  camped  down 
there  for  two  days  and  nights.  How  brave  she  must 
have  been! 

The  Whitmore,  Hill  and  Benson  boys  were 
always  so  kind  to  help  us  young  kids  know  how  to 
dance.  We  must  have  pestered  them  to  death!  Jim  and 
Curly  Miller  and  family  were  always  fun  to  be  around 
and  many  huckleberry  trips  were  taken  with  them. 
Uncle  Hans  Nielsen's  sheep  camp  was  always  ^dal  to 
us,  too — the  only  one  we  were  ever  in.  The  Friday 
night  surprise  parties  when  if  you  weren't  invited,  you 
knew  it  would  be  at  your  home.  We  always  enjoyed  die 
Walt  and  Vera  Bratt's  home  for  these. 

In  the  late  spring,  die  road  grader  would  come 
along  and  smooth  the  rough  dirt  roads  to  our  delight. 
Barefooted,  we  would  follow  him  for  miles  pretending 
the  damp,  smooth  dirt  was  our  "sidewalk."  This  was  a 
time  also  to  bring  out  the  "stilts"  and  walk  along  on 
our  elevated  sticks.  We  could  make  good  time  this 
way. 

Summer  evenings  were  also  a  special  time  for 
playing  games  and  anytime  we  could  get  cousins  or 
friends  together,  we  could  play  "Johnny,  Johnny 
Butcher  Boy",  Charades,  Run  Sheepy  Run,  Kick  the 
Can,  Steal  the  Stick,  or  Hopscotch.  No  one  ever  said, 
"I'm  bored."  This  was  also  a  very  special  time  for  us  as 
my  mother's  parents  and  sometimes  her  sisters  or 
brothers  would  come  all  the  way  from  Salt  Lake  to  visit 
in  grandpa  Hansen's  red  model  T  Ford.  It  was  a  two 
day  trip.  We  also  had  flags  on  the  front  gate  and  a  big 
one  on  the  house.  We  always  had  to  salute  grandpa 
and  say,  "How  do  you  do  Mr.  President".  No  hugs 
and  kisses  here,  but  grandma  made  up  for  all  that.  Our 
two  special  treats  while  they  were  with  us  was  a  chicken 
dinner  at  Jim  and  John  Brown's  home  and  a  trip  to 
town  for  a  root  beer.  How  special  are  these  memories! 
I'm  sure  many  of  you  remember  them  also. 

In  1935,  dad  and  mom  moved  to  Idaho  Falls, 
and  Farnum  only  became  a  pleasant  memory. 

In  1940,  my  husband  Stephen  Davis  and  our 
10  day  old  baby  R.  J.  and  myself  moved  back  to 
Farnum  on  the  Hans  Nielsen  farm.  How  happy  I  was 
to  be  a  part  of  that  special  community  again.  The 
Friday  night  parties  became  a  special  thing  once  again. 
As  Fem  and  Elizabeth  Kidd  and  Jay  and  Zclda  Hill  and 
Earl  and  Ruby  Schofield  and  Stephen  and  I  would  get 
together  to  play  games  and  eat.  It  was  a  special 
privilege  to  be  in  the  Farnum  Ward  once  again.  We 
moved  back  to  Ashton  in  1942  but  many  pleasant 
memories  went  with  me. 

Stephen  and  I  had  three  children;  R.  J.,  Linda, 
and  Nancy  Dawn.  She  was  only  with  us  for  eight 
hours.  On  July  4, 1975,  Stephen  died  suddenly  from  a 
heart  attack. 


269 


In  November  1976,  I  married  Joseph  Perry 
and  we  moved  to  Idaho  Falls.  We  were  able  to  care  for 
my  mom  for  8  1/2  years  and  we  relived  many  of  our 
years  in  Farnum.  Mom  passed  away  in  1985  and  we 
moved  back  to  Ashton.  In  January  1991,  Joe  passed 
away. 

I  want  each  of  you  to  know  that  my  life  has 
been  much  richer  and  better  because  I  knew  you. 

My  gratitude  and  love  to  Tressa  Garrett  and 
Blaine  Hawkes,  without  whose  tremendous  efforts  this 
book  would  never  have  been  written. 

Delia  Murdoch  Davis  Perry 
(4)  Clara  Marie,  bom  May  1,  1923,  married  Blane 
Holbrook  September  9,  1945.  She  was  an  energetic 
girl  with  a  magnetic  personality.  She  loved  people  and 
life.  Clara  was  called  home  and  left  us  suddenly  on 
April  28,  1953,  sbc  months  before  the  passing  of  our 
dad  on  October  21,  1953.  Thus  he  was  preceded  in 
death  by  two  of  his  seven  children. 

IN  MEMORY  OF  MY  DEAR  SISTER,  CLARA 

Do  not  say  that  she  is  dead 

Let's  just  say  that  she  is  gone 

In  the  thirty  years  that  she  has  lived  here 

Very  littie  has  she  done  wrong. 

Always  was  she  happy 
And  always  she  wore  a  smile 
Whenever  she  got  down  hearted 
It  was  only  for  a  littie  while. 

Her  friends  now  they  were  many 
Her  enemies  they  were  but  few 
Because  she  always  tried  to  live 
The  good  old  Golden  Rule. 

Her  memory  we  will  always  cherish 
And  never  once  forget 
This  parting  is  for  such  a  short  time 
But  we  have  this  one  regret. 

If  only  I  had  told  her 

How  much  she  meant  to  me 

Then  this  parting  could  not  have  been 

sweeter 

As  you  can  plainly  see. 

If  I  can  live  but  worthy 

And  God  will  help  I  know 

Then  this  parting  will  not  be  for  long 

For  the  road  is  short  I  know. 

And  then  again  we'll  meet  her 

And  love  her  just  the  same 

For,  that  one  promise  God  has  given  me 

And  scaled  it  with  his  name. 

But  Oh!  she  must  be  happy 
For  she  will  have  so  much  to  do 


I.:;; 


Just  teaching  those  around  her 
The  same  old  Golden  Rule. 

By:  Stephen  Davis  Brother-in-law 

(5)  Betty  May,  born  March  28,  1925  in  Famum, 
Idaho.  I  attended  Famum  school  until  sixth  grade. 
We  moyed  to  Idaho  Falls  and  I  graduated  from  high 
school  in  1943. 

After  graduation,  I  went  to  Ogden,  Utah  and 
worked  at  Hill  Field  Army  Air  Base.  There  I  met 
Richard  T.  Marquise,  who  was  bom  June  11,  1923  in 
New  York  City.  He  graduated  from  Fordham 
University  in  1943  and  went  into  the  Army.  He  was 
an  interpreter  at  the  prisoner  of  war  camp  in  Ogden 
when  we  met. 

We  were  married  November  9,  1946  in 
Durham,  North  Carolina  at  St.  Joseph's  Church. 
Richard  was  a  law  student  at  Duke  University. 

Our  first  son,  Richard  Anthony  Marquise,  was 
born  August  6,  1947  in  Durham,  N.  C.  Richard 
graduated  from  St.  Michaels  College  in  Wmooski, 
Vermont.  He  married  Patricia  Barsalow,  December 
20,  1969.  They  have  three  sons:  Ian  Mark,  13 
October  1970;  Christian  Erick,  5  December  1972; 
Jonathan  Richard,  16  September  1976.  Richard  is  a 
supervisor  with  the  FBI  in  Washington,  D.C. 

After  law  school  graduation,  we  lived  in 
Haverstraw,  N.  Y.  and  a  son  was  born.  Gregory 
Thomas  Marquise  was  born  May  3,  1949.  Gregory 
graduated  from  St.  Michaels  College  in  Wmooski, 
Vermont  and  Franklin  Pierce  Law  School  in  Concord, 
N.  H.  He  married  Susan  Demers,  6  January  1973. 
They  have  four  children:  Dustin  Andrew,  19  June 
1973;  Derek  Matthew,  22  September  1976;  Damicn 
Michael,  24  March  1980;  Kalleen  Angela,  10  Fcbmary 
1986.  Gregory  is  a  lawyer  and  resides  summers  in 
Northeast  Harbor,  Maine. 

In  1949,  my  husband,  Richard,  was  employed 
by  FBI  as  an  agent.  We  moved  to  Indianapolis, 
Indiana  for  nine  months  and  then  to  North  Platte, 
Nebraska,  where  a  son  Dennis  Geoffrey  Marquise  was 
bom  on  January  4,  1952.  Dennis  graduated  from  the 
University  of  Maryland  and  Vermont  Law  School.  He 
is  a  lawyer  and  single. 

From  Nebraska,  we  went  to  Wausau, 
Wiconsin  for  two  years.  In  1956,  we  moved  to 
Washington,  D.C.  to  be  at  FBI  headquarters. 

A  daughter.  Sheila  Marie,  was  bom  March 
14,  1956.  She  graduated  from  Salve  Rcgjna  College 
in  Newport,  Rhode  Island.  Sheila  married  Charles 
Barbas  on  May  3.  1987.  Charles  is  a  patent  lawyer 
and  they  reside  in  Wobum,  Mass.  They  have  a  son, 
Christopher  John,  bom  July  9, 1988. 

We  resided  in  Avondale,  Maryland  and  a  son, 
Michael  Albert  was  bom,  Ortober  1,  1964.  Michael 
graduated  from  the  University  of  Vermont  and  is  an 
engineer.  On  October  20,  1989,  he  married  Tammy 
Hutchins.  They  reside  in  Newport,  New  Hampshire. 

In  1976,  Richard  retired  from  FBI  and  we 
moved  to  Rycgate,  Vermont.  In  1977,  Richard  began 


teaching  at  Salve  Regina  College  in  Newport,  Rhode 
Island.  We  have  been  commuting  between  Vermont 
and  Rhode  Island  ever  since. 

My  memories  of  Farnum  are  great.  We  felt 
loved  and  secure  in  my  family.  I'll  always  feel  my  early 
education  in  the  two  room  school  house  was  superior 
to  education  today.  Sleigh  rides  and  wagon  rides  with 
horses  are  wonderful  memories.  We  had  so  little,  but 
felt  wealthy. 

By:  Betty  Murdoch  Marquise 

(6)  Gilbert  Dean,  born  may  10,  1927,  married  to 
Darlene  Johnson  August  26,  1952.  He  engaged  in 
the  poultry  business  in  Idaho  Falls  then  took  his  family 
and  moved  to  Mexico  for  eight  years.  They  are  the 
parents  often  children:  Gilbert  Fritz,  31  May  1953; 
Merrilee,  5  April  1955;  Hal  "J",  8  April  1957;  Barbara 
Janene,  1  September  1958;  Donna,  28  May  1962; 
Juan  Trinidad  8  November  1966;  Thomas  David,  22 
April  1969;  Manuel  Travis,  7  December  1971;  Alicia 
Ann,  14  January  1975;  Daniel  Ray,  15  April  1977. 

Gilbert  traveled  to  three  continents  in  his 
business  ventures. 

(7)  Lvnn  Rav,  born  January  17,  1930  at  Farnum, 
Idaho.  My  early  years  at  the  old  home  in  Famum  are 
precious  years.  I  remember  the  long  winters  and  the 
times  we  spent  with  friends  and  relatives.  Our  cousins 
(the  Brig  Murdoch  family)  were  our  closest  neighbors 
so  I  remember  them  the  most.  I  remember  the  many 
times  we  all  went  to  the  church  house  for  socials,  etc. 
and  how  us  children  would  sleep  on  the  benches  until 
time  to  go  home  when  we  would  all  get  in  the 
covered  sleigh  with  a  warm  fire  to  go  home. 

I  remember  one  time  when  Howard 
Murdoch  took  me  with  him  to  the  timber  land  above 
Lamont  where  my  father  was  camped,  cutting  wood 
for  the  winter  fires.  We  camped  all  night,  loaded  the 
wagons  and  went  home  next  day.  It  was  a  proud  day 
for  me  because  Howard  let  me  drive  the  team  and 
wagon. 

I  also  spent  time  as  a  young  boy  with  Clyde 
White  and  what  a  treat  it  was  when  his  mother  would 
take  us  to  Ashton  in  the  car. 

I  started  school  at  Farnum  in  1935.  The 
school  still  stands  just  one  half  mile  south  of  our 
home. 

In  1936,  my  family  moved  to  Idaho  Falls 
where  I  went  to  several  grades  of  school,  but  I  was 
real  fortunate  when  my  sister,  Delia,  married  Stephen 
Davis  and  they  lived  on  the  old  Hans  Nielsen  place  on 
the  Fall  River.  I  spent  my  summers  with  them  and 
got  to  know  some  of  the  Farnum  people.  I  think 
Lester  Hendrickson  was  Bishop  at  that  time  so  I  got 
to  know  that  family  well. 

By  the  time  I  was  about  fourteen  years  of  age, 
I  stayed  full-time  with  my  sister,  Delia,  and  her 
husband  Stephen  Davis,  who  had  by  then  moved  to 
Ashton,  so  I  was  able  to  attend  Ashton  High  School 
and  renew  all  of  the  childhood  acquaintances  I  had  at 
Famum. 


270 


I  am  very  happy  and  proud  to  have  the 
ancestry  of  my  parents  and  my  uncle,  aunt  and  cousins 
in  Famum  as  well  as  friends.  I  know  what  a  struggle 
they  had  and  were  certainly  true  pioneers. 

I  left  Ashton  in  the  early  1950's  and  have 
lived  in  Blackfbot  since  then. 

I  am  presently  farming  in  Morgans'  Pasture 
which  is  fifteen  miles  north  of  Blackfoot  in  Bingham 
County. 

I  married  Beverly  Rodgers  August  10,  1958 
and  we  have  raised  five  children:  Cindee  Murdoch 
Smith,  who  is  presently  living  in  Bartlesville,  Oregon 
with  husband  Steve  and  raising  four  children;  Gregory 
L.  Murdoch  who  is  living  on  the  family  farm  in 
Morgans'  Pasture  with  his  wife,  Tona  and  raising  two 
children;  Todd  R.  Murdoch  killed  in  an  accident  at 
age  seven;  Michael  V.  Murdock  living  at  Moreland, 
Idaho  with  his  wife,  Marcella,  raising  two  children  and 
working  the  family  farm  in  Morgans'  Pasture;  Bryan 
R.  Murdoch,  living  in  Blackfoot  with  his  wife. 
Shannon,  and  is  a  construction  carpenter  by  trade. 

By:  Lynn  Murdoch 

BRIGHAM  MURDOCH 

and 

1ST  BLANCHE  ALEXANDER, 

2ND  MARTHA  LOU  ANNIE  HAMMON 

Brigham  Murdoch  was  born  November  2, 
1870,  in  Heber  City,  Utah.  He  was  the  second  son  of 
a  family  of  seven,  four  boys  and  three  girls,  bom  to 
John  Murray  and  Isabella  Crawford  Murdoch. 

Brig's  childhood  was  spent  with  loving 
parents,  brothers,  and  sisters.  The  children  were 
taught  to  woric,  and  love  each  other,  and  were  taught 
to  pray  daily. 

They  were  accustomed  to  hardship  and 
inconveniences  (by  today's  standards)  but  they  were 
never  bcking  for  food,  clothing  shelter  and  love. 

While  in  their  teens,  Brig  and  his  next-older 
brother,  James,  herded  the  two  thousand  head  of 
sheep  on  the  summer  range  in  the  mountains. 

The  children  attended  schools  in  Heber.  Brig 
studied  for  one  term  at  a  branch  of  the  Brigham 
Young  Academy,  also  in  Heber.  Social  activities  for 
young  people  also  included  dances  and  singing 
groups.  Most  of  Brig's  brothers  and  sisters  loved 
music  and  could  play  musical  instruments  and  all  of 
them  loved  to  sing. 

During  Brig's  later  school  days,  he  met  Mary 
Blanche  Alexander,  a  popular  girl  and  a  talented  piano 
player.  She  played  for  dances  with  various  musical 
groups  in  the  Heber  Valley.  Brig  played  the  guitar 
and  they  had  many  good  times  together.  Blanche's 
parents  were  Charles  Marsteller  Alexander  and  Lovisa 
Comstock  Snyder.  Blanche  was  bom  February  16, 
1873,  in  Midway,  Wasatch  County,  Utah.  They  were 
married  in  the  Logan  Temple  on  December  16,  1891. 
They  lived  in  Heber  City  during  the  winter.  In  the 
spring,  they  moved  to  Park  City,  where  Brig  had     271 


worked  in  the  mines  previous  to  their  marriage. 

Robert  Rue  was  bom  November  16,  1892. 
Shortly  after  Robert  Rue  was  born,  Brig  and  Rue 
contacted  typhoid  fever.  They  recovered  in  due  time, 
but  Brig  was  unable  to  return  to  work  for  the 
remainder  of  the  winter.  When  spring  came.  Brig  was 
ready  to  go  back  to  work  at  Park  City  at  the  same 
place  in  the  coal  mines.  One  morning  Brig  came  off 
the  night  shift  to  find  his  wife  was  very  ill.  He  could 
see  that  she  needed  medical  attention. 

It  was  decided  to  take  her  to  her  parents 
living  in  Heber  City.  She  grew  worse,  she  also  had 
typhoid  fever.  On  June  22,  1893,  Blanche  passed 
away.  She  was  buried  in  the  Heber  cemetery. 

Robert,  Brig's  brother  who  lived  with  them, 
and  Luella,  Blanche's  sister,  who  visited  with  them 
rather  often,  also  contacted  the  disease  and  failed  to 
recover.  Within  a  period  of  three  months.  Brig  had 
lost  three  people  very  near  and  dear  to  him.  In  Brig's 
words,  "We  can  overcome  our  emotions,  but  it  is  hard 
to  forget.  From  that  time,  and  through  the  rest  of  my 
life,  it  seemed  as  if  some  unseen  power  was  my  guest." 

The  baby.  Rue,  remained  in  the  home  of 
Blanche's  parents  where  he  was  given  love  and 
kindness,  that  was  given  freely.  This  was  to  be  his 
home  for  several  years  in  his  early  life. 

Brig  returned  to  the  mine  in  Park  City  where 
he  pondered  his  future.  As  the  years  went  by,  a 
restlessness  continued  to  grow.  He  recalled  his 
father's  experiences  and  hardships  in  the  coal  mines  of 
Scotland.  He  was  told  of  his  Grandfather  James 
Murdoch's  early  death  in  the  gas-filled  mine  shaft, 
which  left  his  grandmother,  (Wee  Granny),  a  poor 
widow  with  seven  children. 

Brig's  sister,  Margaret  Ann,  had  married 
Lewis  J.  Hawkes,  from  Heber  City,  Utah.  They  had 
homesteaded  a  farm  in  southern  Idaho  in  an  area 
called  Horseshoe  Flat,  about  three  miles  west  of 
Drummond,  and  also  owned  a  place  in  Teton. 

In  late  October  in  1900,  Brig  had  the  urge  to 
make  a  change  in  his  life  and  wrote  his  brother,  Tom, 
suggesting,  they  make  a  trip  to  Idaho  to  see  into  land 
opening  up  in  the  Farnum,  Drummond  area  for 
homesteading.  They  soon  prepared  to  go.  They  had 
a  buckboard  (heavy  buggy),  a  team  of  horses,  a 
camping  outfit,  and  bedding.  They  liked  the  looks  of 
the  area  much  better  than  the  Big  Horn  Basin  they 
had  visited  earlier  in  the  summer. 

They  located  land  they  could  acquire  and 
retumed  to  Utah.  During  the  winter  of  1900-1901 
they  worked  and  made  preparations  for  returning  to 
Idaho  and  setting  up  their  homesteads. 

The  Oregon  Short  Line  Railroad  was 
completed  as  far  as  Rexburg,  Idaho.  On  April  1, 
1901,  Brig  and  Tom  arrived  in  Rexburg  with  two  cars 
of  livestock  and  farming  equipment.  Enroute  to  their 
land,  they  were  caught  in  a  snowstorm  that  lasted  for 
several  days.  Their  livestock  were  scattered  and  it  took 
them  several  more  days  to  gather  them  up  again.  At 
that  time,  most  of  Idaho's  land  was  open  to 


i 


c 


homestcading  under  the  Homestead  Act  of  the  Carey 
Act,  which  permitted  individuals  to  file  on  160  acres 
of  land  and  improve  it  with  fences,  buildings,  by 
cropping  and  bringing  irrigation  water  to  the  land 
within  five  years.  Consequently,  most  of  the  Snake 
River  Valley  was  being  claimed  by  farmers,  ranchers, 
business  people  and  speculators. 

The  land  Brig  and  Tom  acquired,  joined  one 
another  and  was  in  the  Famum  district,  south  of  the 
Fall  River,  about  five  or  six  miles  south  of  what  is  now 
Ashton,  Idaho  and  about  five  miles  west  of 
Drummond.  Brig  acquired  the  interests  of  a 
homesteader  on  107  acres  bordered  on  the  north  by 
the  Fall  River.  It  had  a  one-room  log  house.  Tom 
homesteaded  160  acres,  joining  Brig  on  the  south  and 
Hans  Nielson,  a  Danish  emigrant,  who  had  recently 
settled  on  land  to  the  west.  These  three  bachelors 
were  to  spend  many  years  together  as  neighbors  and 
community  builders. 

Brig's  one-room  log  house  became 
headquarters  for  the  three  as  they  proceeded  to 
improve  their  farms.  Tom's  homestead  was  open 
prairie  with  no  buildings  or  water  on  it.  Brig's  home 
was  about  seventy-five  yards  fi-om  Fall  River,  which 
provided  domestic  water  but  no  irrigation.  Hans' 
buildings  were  developed  near  the  river  downstream 
half  a  mile  fi-om  Brig's. 

The  first  concern  as  a  community  was  to  build 
a  canal  to  irrigate  the  farm  as  a  final  step  to  "proving 
up"  on  the  homestead  to  qualify  for  ownership  of  the 
land.  In  1896,  a  group  of  settlers  from  Franklin  had 
located  in  Horseshoe  Flat,  a  fairly  level  area  with  good 
soil.  Surveys  conducted  by  this  group  showed  that 
water  could  be  taken  from  Conant  Creek  by  a  long 
hillside  canal  to  irrigate  a  large  area,  including  the  land 
Brig  and  Tom  acquired.  They  filed  on  the  water  that 
year,  and  work  was  started  on  the  canal. 

The  work  on  the  canal  was  paid  for  by  issuing 
stock  ownership  in  the  canal.  The  wages  were  $1.50  a 
day  for  a  man  and  $2.50  for  a  man  with  a  team,  for  a 
ten-hour  day.  The  canal  was  dug  with  plows  and  slip 
scrapers  pulled  by  a  team  of  horses.  It  was  nine  miles 
from  the  head  of  the  canal  to  the  terminal,  where 
lateral  ditches  were  extended  to  carry  the  water  to  the 
various  farms.  No  water  was  taken  out  for  irrigation 
above  the  terminal.  The  entire  nine  miles  of  main 
canal  was  on  a  steep  hillside  covered  with  bushes, 
trees,  and  rocks. 

When  Brig  and  Tom  arrived  in  April  1901, 
the  canal  was  underway  with  much  yet  to  be  done. 
Each  settler  had  to  build  a  home  to  live  in  first, 
together  with  corrals  and  some  fences  when  they  had 
Uvestock.  The  waist-high  natural  grasses  provided 
summer  feed  for  livestock  and  winter  feed  where  it 
could  be  harvested  for  hay.  Little  forming  could  be 
done  without  irrigation  water. 

As  they  worked  on  their  homesteads  and  the 
canal  their  need  for  sodal  activities  led  Tom  and  Brig 
to  various  areas  to  play  for  dances. 


272 


(2)  WIFE:   MARTHA 
LOUANNIE  HAMMON: 

Martha  Lxjuannie  Hammon  Murdoch  2nd 
wife  of  Brigham  Murdoch  was  bom  October  11,  1885 
in  Hooper,  Davis  County,  Utah.  Her  parents  were 
Heber  Chase  Hammon  and  Martha  Priscilla 
Christensen.  She  was  the  fourth  of  nine  children,  six 
boys  and  three  girls.  One  girl  and  two  boys  died  in 
infancy. 

When  Louannie  was  one  year  old  the  family 
moved  to  Wilford,  Idaho,  with  several  other  families. 
Some  were  close  relatives  of  Heber  and  Martha, 
(Louannic's  parents).  This  area  was  open  to 
homestcading  and  was  being  settied  by  people  from 
various  places,  especially  from  Utah.  Many  of  them 
were  members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latterday  Saints.  The  closeness  of  the  community 
through  the  ward  and  strong  family  ties  provided  a 
strong  bond  of  security  and  trust.  The  depth  of  this 
friendship  and  love  was  tested  often  through  sickness, 
accidents,  deaths,  storms  and  discouragement. 

The  children  were  taught  to  love  and  respect 
each  other  and  their  parents  and  to  honor  their  church 
leaders.  As  they  became  old  enough,  each  child 
shared  the  household  duties  and  helped  with  outside 
chores  and  on  the  farm.  The  church  was  the  central 
interest  in  the  community. 

The  Hammons'  home  progressed  from  one 
room  in  an  Uncle's  home  to  a  large  one  room  log 
home  and  then  a  four  room  home  built  by  Heber  and 
his  relatives.  To  be  self  sufficient  in  a  pioneer 
community  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  large  garden 
with  fruits,  berries,  vegetables  and  flowers.  The 
children  helped  with  the  preparation  and  planting, 
Louannie  developed  a  love  for  growing  things.  They 
enjoyed  friendly  neighbors  and  were  active  in  the  ward 
activities.  The  children  drove  to  East  Wilford  School 
for  about  six  months  of  the  year  until  full  terms  were 
established. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  August  3,  1895 
Louannie's  father  and  his  brother-in-law,  Joe  Phillips, 
were  fishing  on  horseback  in  Buckman's  Bottom  on 
the  Teton  River,  where  there  were  some  deep  pools. 
Her  father's  fishing  line  got  tangled  up  with  his  horses 
legs  and  both  horse  and  father  were  plunged  into  the 
current  where  he  drowned.  Her  mother  was 
expecting  a  baby  in  early  Oaober.  The  baby  Marion 
Byrum  was  bom  three  months  after  his  father's  death. 
With  the  help  of  relatives,  friends  and  her  eldest  son, 
Heber  Jr.'s  hard  work,  the  family  was  able  to  get 
along.  Louannies  mother  learned  how  to  weave 
carpets  and  was  an  accomplished  seamstress  and 
through  these  efforts  were  able  to  provide  for  her 
femily  She  was  warm  and  very  loving  to  her  children 
and  set  a  good  example  for  them.  She  was  firm  in  the 
discipline  in  her  home. 

As  Louannie  matured  into  young  woman- 
hood she  enjoyed  the  pleasures  of  most  young  women 
of  that  time.    They  had  parties  and  held  dances,  put 


b.r.  Trcssa,  Rccd,  Howard,  Dallas,  Tom,  Wallace,  Blancc,  f.r.  Jean,  Martha,  Brigham,  Louannie,  Kadc  Murdoch 


on  plays  for  community  acrivitics  and  enjoyed  the 
company  of  the  young  people  in  the  community. 

In  late  August  1902  Louannie  was  visiting 
with  her  sister  Laura  Allred.  The  Brown  brothers, 
(boarders  at  her  sister  Laura's  home),  were  being 
visited  by  the  Murdoch  brothers.  Louannie  was 
introduced  to  them.  The  brothers  sang  songs  for 
them.  As  the  summer  passed  Louannie  dated  other 
young  men  at  dances,  parties,  buggy  rides  and  at 
home.  At  Thanksgiving  time  their  ward  had  a  dance 
that  the  Murdoch  brothers  played  for,  so  they  met 
again.  Brig  danced  with  her  several  times  and  took 
her  home  from  the  dance.  He  told  her  about  his  wife 
and  little  son  Rue.  He  continued  to  come  to  their 
home  to  visit. 

At  Christmas  time  Brig  returned  to  Heber  to 
be  with  his  son  Rue  and  his  family  for  the  holidays  and 
return  to  Park  City  to  work  until  spring,  when  he 
would  come  back  to  the  farm  at  Famum.  Before  he 
left  for  Heber,  he  and  Louannie  decided  they  would 
be  married  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple  before  he  returned 
to  Famum  in  the  spring. 

Late  in  the  winter  Brig  wrote  a  nice  letter  to 
Louannie's  mother  telling  of  their  plans  to  be  married 
and  asking  her  consent  to  marry  Louannie. 

On  April  2,  1903  Louannie  and  her  mother 
boarded  the  afternoon  train  at  St.  Anthony.  Brig  met 
Louannie  and  her  mother  in  Salt  Lake  and  joined 
them  on  the  train  to  Heber  City  to  visit  his  parents 
and  family. 

As  Brig  and  Louannie  prepared  to  leave  his 
family  and  return  to  Salt  Lake  to  be  married,  the 
family  realized  that  now  the  boys  were  leaving  Heber 


273 


for  good,  the  family  Unk  would  be  broken  again. 
They  would  join  their  sister  Margaret  Ann  who  had 
married  Lewis  J.Hawkes  of  the  Horse  Shoe  Flat 
(Drummond)  area,  east  of  Famum,  Idaho. 

Wednesday  morning,  April  8,  1903,  was  a 
lovely  day  for  Brig  and  Louannie's  wedding  in  the 
beautiful  Salt  Lake  L.D.S.  Temple.  They  returned  to 
Wilford  on  April  15.  They  loaded  Louannie's 
belongings  on  the  wagon  and  started  for  their  new 
home  on  April  21,  1903. 

Brother,  Tom  had  a  nice  dinner  ready  when 
they  arrived.  After  dinner  they  moved  all  the  furniture 
out  of  their  one  room  log  house.  After  thoroughly 
cleaning  it  the  furniture  was  moved  back  in.  Brig 
helped  around  the  house  two  or  three  days  to  get 
things  organized.  They  sewed  factory  (light  cloth) 
together  and  attached  it  to  the  log  walls  and  ceiling. 
They  thought  they  had  a  fine  home  for  beginners. 

It  was  a  beautiful  time  of  the  year  with  green 
grass  and  wild  flowers  in  bloom.  Louannie  planted 
shrubs,  fruit  bushes  and  flowers  and  a  yellow  rose 
bush,  she  had  brought  from  her  mother's  place,  the 
yellow  rose  still  blooms  every  spring  (1990).  They 
planted  a  garden.  The  grain  was  planted  and  doing 
well,  when  a  late  frost  set  it  back.  About  this  time  a 
wedding  dance  was  held,  and  the  newlywcds  were 
happy  to  see  their  new  neighbors,  friends,  and 
Louannie's  folks  present. 

When  the  crops  were  in,  the  settlers  turned 
their  attention  to  working  on  the  Conant  Creek  Canal, 
which  reached  an  important  phase  that  year  (1903). 
The  main  canal  was  completed  to  the  terminal  where 
the  lateral  ditches  to  the  various  farms  took  off. 


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Brig  and  Louannic,  together  with  other 
homesteaders,  camped  near  where  the  canal  work  was 
going  on.  Louannie  and  the  other  wives  cooked  for 
the  men  and  helped  out  where  ever  possible.  She 
took  her  cow  with  her  that  was  given  to  them  for  a 
wedding  present. 

Despite  the  late  frost  the  crops  and  gardens 
turned  out  well.  The  grain  was  cut  with  a  binder  and 
the  bundles  were  hauled  and  stacked  under  the  hill 
near  the  buildings  and  corral,  to  wait  for  the  threshing 
machine.  Because  of  the  steep  road  leading  down  to 
the  stacks,  no  thresher  owner  would  move  their 
machines  down  the  hill,  fearing  they  would  tip  over. 
Finally  on  December  2,  Cuder's  threshing  machine 
from  Vernon  (west  of  Ashton)  crossed  the  Fall  River 
from  the  west  and  threshed  their  grain.  Normally 
there  would  have  been  deep  snow  on  the  ground,  but 
that  year  the  weather  was  warm  and  dry  and  farmers 
were  able  to  plow  in  December. 

Tom  continued  to  live  with  Brig  and 
Louannie,  and  Hans  Nielsen,  a  bachelor  who's  land 
joined  Brig's  place  who  had  come  from  Denmark, 
continued  to  eat  with  them  frequently.  Louannie  did 
their  cooking,  washing,  and  mending.  Each  man 
worked  on  his  own  farm,  but  often  worked  together 
exchanging  work.  So,  their  official  family  consisted  of 
four  individuals.  This  was  increased  to  five  when  Rue 
came  to  live  with  them  on  September  15  after  Brig 
and  Louannie  were  married.  Thirty-eight  years  later 
Louannie  commented  that  she  and  Brig  had  never 
spent  a  night  alone  in  their  home,  "That  someone  has 
always  been  with  us." 

In  1904  Brig  was  elected  a  director  of  the 
Conant  Creek  Canal  Company.  At  various  times  he 
was  also  secretary  or  president  until  1937.  In  1905  he 
was  called  to  be  first  counselor  to  James  W.  Green, 
President  of  the  Conant  Branch,  later  called  the 
Farnum  Branch  of  the  Church.  The  meetings  were 
held  in  a  log  building  also  used  as  a  school.  It  was 
built  about  1899.  Louannie  was  called  as  second 
counselor  in  the  Relief  Society. 

The  Murdoch  home  located  "under  the  hill" 
was  nearly  one  half  mile  off  the  county  road  when  it 
was  established.    As  their  family  was  growing,  they 


Murdoch  homestead  in  Famum  near  Fall  River 


274 


decided  to  build  a  new  home,  bam  and  corrals  near 
the  road  on  top  of  the  hill.  Louannie  sold  the  milk 
cow  her  mother  had  gjven  her  as  a  wedding  present, 
and  bought  lumber  for  the  house.  It  was  a  two  room 
frame  house  with  an  attic  and  a  shingled  roof.  It  was 
the  first  house  Louannie  had  lived  in  that  did  not  have 
a  dirt  roof.  No  more  shoveling  dirt  upon  the  roof 
during  a  rainstorm  to  keep  it  from  leaking. 

New  fences,  corrals  and  sheds  had  to  be  built 
in  the  new  location,  and  trees,  shrubs,  and  a  garden 
planted.  Brig  and  Tom  were  still  breaking  up  more 
sod  to  bring  more  land  into  production.  Drinking 
water  had  to  be  hauled  from  the  river  when  water  was 
not  in  the  canal.  The  new  home  was  one  and  a 
quarter  miles  to  school,  two  and  a  quarter  miles  to 
church  and  three  quarters  of  a  mile  to  the  store  and 
post  office. 

On  October  31,  1909  a  very  severe  blizzard 
struck.  During  the  blizzard  Brig  rode  out  to  the  stack 
yard  to  drive  away  some  stray  horses  from  his  grain 
piled  in  the  yard.  A  horse  kicked  him  breaking  his  leg. 
With  much  difficulty  he  got  to  the  house.  Louannie 
luckily  intercepted  the  Doctor  who  was  in  the  area  to 
see  a  sick  neighbor.  Will  Cazier,  Dr.  Hargis  set  the 
bones  and  put  on  a  cast  so  Brig  could  get  around  with 
crutches.  Delbert,  Louannie's  younger  brother,  came 
and  took  care  of  the  chores  until  Rue  could  come 
home  from  Heber  where  he  was  going  to  High 
School.  The  snow  melted  and  Rue  was  able  to  plow 
while  Brig  was  recuperating. 

In  1909  a  one  room  brick  school  house  was 
built  to  replace  the  original  log  building  that  had  been 
used  for  both  a  school  and  a  church.  The  same  year  a 
new  church  was  built,  costing  around  seven  thousand 
dollars.  At  the  same  time  the  ward  was  helping  to  pay 
for  the  Yellowstone  Stake  Tabernacle  in  St.  Anthony 
and  the  Ricks  Academy  in  Rexburg.  To  meet  these 
obligations,  the  ward  rented  land  from  three  land 
owners.  The  members  and  non-members  alike  turned 
out  to  prepare  and  plant  the  crops  and  also  to  harvest 
it.  At  times  there  were  as  many  as  forty  horse  drawn 
outfits  in  the  fields  at  one  time.  The  crops  were  good 
and  so  were  the  prices,  enabling  the  ward  to  pay  off 
the  obligations  and  still  have  a  surplus.  Brig  was  a 
member  of  the  bishopric  at  this  time.  This  project  did 
much  to  strengthen  the  community  and  make  it  proud 
of  its  success. 

Brig  was  appointed  Justice  Of  The  Peace  of 
the  Famum  area  in  Fremont  County,  November  5, 
1918. 

As  their  farms  were  improved  and  more  crops 
could  be  grown,  Brig  and  Tom  were  able  to  add  to 
their  buildings,  equipment,  livestock  and  complete 
their  fencing.  They  also  brought  more  of  their  land 
under  irrigation.  Brig  bought  eighty  acres  that  joined 
his  homestead  on  the  east.  The  canal  ran  through  the 
entire  length  of  it.  The  north  half  was  watered  and  the 
south  half  was  dry-farmed.  Rue  helped  in  the  summers 
between  high  school  terms  at  Heber  City.  Louannie's 
brother  Marion  also  worked  for  Brig  a  few  years. 


It  became  necessary  to  add  to  the  house  to 
accommodate  the  growing  femily.  A  lean-to  of  two 
rooms  was  built  on  the  north  side,  with  a  front  and 
back  door.  Stairs  were  built  on  the  outside  west  wall 
up  to  the  attic  where  two  more  bedrooms  were 
finished.  The  new  rooms  were  very  welcome  as  there 
were,  Tom  and  three  children  besides  Rue  and  Marion 
living  there  in  the  summer. 

In  the  fall  of  1911  while  the  threshing  crew 
was  at  the  Murdoch's  farm.  Brig's  new  log  bam  was 
set  on  fire.  The  fire  was  started  when  four  and  a  half 
year  old  Dallas  climbed  up  in  the  loft  where  the  hired 
hands  slept  and  tried  to  light  a  cigarette  he  found  in 
their  belongings.  A  lighted  match  was  dropped  and 
ignited  the  straw  in  the  loft  and  soon  it  was  in  flames. 
Dallas  climbed  down  to  the  ground  and  stood  with 
two  and  a  half  year  old  Reed  in  the  doorway  of  the 
barn  oblivious  to  the  roaring  flames  above  them. 
Louannie,  hearing  the  roar  of  the  flames,  looked  out 
of  the  kitchen  door,  then  rushed  out  to  hustle  the 
boys  away  from  the  burning  bam.  The  threshing  crew 
hurried  out  of  the  field  to  help  put  out  the  fire  by 
carrying  water  from  the  ditch  and  throwing  it  on  the 
fire.  The  bam  was  too  far  gone  to  save  so,  the  water 
was  thrown  on  the  other  buildings  which  were  saved. 
The  water  wagon  from  the  threshing  machine  was 
finally  brought  in  and  water  was  pumped  on  the  roof 
of  the  house  and  it  was  saved. 

The  entire  bam,  the  big  haystack,  derrick, 
corrals  and  some  chickens  were  destroyed.  Horses  in 
the  bam  had  to  be  blindfolded  before  they  could  be 
led  out.  Some  calves  and  pigs  were  also  burned.  This 
was  quite  a  financial  blow  to  Brig  and  Louannie,  and  a 
memorable  lesson  to  young  Dallas. 

In  November  1913,  Brig  was  called  to  be 
Bishop  of  the  Farnum  Ward.  He  was  set  apart  as 
bishop  on  February  1,  1914  by  Apostle  Hyrum  G. 
Smith.  He  had  been  coimselor  to  Bishop  Smith  since 
January  22,  1911.  His  counselors  were  William  G. 
Baird  and  Daniel  Gibson.  Later  William  G.  Baird 
declined  due  to  other  commitments  and  Iver  C. 
Hendrickson  was  set  apart  as  the  other  counselor. 

On  December  24,  1913,  Rue  married  Mcarl 
Garrett,  a  very  lovely  girl,  whose  parents,  George  F. 
and  Alvina  Park  Garrett,  lived  across  the  Fall  River 
from  the  Murdoch  home.  Rue  and  Mearl  lived  in  the 
upstairs  of  the  Murdoch  home  the  first  winter. 

During  1914,  Uncle  Tom  was  called  on  a 
short-term  mission  to  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  the 
mission  headquarters.  He  returned  to  the  farm  and 
continued  to  live  with  Brig  and  Louannie.  She  would 
tease  him  about  being  an  old  bachelor.  He  would 
reply,  "I  will  yet  live  to  hold  my  grandchildren  on  my 
knee." 

Uncle  Tom  was  Farnum's  most  eligible 
bachelor.  While  older  than  most  unmarried  girls  in 
the  area,  he  was  popular  with  them.  He  was  always 
pleasant  to  be  with.  He  was  humble  and  set  a  good 
example  to  young  and  old  alike.  He  had  a  well 
matched  driving  team  with  light  harness  and  a  flashy     975 


one-seated  buggy.  His  driving  outfit  would  compare 
with  the  sports  car  of  today. 

On  July  15,  1915,  Tom  and  Sarah  Hansen 
were  married  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  She  was 
twenty  years  old;  he  was  forty- seven.  They  had  met 
two  years  earlier  ^^^en  she  had  come  to  Famum  and 
spent  the  summer  with  her  Uncle  Hans  Nielsen,  a 
close  fiiend  and  neighbor  to  the  Murdoch's.  She  had 
come  from  Denmark  as  a  child,  and  her  parents  had 
settled  in  Utah.  She  was  a  pretty  girl,  ambitious,  full 
of  fun,  and  a  source  of  joy  and  strength  to  the 
Murdoch  family. 

Uncle  Tom  had  moved  the  two-room  frame 
granary  from  his  lower  forty  to  a  location  up  on  the 
hill  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  Famum  School 
on  the  main  road.  He  added  a  two-room  lean-to, 
making  it  an  attractive,  comfortable  home.  He  built 
sheds  and  corrals,  dug  a  dstem,  and  had  things  well 
organized  for  operating  his  160  acre  farm. 

The  two  families  were  very  close  and 
harmonious  in  all  their  activities.  They  worked 
together,  socialized  together,  and  worshiped  together. 
They  often  ate  together,  had  family  evenings  together, 
and  were  usually  together  at  Thanksgiving,  Christmas 
and  many  other  occasions.  The  children  played 
together  quite  regularly.  Brig  and  Tom  liked  to  get 
together  to  make  music  just  because  they  enjoyed 
making  music.  The  families  all  enjoyed  it. 

Brig  was  very  busy  during  the  war  years.  The 
ward  was  growing  and  took  lots  of  his  time  as  a 
bishop.  He  conducted  many  funeral's  and  some 
marriage's.  During  1918  the  Spanish  Influenza  swept 
through  the  country.  Many  families  contacted  the 
disease,  and  deaths  were  very  common.  Emergency 
law  banned  gatherings  such  as  schools,  church 
meetings,  and  shows.  A  person  had  to  wear  a  face 
mask  to  enter  a  store  to  buy  supplies.  Funerals  could 
not  be  held  indoors,  and  Brig  conducted  grave  side 
services  for  those  who  died  in  the  ward.  One  good 
neighbor,  Simeon  Saunders,  lost  his  wife  and  four 
children  in  less  than  a  year.  Much  love  and  concem 
was  shown  throughout  the  community  at  this  time. 

Until  about  1914,  the  livestock  were  watered 
at  the  ditch  that  ran  in  front  of  the  house  and  down 
over  the  hill.  In  the  winter,  there  were  springs  below 
the  bams  the  animals  could  drink  from.  It  was  a  long, 
steep  climb  back  up  the  hill.  For  house  use,  water  had 
to  be  hauled  from  Fall  River  in  wooden  barrels  in  a 
wagon  or  sleigh.  Snow  was  brought  in  a  large  copper 
boiler  or  metal  tub  and  placed  on  the  cookstovc  to 
melt  ovemight.  More  snow  was  added  as  it  melted. 
Louannie  washed  the  family's  clothes  with  a  tub, 
washboard,  and  wringer  turned  by  child  power.  It  was 
lovely  water  to  bathe  in  or  wash  hair  in,  as  it  was  soft. 
The  babies  were  bathed  first,  then  the  next  oldest,  all 
in  the  same  water.  Then  it  was  used  to  mop  the  floor. 

About  1914,  Brig  had  a  well  drilled  120  feet 
deep,  mosdy  through  solid  lava  rock.  It  was  a  great 
thrill  to  have  water  in  our  own  backyard.  The  thrill 
wore  off  for  the  children,  as  they  had  to  pump  the 


I 

4 

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:-■   V' 


water  by  hand  for  the  cattle,  horses  and  pigs,  and  carry 
it  in  for  the  house.  No  electricity  was  available  then, 
and  gasoline  engines  were  expensive  and  not  too 
reliable. 

On  January  5th  1918,  the  weather  was  mild 
and  farmers  were  plowing.  Within  twenty-four  hours 
a  raging  blizzard  moved  in,  and  winter  had  come 
again. 

The  year  of  1919  was  very  dry.  Brig  had 
bought  a  good  number  of  hogs  to  feed  out,  and 
although  wheat  was  three  dollars  a  bushel,  he  made 
good  money  on  them.  However,  the  crops  were 
poor.  In  fact,  a  wagon  box  full  of  grain  was  all  that 
was  harvested  and  that  did  not  equal  the  seed  planted. 

Brig  had  bought  a  new  Ford  car  in  1918,  his 
first.  Later  he  and  his  brother  Tom  took  a  trip  to  the 
Rupert,  Idaho  country  and  looked  it  over  as  they  had 
the  Farnum  country  nineteen  years  before.  They 
located  established  farms  they  could  buy,  and  returned 
to  Farnum,  discussed  their  ideas  with  their  wives,  and 
decided  to  move  to  Rupert. 

Brig  sold  the  east  eighty  acres  for  eight 
thousand  dollars  to  Asa  Hawkes,  whose  farm  cornered 
on  the  eighty.  Brig  and  Tom  held  an  auction  sale  and 
the  accumulation  of  nineteen  years  was  sold.  The  sale 
of  the  good  horses  was  the  most  painfiil,  especially  the 
beautiful  big  stallion,  Pedro.  The  furniture  and 
household  articles  were  shipped  by  fi-eight  car. 

The  farms  they  bought  were  equipped  and 
included  the  horses  and  cows  they  would  need.  Dan 
and  May  Gibson  also  bought  land  near  them.  Dan 
was  one  of  Brig's  counselors  in  the  bishopric.  Brig  was 
released  from  the  bishopric,  resigned  from  the  school 
board,  and  resigned  as  president  of  the  Conant  Creek 
Canal  Company.  Louannie  was  released  from  the 
Relief  Society.  It  was  painful  to  leave  when  so  much 
faith,  labor,  and  love  had  been  shared  with  so  many 
wonderful  pioneer  people. 

A  surprise  party  was  held  at  their  home  by  the 
community,  and  a  beautiful  wall  clock  was  presented 
to  Brig  and  Louannie  as  a  going-away  gift.  Many 
farewell  tears  were  shed  that  evening  among  young 
and  old  alike. 

The  move  to  Rupert  was  made  early  in 
November.  The  Murdoch's  had  nice  homes  on  well- 
leveled  farms.  Brig  had  fourty  acres;  Tom  had  ten 
acres.  They  had  rented  their  forms  in  Farnum,  Brig  to 
the  Sparkman  brother's  and  Tom  to  the  Brotherton's. 

The  children  got  settled  in  school  and 
enjoyed  the  luxury  of  riding  to  school  in  a  horse- 
drawn  school  wagon.  It  was  a  little  awesome  to  go  to 
school  with  several  rooms  in  it.  Dallas  made  it 
through  the  first  two  weeks  before  getting  in  a  fight. 
He  lost,  but  gained  a  dose  fnend. 

The  crops  the  first  year  were  good,  but  the 
prices  fell  to  seven  dollars  a  ton  for  hay  and  less  than  a 
dollar  a  hundred  weight  for  potatoes.  Store  prices 
were  still  high,  however.  Coal  was  very  scarce,  as 
transportation  difficulties  had  many  things  out  of 
order.   The  brothers  had  hoped  to  sell  their  farms  at 


276 


Farnum  to  finish  paying  for  their  farms  in  Rupert. 
Since  the  depression  was  settling  in,  it  was  not  possible 
to  sell  their  farms.  Brig  traded  his  equity  in  the  farm 
in  Rupert  on  a  smaller  thirteen -acre  form  called  Green 
Acres,  in  1921.  It  was  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile 
southwest  of  Rupert  along  the  railroad  tracks.  He  also 
got  possession  of  a  garage  building  in  Rupert  that  was 
rented  out. 

Brig  worked  outside  the  farm,  and  the  older 
children  worked  out  thinning  beets  and  onions. 
Dallas  worked  for  a  farmer  named  Simms.  The 
Depression  deepened,  and  it  became  evident  that  they 
could  not  pay  for  their  farms  even  though  they  had  a 
lot  invested  in  them.  So  they  made  plans  to  move 
back  to  their  old  homestead's  they  had  taken  up 
twenty-one  years  before. 

On  April  21,  1922  the  Murdoch's  left:  Rupert 
to  return  to  Farnum.  It  took  two  days  and  nights  for 
the  freight  car  to  reach  the  siding  at  Ashton  with 
Uncle  Tom  and  Dallas  accompanying  the  stock  and 
household  furnishings.  As  the  train  pulled  up  there 
was  a  long  string  of  teams  and  wagons  and  sleighs 
lined  up  waiting  for  the  car  to  be  set.  The  large  group 
of  drivers  waiting  there  looked  familiar.  They  were 
those  wonderful  neighbors  there  to  welcome  the 
Murdoch's  back  two  and  a  half  years  after  that 
memorable  farewell.  The  outfits  were  soon  loaded 
with  the  belongings  and  they  formed  a  caravan 
creeping  through  the  mud  and  the  snow  to  the  old 
homestead  where  Brig  and  Louannie  had  gone  exacdy 
nineteen  years  before. 

Later  in  the  day  Louannie  and  the  girls 
arrived  on  the  train  and  taken  home.  There  was  hardly 
a  fiill  pane  of  glass  in  the  house  and  it  had  been  used 
as  a  grainry.  They  went  on  to  Uncle  Tom's  home, 
where  Aunt  Sarah  and  the  Relief  Society  had  a  warm 
supper.  The  Relief  Society  came  and  helped  cleaned 
up  the  house.  They  brought  food  and  made  the 
family  as  comfortable  as  possible. 

What  no  one  knew  until  later  that  Brig,  Reed 
and  Tom  had  been  in  a  car  accident  near  Pocatello 
and  were  all  in  the  hospital.  Brig  had  broken  ribs, 
Tom  a  broken  collar  bone.  Brig  and  Reed  were 
released  from  the  Hospital  a  few  days  later,  little 
Tommy  was  kept  two  more  weeks  before  being 
released. 

Brig  was  unable  to  work  for  several  weeks. 
The  farming  season  was  at  hand.  They  had  only  three 
horses  and  limited  equipment  so  the  plowing  went 
slowly.  One  day  several  of  the  neighbors  turned  out 
with  their  farming  equipment  and  had  the  entire  form 
prepared  and  planted  that  day. 

This  outpouring  of  help  and  love  from  the 
neighbors  was  very  encouraging  and  reassuring  to  Brig 
and  Louannie,  who  were  back  where  they  started 
fi-om,  but  now  with  eight  children  and  broken  health. 

Back  in  familiar  surroundings,  things 
gradually  fit  into  place.  The  river,  the  flat,  the  bushy 
hillsides,  the  old  neighbors  and  the  old  friends  all 
helped  to  bring  back  a  continuity  of  purpose.    Brig 


was  soon  back  on  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 
Conant  Creek  Canal  Company,  back  on  the  School 
Board,  back  in  the  bishopric  as  ward  clerk.  Louannie 
was  back  in  the  Relief  Society  and  the  Primary.  The 
children  returned  to  the  Farnum  Grade  School. 
Family  unity  was  stronger  than  ever. 

As  each  of  the  children  graduated  from  the 
eighth  grade  of  the  Farnum  School  they  attended 
Ashton  High  School.  It  was  five  miles  to  Ashton  and 
the  parents  of  neighboring  children  shared  the 
responsibility  of  transportation  to  high  school.  The 
children  were  good  students  and  active  in  school 
activities  within  the  Hmits  of  their  transportation 
facilities. 

By  the  spring  of  1923  Brig  had  recovered  to 
where  he  was  able  to  take  over  most  of  the  work  on 
the  farm  with  the  help  of  his  growing  femily.  He  had 
brought  some  excellent  Jersey  cows  from  Rupert  and 
gradually  enlarged  the  number  of  cows.  They  were 
the  principal  source  of  income  for  the  family.  The 
milk  was  separated  and  the  cream  made  into  butter  by 
Louannie  and  the  children.  She  sold  the  butter  to  the 
Ashton  stores  which  reserved  it  for  special  customers. 

Brig's  health  was  slightly  impaired  from  an 
inward  goiter.  He  was  advised  to  have  it  removed,  but 
he  did  not  have  the  money  for  an  operation.  His  right 
arm  was  still  slightly  stiff  from  the  car  accident. 

In  February  1928  Dad  had  inflammatory 
rheumatism  that  kept  him  in  bed  for  several  weeks. 
Dallas  was  called  home  from  his  work  in  the  timber  in 
mid-March  to  help  take  care  of  his  dad  and  with  the 
help  of  Reed  and  Tom  put  in  the  crops  that  spring. 
Dallas  prepared  to  enter  the  University  of  Idaho  in 
September.  Brig  gradually  recovered  and  by  early 
summer  was  able  to  return  to  most  of  his  usual  work. 

Dallas  completed  his  first  year  at  the 
University  and  returned  home.  Reed  attended  the 
University  the  first  semester  the  next  year.  When 
Reed  came  home,  Dallas  returned  to  school  for  the 
second  semester.  Reed  went  to  work  for  Charles 
Burrell  in  his  store.  On  November  3,  1931  Reed  and 
Ruth  Grover  were  married.  She  was  a  very  lovely, 
talented  girl  from  St.  Anthony. 

Thomas  graduated  from  high  school,  farmed 
with  Brig  one  year,  and  married  his  high  school 
sweetheart,  Alta  Hillam,  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple, 
October  5,  1932.  Tom  went  to  work  in  the  City 
Market  in  Ashton.  He  later  became  manager  and 
eventually  bought  the  store. 

Laura  Jean  was  married  January  11,  1933  in 
the  Salt  Lake  Temple  to  Angus  Blanchard,  a  returned 
missionary.  They  settled  in  his  parent's  home  in 
Chester,  where  they  lived  throughout  their  married 
life. 

During  the  winter  of  1931-32  Brig  was  very 
sick.  Finally,  Dr.  H.  Ray  Hatch,  a  boyhood  friend, 
then  practicing  in  Idaho  Falls  told  him  he  might  not 
survive  an  operation  and  that  he  wouldn't  survive 
without  it.  On  June  12,  1933  he  was  operated  on  in 
the  Idaho  Falls  L.  D.  S.  Hospital.    The  faith  and 


prayers  and  fasting  of  the  family  and  friends  were 
rewarded  and  Dad  was  on  his  way  to  a  slow  but 
gradual  recovery.  Dallas  graduated  from  the 
University  the  same  time  Dad  was  operated  on.  He 
received  a  B.  S.  degree  in  Agricultural  Education. 

For  several  years  during  the  depression  farm 
prices  were  very  low.  In  addition  to  that  a  frost,  hail, 
wind,  or  drought  occurred  each  svmimer  to  destroy 
the  crops  and  sap  the  spirit.  The  dairy  cows  provided 
the  family  with  food  and  bare  necessities.  The 
children  worked  on  the  farm  and  got  other  jobs  when 
they  could.  There  was  no  money  for  missions  or 
college.  Regardless  of  how  small  the  amount  of 
money  coming  in,  the  Lord's  tithing  came  out  first. 
This  principle  was  taught  to  all  the  children  as  they 
earned  money. 

Through  all  the  years  of  hard  work,  crop 
failures,  depression  and  sickness  Louannie  took  each 
challenge  in  stride,  never  complaining,  always  attentive 
to  Brig's  and  the  children's  needs.  She  loved  her 
flowers  and  despite  the  competition  from  kids, 
chickens,  pigs,  horses  and  weather,  she  always  had 
some  nice  flowers  inside  the  house  and  out,  and 
always  took  a  boquet  to  church  while  they  were  in 
season. 

She  helped  Brig  with  his  work  as  ward  clerk. 
She  was  constantly  teaching  the  principles  of  the 
gospel  by  example  and  word. 

Dallas  was  married  to  Winona  Lee  June  6, 
1934  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  Tressa  and  Martha 
lived  with  Dallas  and  Winona  for  the  next  two  years, 
attending  high  school's  where  Dallas  was  teaching 
Vocational  Agriculture.  The  arrangement  relieved 
Brig  and  Louannie  of  the  worry  of  getting  the  girls  to 
Ashton  High  because  of  the  rough  winters. 

On  September  5,  1936,  Martha  married 
Ralph  Godfrey  who  she  had  met  while  going  to  school 
in  Emmett.  The  fall  of  1938  Brig  and  Louannie  sold 
the  farm  to  Angus  and  Jean.  They  bought  a  house 
with  three  lots  and  a  bam  across  the  street  from  their 
son  Tom's  home  in  Ashton.  The  milk  cows  were  then 
moved  into  the  new  place.  The  rich  Jersey  milk  was 
sold  whole  to  the  stores  and  restaurants.  A  good 
business  was  soon  established  that  was  easier  to 
operate  and  manage  than  nmning  the  farm. 

Tressa  married  Clyde  Garrett  on  January  4, 
1938  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  Wallace  married 
Pauline  Clements  May  11,  1946,  while  in  the  Army 
service  in  Texas.  Howard  married  Grace  Hillam  June 
4,  in  the  Idaho  Falls  Temple.  Katie  married  Glade 
Lyon  December  1,  1946.  While  the  boys  were  in  the 
service  Brig  could  no  longer  manage  the  cows  and 
sold  them.  That  relieved  Louannie  of  considerable 
work  and  she  had  more  time  to  care  for  Brig,  as  his 
health  continued  to  worsen. 

Brig  died  the  evening  of  May  13,  1947  at  the 

age  of  seventy-six.   It  was  the  largest  funeral  ever  held 

in  Ashton.    It  was  held  in  the  new  Ashton  Ward 

Chapel.    Brig's  son  Tom  was  the  bishop  during  the 

277    planning  and  building  of  the  church. 


"J 


(D 


0  (/ 

I'    : 


Brig  is  buried  in  the  Pineview  Cemetery  at 
Ashton,  where  Uncle  Tom,  Hans  Nielsen,  and  other 
pioneer  friends  of  Famum  would  rest  nearby. 

Louannie  missed  Brig.  She  was  grateful  for 
their  many  years  together.  She  always  honored  him  as 
her  husband,  a  father,  a  priesthood  bearer  and  a 
servant  of  the  Lord.  She  had  always  supported  his 
decisions  and  helped  him  in  his  various  callings.  She 
was  always  busy.  Even  when  sitting  and  visiting  her 
hands  were  busy  crocheting  and  embroidering.  She 
liked  to  read  and  was  well  grounded  in  the  scriptures. 
She  now  had  time  for  her  flowers,  both  inside  and 
outside  the  house  in  spring  and  summer. 

Louannie  spent  many  hours  on  genealogy 
work  for  both  the  Murdoch  and  Hammon  families. 
Her  home  was  always  the  gathering  place  for  her 
children  and  grandchildren,  especially  on  Mother's 
Day  and  any  holiday  or  Sunday. 

Louannie  passed  away  June  30,  1962.  She  is 
buried  beside  Brig  in  the  Ashton  Pineview  Cemetery. 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Wife:  Mary  Blanche  Alexander, 


1)  Robert  Rue  b-  1892 

md-  Mearl  Garrett 


d-  1929 


2)  Wife:  Martha  Louannie  (Luann)  Hammon, 

CHILDREN: 

1)  Blanche  Prisdlla         b-  1904        d-  1984 
md-  Joseph  T.  Reiman 

2)  Brigham  Dallas  b-  1907 
md-  Wmona  Lee 

3)  Reed  Chase  b-  1909        d-  1986 
md-  Ruth  Grover 

4)  Thomas  Hammon      b-  1912        d-  1988 
md- AltaB.Hillam 

5)  Laura  Jean  b-  1914 
md-  C.  Angus  Blanchard 

6)  Tressa  IsabeU  b- 1918 
md-  Clyde  R.  Garrett 

7)  Martiia  Lucille  b-  1919 
md-  Ralph  E.  Godfrey 

8)  James  Howard  b-  1922 

md-  L.  Grace  Hillam 

9)  Wallace  Pierce  b-  1924 
md-  Pauline  Clements 

10)  Katiierine  Meari       b-  1926 
md-  Glade  Lyon 

ROBERT  RUE  MURDOCH 

and 

MEARL  GARRETT 

Son  of  Brigham  and  Mary  Blanche  Alexander 
Murdoch.  Bom  November  16,  1892  at  Heber,  Utah. 

Rue's  father  and  mother  lived  in  Park  City 
where  Brig  worked  in  the  coal  mines.  Shortiy  after 
Rue's  birth,  Brig  came  down  with  typhoid  fever.   He    278 


recovered  in  a  few  weeks  but  was  to  weak  to  work  for 
the  rest  of  the  winter.  They  moved  back  to  their 
Heber  City  home  for  the  winter  of  1892-1893.  When 
spring  came  Brig  returned  to  his  job  in  Park  City, 
One  morning  Brig  came  home  from  night  shift, 
Blanche  was  quite  ill,  so  again  they  returned  to  Heber, 
to  her  parents  home.  Everything  was  done  for  her  at 
that  time,  on  June  22,  1893  she  passed  away.  Rue 
also  had  the  disease  but  soon  recovered. 

Lula,  Blanche's  sister  and  Robert,  Brig's 
brother  who  Hved  with  them,  also  contacted  the 
disease  and  both  died  within  three  weeks  of  each 
other.  Blanche's  brother  Louis,  and  her  sister 
Caroline  had  it  but  soon  recovered.  Everything  was 
done  that  could  be  done  and  the  incident  was  long 
remembered  throughout  the  State. 

The  Alexanders  kept  Rue  until  he  was  3  years 
old  and  he  was  very  much  loved  by  them.  At  that 
time  his  father  took  him  and  continued  to  work  at 
Park  City,  but  the  water  was  better.  Brig's  sister 
Tressa,  lived  with  them  and  took  care  of  littie  Rue. 
After  a  while  it  was  decided  Rue  would  live  with 
Grandma  Isabella  Murdoch,  Brigs  mother.  Brig  could 
come  home  at  the  end  of  every  shift  to  see  his  baby. 
Rue  grew  up  loved  by  all  his  relatives.  Rue  was  a 
happy  little  boy.  He  could  sing  beautifully  and 
learned  to  sing  the  alto  very  young. 

On  April  8,  1903,  Brig  married  Martha 
Luann  Hammon. 

"  We  went  up  to  Heber  to  get  acquainted  with 
Brig's  folks  and  Rue.  I  felt  a  big  misgiving  as  to  my 
welcome  with  Rue,  (he  was  now  seven  years  old), 
when  I  got  off  the  train,  he  came  up  and  threw  both 
arms  around  me  and  kissed  and  loved  me.  We  were 
very  good  pals  from  there  on".  Brig  had  taken  a 
homestead  in  Famum,  Idaho  and  he  worked  very  hard 
planting  his  crops  and  working  on  the  canal.  In 
September  Aunt  Mary  Murdoch  (Lizabell's  mother) 
came  to  Lorenzo  to  visit  her  sister  and  she  brought 
Rue  with  her  from  Heber.  Rue  made  our  home  a 
cheerful  place.    He  was  always  thoughtful  and 


considerate  of  me  and  he  would  always  ask  if  he  could 
go  up  on  the  hill  to  visit  his  father  and  to  ride  on  the 
plow  or  the  binder.  I  used  to  play  marbles,  checkers, 
and  ball  with  him  when  he  got  lonesome.  He  always 
wanted  me  to  read  to  him  and  would  offer  to  help 
with  the  dishes  if  I  would  read  to  him. 

Rue  periodically  returned  to  his  grandparents' 
home  imtil  he  graduated  fi-om  high  school.  He  spent 
most  school  years  in  Hebcr  City,  with  the  Alexanders 
and  the  Murdochs,  returning  to  Famum,  Idaho,  in  the 
springs  to  help  his  father  and  would  attend  school  at 
Famum  also,  as  they  held  their  school  sessions  in  the 
summer  at  this  time.  These  were  fun  and  happy  years 
for  him.  He  took  parts  in  school  plays,  sang  with  the 
glee  club,  played  a  big  horn  in  the  Wasatch  Academy 
band  and  played  basketball  and  baseball  on  the  school 
teams. 

In  Farnum  he  met  Mearl  Garrett,  whose 
parents,  George  and  Alvina  Park  Garrett,  had  moved 
from  Fort  Union,  Salt  Lake  County,  Utah  to 
homestead  land  directly  north  across  Fall  River  from 
Brig's  home.  The  summers  were  enjoyable  for  the 
young  people  of  the  area  with  many  parties  and  get 
togethers.  One  particular  Easter  party  on  the  flat  near 
the  river.  Rue  met  Mearl,  their  friendship  soon  turned 
to  love  and  they  were  married  on  Christmas  Day 
1913,  at  her  parents  home  by  Rue's  father,  then  the 
bishop  of  the  Famum  Ward. 

They  lived  in  the  upstairs  of  Brig  and  Luann's 
home,  that  winter,  while  Rue  helped  his  father  with 
the  stock  and  chores.  In  the  spring  they  moved  into 
quite  a  new  brick  home  built  by  Mr  Britton  and 
rented  some  land.  In  the  spring  of  1915,  they  rented 
some  land  from  Uncle  Tom  Murdoch,  which  had  a 
small  house  on  it.  Rue  had  a  very  good  crop  that 
summer.  That  fall  Rue  and  Earl  Garrett  (Mcarl's 
brother)  made  plans  to  go  to  Kansas  City  to 
mechanics  school.  Mearl's  father  was  buying  and 
shipping  cattie  to  castem  markets.  Earl  and  Rue  took 
charge  of  a  car-load  of  cattie.  They  returned  in  the 
spring,  and  worked  for  Mr.  Humes  in  Ashton  as  a 
mechanic. 

A  couple  of  years  later.  Rue  worked  as  a 
mechanic  on  an  irrigation  government  projea  in  King 
Hill,  Idaho. 

In  1923  he  was  transferred  to  the  Black 
Canyon  project  near  Emmett,  then  to  Rimrock, 
Washington  in  1924.  Rue  became  very  ill  and  had  an 
operation,  he  wasn't  getting  any  better  so  they  came 
back  home  to  Famum. 

As  he  regained  his  health  and  strength,  Mr. 
Humes,  asked  him  to  take  the  job  of  foreman  in  his 
garage.  They  bought  a  house  in  Ashton  from  Mrs. 
Andersen.  They  were  getting  along  very  nicely  with  a 
home  and  three  lovely  children,  Elaine,  Guy,  and 
Murray.  There  was  always  a  strong  bond  of  love 
between  Rue  and  his  father  and  it  was  wonderful  to 
have  them  so  dose. 

It  was  a  terrible  shock  when  word  reached  us 
that  Rue  was  killed  in  an  accident  going  to  Warm 


River  on  a  mechanic  job,  the  19  September  1929. 
Services  were  held  in  the  theater,  there  wasn't  a 
building  large  enough  that  would  hold  the  crowd,  he 
was  loved  by  everyone. 

Mearl  started  doing  nursing  in  her  home, 
mainly  maternity  cases  so  she  could  be  with  her 
children.  The  local  Doctors  were  very  helpful  getting 
cases  for  her. 

The  fall  of  1932  she  went  to  Salt  Lake  city, 
Utah,  to  take  some  nursing  classes.  Jobs  were  hard  to 
find  during  the  depression.  She  was  able  to  find  a  few 
private  cases. 

The  boys  went  to  school  and  she  took  some 
nursing  classes.  She  worked  at  various  places  and 
worked  for  some  time  at  the  County  Infirmary.  life 
wasn't  easy  but  she  had  been  able  to  take  care  of  her 
femily. 

Elaine,  their  daughter,  had  married  and  Guy 
had  graduated  from  High  School  and  Murray  was  a 
sophmore. 

About  that  time  in  1935,  Sam  Smith  a  friend 
of  the  family,  who  had  recentiy  lost  his  wife,  and  who 
Hved  in  Pocatello,  came  to  see  her  about  keeping 
house  for  him  for  a  while.  Sam  and  her  brother  Earl 
had  been  in  a  transfer  business  in  St.  Anthony  and  she 
had  known  him  and  his  wife  for  quite  a  while.  He  said 
he  could  give  the  boys  work  as  he  had  his  own 
tmcking  business,  hauling  for  Safeway  Stores.  She  had 
two  weeks'  vacation  coming,  so  she  told  him  we 
would  come  and  look  things  over  and  dedde. 

Sam  had  two  little  ones,  two  nearing  teenage 
and  the  eldest  daughter  Arvena  was  married.  The 
oldest  son  Ronald  was  married  the  fall  of  1935. 

"I  became  attached  to  the  younger  children 
right  away,  so  I  kept  staying,  and  on  the  29  of 
December  1935,  Sam  and  I  were  married  in  Idaho 
Falls  by  a  justice  of  the  peace.  Guy  helped  Sam  with 
his  books,  did  some  driving  and  went  to  the 
University  of  Idaho  at  Pocatello  during  1935-1938. 
Murray  stayed  with  his  Sister  Elaine  and  her  husband 
Claude  Lee,  and  finished  high  school  in  Ashton.  I 
had  a  busy  life,  it  was  a  sort  of  short  order  house  for 
the  truck  drivers,  (who  were  all  relatives  to  either  Sam 
or  myself),  besides  the  family  to  care  for.  I  had  taken 
a  couple  of  night  classes  in  nursing  after  going  to 
Pocatello,  and  as  there  was  a  terrific  shortage  of 
nurses.  I  was  able  to  get  in  some  time  at  the  hospital 
as  a  nurses  aide. 

Both  Guy  and  Murray  were  married  while  we 
were  living  there,  and  both  of  them  drove  tmcks  for 
Sam  part  of  the  time. 

In  1945  Safeway  Stores  moved  their 
warehouse  to  Salt  lake  and  Boise.  They  bought  Sam's 
tmcks  and  offered  him  a  job  driving  trucks  for  them 
and  gave  him  a  choice  of  moving  to  Salt  Lake  or 
Boise.  We  sold  our  home  and  bought  a  home  in  Salt 
Lake.  In  the  summer  of  1947,  my  father  started 
failing  in  health.  He  had  been  living  in  Emmett, 
Idaho.  He  came  and  was  with  us  until  about  six, 
279    weeks  before  he  died  August  5,  1947,  he  was  89  years 


CC 


i:  a 


old.  Sam's  children  all  married.  We  had  lots  of 
company  through  the  years.  Sam  loved  having  people 
come  and  always  wanted  to  be  sure  there  was  plenty  to 
eat. 

Sam  went  out  on  his  usual  run  over  Burley 
way  on  Sunday  afternoon  September  25,  1960.  Later 
that  day  a  police  officer  came  to  tell  me  that  Sam  had 
been  in  an  accident  and  had  been  taken  to  the  hospital 
in  Brigham  City.  They  brought  him  to  the  Holy 
Cross  Hospital  in  Salt  Lake,  the  next  day.  He  had  a 
broken  hip  and  several  broken  ribs  which  were  very 
painful,  but  they  didn't  consider  his  condition  serious. 
He  was  apparently  making  good  recovery  until 
October  6th  1960,  when  he  died  suddenly  of  a  blood 
dot.  He  is  buried  in  the  Wilford  Cemetery.  I  man- 
aged to  keep  busy  and  happy  enjoying  my  family.  At 
this  time  I  live  alone  and  have  8  grandchildren  and  18 
great  grandchildren.  They  are  very  special  and  dear  to 
me. 

By:  Mearl  Garrett  Murdoch  Smith  July  30,  1975 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Ellen  Elaine  b-  1914        d-  1988 
md-  Claude  Lester  Lee 

md-  Raymond  Long 

(2)  Guy  Garrett  b- 1916 
md-  Faye  Tanner 

(3)  Robert  Murray  b-  1918 
md-  (1)  Arvena  Ruth  Hammond 

(2)  Zclda  Croft  Glover 

BLANCHE  MURDOCH 

and 

JOSEPH  THEADORE  RELMAN 


I  was  born  February  7th,  1904  at  Twin 
Groves,  Fremont  County,  Idaho  and  am  the  oldest  of 
ten  children  born  to  Brigham  and  Luann  Hammon 
Murdoch. 

I  spent  most  of  my  childhood  at  Famum.  We 
lived  on  the  flat  by  the  river  in  a  little  log  house  and 
my  parents  walked  up  and  down  the  banks  many  times 
looking  for  me.  I  loved  the  river. 

Once  Uncle  Tom  made  me  a  fishing  pole. 
He  put  me  on  a  nice  big  rock  and  said,  "Don't  wiggle 
or  fall  in  the  water.  I'm  going  up  stream.  I'll  keep  an 
eye  on  you.  Just  don't  wiggle."  He  went  up  stream 
and  then  I  felt  a  tug  on  my  line.  I  had  caught  a  fish! 
In  my  excitement  I  slid  off  the  rock,  my  feet  anchored 
at  the  bottom  which  was  five  or  six  feet  deep.  I  was 
clutching  the  fishing  pole  under  my  arms  in  the  water. 
Uncle  tom  saw  me  slip  in  the  water  and  he  never 
prayed  so  hard,  "Lord,  keep  her  solid  against  the  rock 
until  I  can  get  there!"  He  pulled  me  up  and  held  me 
in  his  arms  and  cried  and  hugged  me.  I  didn't  realize 
he  was  so  scared,  I  was  just  excited  about  the  fish. 

We  lived  for  a  few  years  in  a  little  log  house 
on  the  flat  by  the  river.  It  was  such  a  lovely  spot.  Our 
parents  felt  it  was  too  close  to  the  river  for  raising 
children,  so  decided  to  build  a  house  on  the  hill  above 
the  river.  Dad,  Uncle  Tom,  Hans  Neilsen  and  Bishop 
Morrison,  (who  was  Dad's  best  fnend),  pitched  in  and 
built  our  house.  Great  Grandmother  had  given 
mother  a  cow  for  a  wedding  gift.  Our  parents  didn't 
have  any  money  to  build  a  home  so  mother  sold  the 
cow  and  bought  lumber  fi^r  the  house.  It  was  the  first 
house  that  didn't  have  a  dirt  roof  and  leak.  Mother 
was  so  proud  of  that.  Her  own  mother's  home  had  a 
roof  of  sod  and  it  always  leaked  when  mother  lived 


Blanche  Murdoch  and  Joseph  Rciman  family 

280 


there  as  a  child.  When  the  house  was  built  we  painted 
it  yellow.  We  covered  the  walls  and  ceiling  inside  with 
heavy  factory  like  cheese-cloth  which  we  tacked  on.  It 
was  pretty,  dean,  and  neat  as  could  be. 

In  our  new  house  we  washed  the  floor 
everyday  to  cool  the  house.  We  had  linoleum  after  I 
started  school  but  eventually  it  got  so  ragged  I  hated 
to  mop  it.  It  broke  up  around  the  doors.  Later  as  the 
femily  grew,  dad  hired  a  carpenter  to  make  a  lean-to 
on  the  house  and  a  front  bedroom.  In  the  kitchen  we 
had  a  stove  wood  box  and  shelves  to  put  the  dishes  in. 
In  the  living  room  we  had  a  pot  bellied  stove,  a  large 
round  table  and  a  piano  and  a  dish  cupboard.  We 
used  coal  oil  lamps.  Later  we  had  Aladdin  lamps  that 
had  a  base,  stem  and  fancy  shade  with  two  mantles. 
They  made  a  bright  white  light.  Father  had  come 
home  with  the  Aladdin  lamps  one  time  and  said  he 
had  big  surprise  for  us.  We  had  to  pump  the  lamps 
each  time  we  used  them.  We  liked  them  better  than 
the  coal-oil  lamps  but  we  still  used  both. 

Grandmother  Hammond  wove  the  rug  that 
was  on  our  floor.  She  wove  it  out  of  old  rags  and  old 
clothes.  She  made  rugs  for  other  people.  They 
brought  their  balls  of  materials.  Each  strip  was  sewed 
on  to  another  and  on  and  on.  She  charged  very  little, 
practically  starvation  wages. 

We  had  an  old  wooden  washstand  in  the 
kitchen,  that  Dad  had  built.  Above  this  washstand 
hung  a  small  square  mirror.  On  the  side  of  the  stand 
was  a  wash -pan  full  of  water  which  was  drawn  fresh 
every  morning  and  used  for  numerous  washing's  by 
our  entire  family  during  the  day.  By  nightfall  the 
water  and  the  towel  were  well  matched. 

The  ladies  in  Farnum  all  got  together  and 
helped  each  other  make  quilts.  The  lady  whose  quilt 
was  being  made  would  cook  dinner  for  everyone. 
They  all  brought  their  kids.  I  remember  all  these  kids 
in  that  small  house  of  my  mother's,  with  a  dozen  kids 
bouncing  under  the  quilt.  Some  of  the  ladies  didn't 
have  patience.  When  heads  bounced  under  the  quilt, 
and  a  mother  could  see  a  bump  under  the  quilt,  a  hard 
thimble  would  thump  heads  and  a  mother  would  say 
do  you  want  some  thimble  pie? 

I  was  the  oldest  of  ten  children,  there  were 
three  brothers  bom  after  me,  Dallas,  Reed,  and  Tom, 
finaly  another  gjrl  was  bom.  It  was  a  beautiful  June 
moming.  Jean,  I  loved  Jean.  I  loved  my  other  sisters 
that  were  bom  later,  but  I  had  waited  so  long  for  her. 
She  was  a  beautiful  baby  with  lots  of  black  hair  and  we 
named  her  Jean,  a  Scottish  name.  All  the  children 
were  born  at  Farnum  except  myself  and  Howard. 
When  Jean  had  pneumonia  at  six  or  seven  months,  I 
came  in  from  school  and  looked  at  her  in  the  baby 
buggy.  When  I  saw  that  little  face  so  ill  and  lifeless,  I 
feared  for  her  and  I  knelt  down  by  the  buggy  and 
prayed  that  God  would  let  us  keep  her  and  she 
wouldn't  die,  after  her  came  Tressa,  Martha,  Howard, 
Wallace  and  Katie. 

When  I  started  first  grade,  I  didn't  have 
brothers  or  sisters  to  attend  school  with  me  since  I  was 


the  oldest.  Two  neighbor  girls  that  were  sisters  and 
eighth  graders,  came  by  our  house  each  moming  and 
picked  me  up.  They  each  took  me  by  the  hand  and  I 
puttered  along.  In  the  wintertime  we  rode  in  a 
covered  school  sleigh.  It  had  a  stove  to  keep  us  warm. 
We  went  to  school  at  Farnum  to  the  eighth  grade  and 
then  we  went  to  Ash  ton  to  high  school.  We  had  to 
board  and  room  during  the  high  school  years  for  it 
was  too  far  to  travel  back  and  forth  from  Ashton  to 
Farnum  every  day  with  the  hard  winters. 

Mother  had  a  knack  for  nice  surprises,  there 
was  always  something.  One  Christmas  our  parents  let 
Dallas  and  me  ride  the  horses  to  town  to  do  some 
Christmas  shopping.  It  was  cold  on  the  trip  there  and 
back.  We  had  a  little  money  to  buy  each  person 
something.  Neither  one  of  us  was  very  happy  about 
our  purchases.  When  we  got  home.  Mother  had  the 
house  all  hung  with  Christmas  things.  The  tree  was 
shinning  and  beautiful  and  dinner  was  ready.  We  had 
stew  and  I  can  still  smell  it!  I  remember  throwing  my 
arms  around  mother  and  hugging  her  around  the  neck 
and  saying,  "Thank  you",  over  and  over  again.  It  was 
beautiful.  It  really  touched  me.  All  the  Christmas 
spirit  was  right  there  in  that  little  house.  To  a  hungry 
bum-sore  kid,  that  was  the  sweetest  memory.  I  don't 
know  when  mother  had  time  to  do  all  that.  I  didn't 
even  know  we  had  those  things.  Sometimes  I  wish  I 
had  that  feeling  again  and  could  go  back  to  that  day. 

I  attended  school  at  Famum  for  seven  years 
and  then  our  family  moved  to  Rupert,  Idaho  in  1919. 
I  went  my  Sophomore  year  at  Rupert  and  then  I 
began  working  as  a  hired  girl  in  various  homes. 
Mother  used  to  give  us  castor  oil  and  epsom  salts  for 
ailments.  We  would  drink  castor  oil  if  we  had  diarrhea 
or  had  a  stomach  ache.  We  got  epsom  salts  if  we  were 
constipated.  Babies  got  castoria  which  was  sweet  stuff. 
When  we  had  colds  we  put  mustard  plasters  on  our 
chests.  We  all  kept  pretty  well. 

I  remember  us  getting  a  Attwater  Kent  radio 
and  we  really  thought  that  was  some  invention.  There 
was  a  special  program  that  came  from  Canada  and  it 
came  in  clearer  than  the  Salt  Lake  station.  They 
played  old  time  music.  There  was  so  much  staric  we 
couldn't  get  the  news.  We  thought  it  was  an  amazing 
apparatus,  we  had  never  heard  anything  like  it  in  our 
lives.  My  father  used  to  really  like  the  radio  because 
he  would  play  along  on  the  piano  with  the  music. 

I  met  Joe  Rciman  in  the  summer  of  1922  at 
a  ball  game  and  we  began  going  together.  We  had 
bail  games  and  rodeos  at  Warm  River.  We  used  to 
dance  in  a  big  round  dance  hall  called  the  Big 
Rondeview.  He  was  the  best  looking  guy  I  had  ever 
seen,  naturally.  He  had  a  ten  gallon  hat,  a  smooth 
slick  hair  cut,  always  smooth  shaven  unril  the  day  he 
died.  I  never  was  whiskered,  he  shaved  twice  a  day. 
He  was  tall  and  slim  and  broke  horses  to  ride.  He 
borrowed  someones  boots.  He  broke  a  mule  once. 
The  mule  threw  him  and  the  boots  stayed  in  the 
srimips.  He  used  to  come  court  me  in  an  old  Model 
23]^    T  Ford.    The  tires  weren't  very  good  and  he  would 


I 

EC 


drive  like  heck  for  a  few  miles,  jump  out  and  pump 
up  the  tires  and  then  go  like  heck  again.  About  the 
third  date  we  had,  Mother  came  out  and  sat  on  the 
running  board  of  the  car  until  I  went  in.  It  was  only 
about  nine  thirty  in  the  evening  but  in  those  days  it 
was  late. 

We  had  annual  dog  race  dances  and  dog  races 
at  Ashton.  One  time  Dallas  ran  in  the  kid's  races. 
Some  of  the  kids  raced  dogs  with  sleighs,  Joe  and  I 
climbed  on  the  top  of  a  building  and  sat  on  the  roof 
to  watch  the  dog  races.  There  were  more  dog  fights 
along  the  street.  Kids  were  trying  to  untangle  their 
dogs  so  we  never  knew  which  one  won. 

Joe  and  I  were  married  on  Christmas  Day  in 
1922  in  front  of  the  Christmas  tree  at  dad  and 
mother's  home  in  Famum. 

That  was  a  special  wedding.  When  you  are 
getting  married  your  mind  is  everywhere  but  there.  I 
didn't  know  until  years  later  about  the  meat  we  ate  for 
our  wedding  dinner  (held  at  our  home  in  Famum.) 
The  meat  on  the  table  was  pigeon.  Dallas  and  Reed 
had  cleaned  them  and  stuffed  them.  We  were  married 
at  1:00  P.M.  and  dinner  was  to  be  served  at  1:30  P.M. 
We  had  a  three  layered  fruit  cake  for  our  wedding 
cake,  it  was  pretty.  Mother  had  decorated  the  cake. 

We  moved  in  with  Joe's  family  until  April  and 
then  we  moved  to  a  two  room  house  where  Joe 
jfarmed.  I  learned  many  things  about  housekeeping 
and  cooking  while  we  were  with  Joe's  mother.  These 
were  things  I  hadn't  been  interested  in  learning  before 
that  time.  Joe's  first  job  after  we  were  married  was 
working  on  the  highway  they  were  putting  in  from 
Ashton  to  West  Yellowstone.  He  checked  on  the 
gravel  and  the  job  lasted  for  a  lot  of  summers.  We  had 
a  ranch  that  we  farmed.  Later  Joe  became  an 
electrician. 

On  the  ranch,  a  sheepherder  left  us  three  bum 
lambs.  Joe  sheared  the  sheep.  I  washed  and  cleaned 
the  wool  and  dried  it  until  it  turned  white.  On  winter 
nights  Joe  and  I  corded  the  wool.  We  laid  the  wool 
strips  all  over  the  back  of  a  quilt.  With  gentie  care  we 
tacked  it  on  then  quilted.  We  saved  the  wool  for  cold 
winter  nights.  We  would  sit  by  the  fire  and  listen  to 
the  radio  and  cord  wool.  We  would  put  the  wool 
between  two  pieces  of  flannel.  We  took  three  plates  of 
different  sized  to  draw  designs  on  for  a  quilt.  We 
would  have  the  quilt  up  for  quite  awhile  on  the 
fiames.  We  would  quilt  so  far  and  then  roll  one  side 
up  tmtiJ  the  quilt  was  finished.  Joe  helped  me  roll  the 
quilts.  I  made  four  quilted  quilts  and  two  tied  quilts. 

We  got  our  water  from  an  open  well  at  the 
foot  of  a  steep  hill.  Every  drop  of  water  we  had  was 
carried  up  that  hill.  Joe  carried  the  water  and  I 
washed  on  the  board  for  my  four  children,  a  hired 
man,  Joe  and  I.  After  our  fourth  child  was  bom  I  got 
a  Maytag  washer. 

There  was  a  lovely  grove  of  Quaken  Aspen  by 
the  house  and  I  used  to  take  the  children  there  where 
it  was  cool  and  let  them  nap  and  when  I  felt  that  I 
needed  peace  and  quiet,  I  used  to  go  there  and  read 


282 


and  listen  to  the  birds.   It  was  always  beautiful  and  the 
view  of  the  mountains  was  the  prettiest  any^vhere. 

Hardships  were  many  and  there  never  seemed 
enough  money  to  go  around,  but  we  did  raise  our 
four  children  on  the  farm.  When  the  girls  were  in  the 
Eighth  grade  (1937)  we  moved  into  Ashton  and  Joe 
drove  back  and  forth  to  the  farm.  He  had  become 
interested  in  electricity  and  got  a  job  wiring  homes  for 
the  Rural  Electric  Association  when  in  the  area. 

The  world  Ward  2  came  and  both  our  boys 
went  at  different  times.  Lynn  fought  and  was 
wounded  in  Okinawa.  The  worry  and  heartache  that 
mothers  go  through  at  times  like  this  is  almost  too 
much.  It  was  a  blessed  day  when  he  was  able  to  come 
home  again.  Kay  didn't  have  to  go  overseas  until  after 
the  war,  but  the  worry  was  still  there. 

When  the  Soil  Bank  came  out  we  put  our 
farm  into  that.  When  the  time  expired  for  it,  we 
rented  the  farm  to  our  son-in-law  John  Marsden  who 
is  married  to  our  daughter  Helen. 

Joe  had  a  slight  stroke  in  1973  and  from  then 
on  he  never  did  recover  completely.  He  had  sugar 
diabetes  also  and  was  struggling  with  that.  He 
suffered  another  stroke  in  March  1973  and  died  April 
3,  1973. 

I  have  spent  my  rime  staying  home,  being 
available  as  a  baby  sitter  and  a  "second  mother"  to  all 
my  grandchildren.  I  have  devoted  my  life  to  my  own 
family  and  I  feel  this  is  the  best  thing  I  can  do  for  my 
grandchildren  and  great  grandchildren. 

(Written  1981—76  years  old). 

Blanche  Murdoch  Rciman 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Blanche  Jean  b-  1923 
md-  Marvin  Eugene  Tighe 

(2)  Helen  Marian  b-  1924 
md-  John  Curtis  Marsden 

(3)  Lynn  Thcadore  b-  1925 
md-  Anola  Jewel  Bird 

md-  Ludle  Mildred  Ward 

(4)  Kay  Murdoch  b-  1927 
md-  Althea  Marjcan  Harris 

BRIGHAM  DALLAS  MURDOCH 

and 

(1)  WINONA  LEE 

(2)  AGNES  SIMONSON 

I  was  born  June  4,  1907,  in  my  parents' 
home  at  Famum,  Fremont  County,  Idaho.  Dr.  E.  L. 
Hargis  was  in  attendance.  My  immediate  family 
consisted  of  my  father,  Brigham  Murdoch,  age  36,  my 
mother,  Martha  Louannie  Hammon,  age  22,  my 
brother,  Robert  Rue,  age  14,  my  sister,  Blanch 
Priscilla,  age  3,  and  my  uncle,  Thomas  Todd 
Murdoch,  age  40,  (my  father's  brother  who  lived  with 
us.)  Rue  was  born  to  Dad's  first  wife,  Blanche 
Alexander,  who  died  when  Rue  was  a  baby. 

Dad  and  uncle  Tom  were  among  the  early 
settiers  in  the  Famum  area,  arriving  in  1901.    Their 


Dallis  and  Winona  Murdoch  family 


farms  adjoined.  A  Danish  emigrant,  Hans  Nielsen 
owned  land  adjoining  their's  on  the  west.  Fall  River 
was  the  west  boundary  of  both  Dad's  and  Hans' 
farms.  All  three  were  bachelors  until  Dad  and  Mother 
were  married.  They  were  close  friends  and  worked 
together. 

We  attended  the  two-room  Famum  school  1 
1/4  miles  south  of  our  home.  During  good  weather 
we  walked  to  school.  During  bad  weather,  our 
parents  or  neighbors  got  us  to  school  and  back  by 
sleigh,  usually.  A  few  students  rode  horses  to  school. 
All  transporation  was  by  horses  until  about  1915  when 
a  few  cars  were  in  the  area.  I  attended  the  eight 
grades  at  Famum.  Two  years  fi-om  the  first  grade  to 
the  fifth,  school  was  not  held  all  year  because  of 
contagious  diseases  and  bad  weather.  I  was  16  when  I 
graduated  from  the  eighth  grade  in  1923.  That  fall  I 
entered  Ashton  High  School  and  graduated  with  the 
class  of  1927.  My  favorite  class  was  Vocational 
Agriculture.  I  played  football  three  years.  The  big 
game  was  beating  Ricks  College  8  to  6  my  senior  year. 

I  did  not  go  to  college  the  first  year  after 
graduation  as  I  did  not  have  enough  money.  With  the 
help  of  a  Union  Pacific  Scholarship  and  a  loan  from 
our  good  neighbor,  Dave  Rogers,  I  entered  the 
University  of  Idaho,  in  the  College  of  Agriculture.  My 
roommate  for  the  next  4  1/2  years  was  Earl  Stanscll,  a 
high  school  friend,  who  was  a  source  of 
encouragement  and  inspiration  throughout  our 
college  days.  Other  good  friends  from  Famum  at  the 
University  were  Edwin  and  Leonard  Hill.  I  did  not 
return  to  the  University  of  Idaho  the  first  semester  of 
my  second  year  so  my  brother,  Reed,  could  go.    He 


came  home  at  the  end  of  the  first  semester.  I  returned 
for  the  second  semester.  Reed  roomed  with  Earl  also 
and  I  continued  to  room  with  him  the  rest  of  the  time 
we  were  there. 

It  was  a  struggle,  financially,  to  stay  in 
college.  The  first  year  I  worked  part-time  as  a 
gardener,  Spring  and  Fall,  for  an  elderly  couple.  The 
job  helped  me  all  through  college.  The  second  year,  I 
worked  steady  in  the  Lindley  Hall  kitchen  at  meal 
time  for  my  board,  which  continued  until  graduation. 
Other  part-time  jobs  were  recording  grades  for  the 
Registrar,  Seed  Potato  Disease  work  with  the  Plant 
Pathology  Department,  even  baby  sitting.  I  went  out 
for  football  for  three  years,  Spring  and  Fall.  In  my 
Junior  year,  I  was  admitted  to  Alpha  Zeta,  a  National 
Honorary  Society  in  Agriculture.  I  was  active  in  the 
Ag  Club  activities  and  was  Secretary,  Treasurer  and 
Vice  President  in  succeeding  years  for  Lindley  Hall, 
the  Ag  Club  and  Alpha  Zcta.  My  Senior  year  I  was 
manager  of  the  University  Judging  Teams. 

On  June  12,  1933,  I  graduated  from  the 
University  with  a  (BS)  degree  in  Agriculture,  with  a 
major  in  Agriculture  Education  and  minors  in  Plant 
Pathology  and  Animal  Husbandry.  Earl  Stanscll  had 
graduated  a  year  earlier  and  now  graduated  with  a 
Masters  Degree.  The  Depression  was  on  and  money 
was  scarce.  Student  labor  had  been  at  the  rate  of  25 
cents  per  hour  for  the  last  three  years.  Space  docs  not 
permit  the  naming  of  the  many  fine  teachers,  advisors 
and  friends  who  made  my  college  days  a  pleasant  and 
rich  experience.  I  hitch-hiked  home,  as  usual,  and 
spent  most  of  the  summer  inspecting  gravel  for  the 
Highway  Department  on  the  Cave  Falls  road. 


283 


a-; 


In  late  August  1933, 1  went  to  Midway  High 
School  as  Vocational  Agriculture  Teacher  at  a  salary  of 
$100  per  month.  This  was  one  of  the  two  vacancies 
available  in  Idaho  that  year.  We  had  a  very  active 
Future  Farmers  organization  and  developed  a  number 
of  community  service  projects  including  a  Seed  Potato 
Cooperative  that  served  the  Farmers  for  several  years. 
During  my  first  year  at  Midway,  I  met  Winona  Lee,  a 
registered  nurse.  We  were  married  in  the  Salt  Lake 
Temple  on  June  6,  1934.  She  worked  as  a  special 
nurse  on  various  cases.  On  April  23,  1935,  our  first 
child,  Ronald  Lee,  was  bom.  During  my  second  year 
at  Midway  my  sisters,  Tressa  and  Martha  lived  with  us 
and  attended  Midway  High  School.  I  enjoyed 
teaching  at  Midway,  but  struggled  with  the  low  pay. 

On  July  1,  1935,  we  moved  to  Emmett  High 
School  with  a  substantial  increase  in  pay.  We  enjoyed 
the  Emmett  Community  but  after  two  years,  was 
tempted  again  to  accept  the  offer  of  the  Ucon  High 
School  to  come  and  start  a  new  Vocational  Agriculture 
Department  at  a  good  increase  in  pay.  While  at 
Emmett,  our  daughter,  Helen  Winona,  was  born. 
After  a  summer  session  at  Colorado  State  University, 
we  went  to  Ucon  High  School,  but  had  to  live  in 
Rigby  as  no  houses  were  available  in  Ucon.  Our 
second  son,  Dallas  Earl,  was  born  on  October  23, 
1937.  We  moved  to  Ucon  in  the  spring  of  1938. 
Our  new  Ag  Department  got  off^  to  a  good  start  with 
the  support  from  the  students  and  the  community. 
On  November  10,  1938,  our  son,  Ronald,  was  killed 
when  hit  by  a  truck  while  crossing  the  street  in  a  sleet 
storm.  The  outpouring  of  sympathy  and  help  from 
the  community,  students  and  family  hel{>cd  to  soften 
the  blow. 

After  two  years  at  Ucon,  we  felt  good  about 
living  there  permanently.  With  the  help  of  my  father- 
in-law,  John  Lee,  we  bought  an  84  acre  farm  two 
miles  south  of  Ucon.  In  a  short  time  we  had  a  fine 
herd  of  registered  Durocs,  a  flock  of  registered  Suffolk 
sheep  and  a  small  herd  of  registered  Holstein  cows. 
We  had  a  hired  man  to  do  most  of  the  farm  work 
while  I  was  teaching.  We  showed  at  the  Fairs  and  sold 
our  surplus  through  the  Purebred  Sales  and 
established  a  good  breeding  program  as  Bonida  Farm. 
I  served  two  years  as  President  of  both  the  Idaho 
Swine  Producers  Assn.  and  the  Idaho  Purebred  Swine 
Breeders  Assn.  I  served  as  President  of  the  Idaho 
Purebred  Sheep  Breeders  Assn.  and  managed  their  sale 
the  first  five  years. 

Our  son,  Thomas  Ray,  was  bom  July  6,  1940 
and  Ann  Marie,  December  24,  1942.  As  rime  went 
on  we  leveled  the  farm  for  easier  irrigation.  With  a 
growing  family,  we  needed  a  larger  place.  In  March 
1948,  we  sold  our  farm  at  a  profit  and  moved  to  a  320 
acre  irrigated  ranch  at  lima,  Montana. 

The  ranch  was  located  near  the  mountains, 
only  a  few  minutes  from  deer  hunting  and  fishing.  We 
raised  grain,  hay  and  pasture.  We  continued  selling 
through  the  Idaho  and  National  sheep  sales  and  fairs. 
I  was  Branch  President  of  the  Lima  Branch  for  five 


284 


years.  The  older  children  helped  with  the  work  and 
leamed  to  love  the  outdoors.  In  October  1952,  we 
moved  to  John  Lee's  home  in  Grant,  Winona's  old 
home.  This  gave  us  a  better  home  and  schools  for  the 
children.  Ruth  Lorraine  was  bom  while  we  lived  at 
Ucon,  May  7,  1945.  John  was  born  at  Idaho  Falls 
while  we  lived  at  Lima  on  January  15,  1950.  We  were 
happily  settied  at  Grant,  among  Wmona's  family  and 
old  friends.  She  was  a  loving,  caring  wife  and  mother 
and  greatiy  loved  her  children.  On  March  23,  1953, 
she  died  from  a  blood  clot  following  an  appendix 
operation. 

With  six  children,  ages  2  1/2  to  16,  this  was  a 
difficult  loss.  With  the  wonderful  help  of  Winona's 
brothers  and  wives  and  my  mother,  we  were  able  to 
adjust  and  go  on  with  our  lives.  We  operated  our 
Lima  Ranch  and  the  80  acre  Lee  farm  at  the  same 
time,  100  miles  apart.  For  three  years  we  took  care  of 
each  other.  After  an  acquaintanceship  of  two  years,  I 
married  Agnes  Simonson,  in  the  Idaho  Falls  Temple 
on  January  6,  1956.  She  was  a  single  lady  who  came 
to  the  U.  S.  A.  in  1950  from  Denmark.  She  is  a 
wonderful  mother  and  wife  and  has  been  a  great 
companion  through  the  years.  Her  first  child,  Mary 
Lou,  was  bom  November  15,  1956.  Luann  Agnes 
was  bom  May  15,  1959.  In  April  1957,  we  sold  our 
Lima  Ranch  at  a  profit  and  bought  a  225  acre  farm  on 
the  Snake  River  two  miles  south  of  Roberts.  The 
older  shildren  graduated  from  Rigby  High  School. 
Ann  and  Ruth  graduated  from  Roberts  High  School. 

In  March  1963,  after  two  bad  potato  years, 
we  had  an  auction  sale  and  sold  our  purebred  livestock 
and  equipment  and  took  ownership  of  a  new  fourplex 
apartment  in  Shelley  for  our  equity  in  the  farm.  I 
returned  to  teaching  Vocational  Agriculture  at  Sugar- 
Salem  High  School.  The  older  children  were  in 
college,  married  or  on  a  mission.  I  enjoyed  retuming 
to  teaching  and  had  an  active  Future  Farmer 
Organization.  In  1965,  I  accepted  the  position  of 
Industrial  Arts  instmctor  at  Gale  Jr.  High  in  Idaho 
Falls.  After  seven  years,  I  retired  from  teaching  at  the 
old  age  of  65.  After  23  years  of  farming  and  17  years 
of  teaching  it  was  time  to  retire  in  June  1972. 
Instead,  I  started  Hearth-Side  Manufacturing,  making 
fireplace  bellows.  Agnes  and  I  toured  Europe, 
Denmark,  Sweden,  Norway,  England  and  Scotland  for 
35  days.  After  returning  home  July  5,  1973,  I 
assembled  my  bellows  equipment  in  our  garage  at 
Shelley. 

In  1968  we  had  moved  to  Shelley  bought  a 
home  around  the  comer  from  our  fourplex.  After  five 
years  in  our  garage,  we  bought  a  shop  building  to 
house  our  growing  business.  We  now  service  around 
500  retail  outlets  throughout  the  U.  S.  We 
manufacture  other  fireplace  related  products.  We  have 
artists  who  paint  wild  life  and  outdoor  scenes  and  do 
inlay  work  for  decorations  on  the  bellows. 

At  age  84, 1  look  back  over  my  life  and  realize 
how  richly  I  have  been  blessed  with  good  health,  a 
wonderful  family,  many  friends  and  many  happy 


memories.  We  have  45  grandchildren  and  17  great 
grandchildren.  The  children  are  all  well  employed, 
own  their  own  homes  and  are  active  in  Church  and 
community  affairs.  My  cup  runneth  over. 


CHILDREN:  (1)  Wife,  Winona  Lee 

(1)  Ronald  Lee  b- 1935 

(2)  Helen  Wmona  b-  1936 
md-  Ronald  Earl  Hall 

(3)  Dallas  Earl  b-  1937 

md-  Joan  Hale 

(4)  Thomas  Ray  b-  1940 
md-  Sharon  Lee  Wells 

(5)  Ann  Marie  b-  1942 
md-  Allen  Evan  Matescn 

(6)  Ruth  Larraine  b-  1945 
md-  Allen  Edward  Schulz 

(7)  John  Brigham  b-  1950 
md-  Marie  Brady 


d-  1938 


Dallas  and  Agnes  Sinx^nson  Murdoch 

(2)  Wife:  Agnes  Simonson 

(1)  Mary  Lou  b- 1956 
md-  Wayne  Robert  Verscy 

(2)  Luann  Agnes  b-  1959 
md-  Ross  William  Dodds 

REED  CHASE  MURDOCH 

and 

RUTH  GROVER 

On  the  17th  of  November  1909,  Reed  Chase 
Murdoch  began  life  on  the  Brig  Murdoch  homestead 
at  Farnum,  Idaho.  Reed  was  the  third  child  of 
Brigham  and  Louannie  Hammon  Murdoch . 

The  homestead  was  a  good  place  to  raise  a  big 
family.  It  was  a  beautiful  area,  lots  of  area  for  a 
growing  boy  to  investi-  gate.  Reed  was  a  gentle  boy. 
Dad  kept  the  boys  busy  with  chores  to  do,  according 
to  age. 

Reed,  was  good  to  entertain  the  younger 
children.  I  remember  when  I  was  little,  the  piggy 
back  rides.    The  older  boys  would  get  us  younger 


285 


Ruth  Grovcr  and  Reed  Murdoch 

children  on  their  backs  and  have  races  up  and  down 
the  roads,  and  we  all  played  games  together. 

Reed's  elementary  education  commenced  at 
Farnum  when  he  became  7  years  of  age.  He  enjoyed 
his  school  years  and  easily  made  many  lasting 
friendships.  One  of  these  friends  was  Charles  Merrick 
they  started  school  together,  in  the  first  grade  and 
went  through  the  eight  grades  and  high  school 
together  and  have  remained  good  friends  all  their 
lives. 

He  started  his  high  school  years  eager  for 
another  advancement  in  his  life.  The  high  school 
years  were  full  of  excitement,  fim  and  challenges.  He 
loved  to  sing  and  had  a  good  tenor  voice  and 
participated  in  operettas,  school  plays,  dances  and 
loved  sports.  He  liked  football  but  was  too  small  in 
stature  for  the  game.  Living  on  the  farm  made  it  hard 
for  him  to  participate  in  the  games 

Howard  said  Reed  taught  him  songs  to  sing 
when  they  went  to  bed.  He  related  a  funny 
experience.  One  day  Reed  was  going  into  the 
bunkhouse,  over  the  cellar  with  steps  up  to  it,  and 
started  to  fall  back,  the  dog  raised  up  and  put  his  feet 
on  Reed's  back  until  he  got  his  balance. 

After  Reed  graduated  from  high  school,  he 
planted  a  field  of  peas  to  help  finance  his  expenses  to 
College.  He  enrolled  at  the  University  of  Idaho  at 
Moscow.  He  loved  the  forests,  so  he  signed  up  for 
Forestry  classes.  He  participated  in  the  Glee  Club  and 
joined  a  service  club  organization  called  the  Collegiate 
Knights.  He  enjoyed  this  semester  very  much.  There 
wasn't  enough  money  for  him  and  Dallas  both  to  go 
to  college,  so  Reed  didn't  go  back  to  school  that  next 
fell  and  worked  around  the  area.  Before  Reed  died 
the  Glee  Club  of  the  University  of  Idaho  at  Moscow 
came  to  Ashton  to  perform  when  they  found  out  Reed 
had    belonged  to  the  Glee  Club  when  he  attended 


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school  at  Moscow,  they  invited  him  to  come  and  sing 
one  of  their  special  numbers.  This  pleased  Reed  very 
much  and  a  highlite  in  his  life. 

He  was  willing  to  work  at  anything  he  could 
find  even  when  he  was  quite  young.  He  and  Dallas 
worked  on  the  bridge  being  built  across  Fall  River 
near  Jim  Hills  place  and  South  of  the  old  steel  bridge 
that  was  torn  down  after  the  new  bridge  was  built. 
The  third  and  last  bridge  was  built  was  about  1967. 

Reed  met  Ruth  Grover  the  daughter  of  Henry 
Alfred  and  Esther  Beart  Smith  at  a  dance  in  St. 
Anthony  and  they  started  dating  in  May  and  were 
married  November  3,  1931,  at  her  mother's  home  in 
St.  Anthony,  by  Uncle  Tom  Murdoch,  Reed's  father's 
brother,  who  was  Reed's  Bishop. 

Ruth  grew  up  in  Parker  and  attended  school 
there.  When  she  was  a  junior  in  high  school  she 
attended  school  at  Rcxburg.  When  a  senior  her  family 
moved  to  St.  Anthony  and  she  graduated  from  St. 
Anthony  High  School. 

They  lived  in  Mrs.  Neifert  apartments.  The 
next  summer  Reed  and  Ruth  lived  at  Elmer  Georg 
place  in  Green  Timber  and  Reed  worked  for  him.  He 
also  hauled  wood  for  many  years  to  sell. 

Reed  was  small  in  stature  but  he  kept  up  with 
the  larger  men.  He  was  never  lazy  and  gave  a  good 
days  work  for  a  good  days  pay. 

Reed  worked  for  many  people,  Charles 
Burrell  Department  Store  a  number  of  years  from  May 
until  Christmas  and  would  be  laid  off  until  spring.  He 
worked  on  construction  work  in  Island  Park  and  also 
worked  for  the  Forest  Service  for  several  years.  He  also 
worked  for  Murray  Baimi,  Hale  Hubbard,  and  various 
farmers,  hauling  grain  from  the  farms  to  the  elevators, 
for  Bill  Bessie  at  the  Texaco  Service  Station  on 
Highway  91,  and  too  many  to  mention.  This  is  a 
good  measure  of  his  character. 

Ruth  is  very  talented  in  music  on  both  the 
piano  and  organ.  She  was  the  organist  for  many  of  the 
auxiliaries  for  the  Wards  and  the  Stakes  she  has  lived 
in,  for  many  years.  She  has  played  for  many  many 
fiinerals,  being  very  punctual  and  put  in  hours  of 
practice  on  each  song.  It  had  to  be  done  just  so.  She 
was  so  humble  about  her  music,  it  was  as  if  she  was 
playing  for  the  Savior  alone.  This  technique  has  been 
carried  over  to  her  students  she  has  taught.  She  has 
touched  many  hearts  and  is  loved  by  everyone.  She  is 
a  very  devoted  person  to  her  callings  in  the  church, 
her  family,  friends  and  her  music  students. 

When  the  Ashton  First  Ward  bought  a  new 
organ  they  took  the  one  Ruth  had  so  faithfully  played 
so  long,  and  had  it  reconditioned  like  a  new  one  and 
had  a  special  night  to  honor  her  and  present  this 
organ  to  her.  It  was  a  wonderful  tribute  to  her  for  her 
faithfulness.  She  still  has  it  in  her  home  she  takes  care 
of  it  with  great  reverence.  She  still  plays  for  many  to 
sing  and  church  functions  and  still  teaching  and 
sharing  her  talent  with  others. 

Reed  worked  fiar  the  Ashton  school  district  as 
custodian  for  26  years.    He  said  he  was  just  a  kid  at    286 


heart  and  loved  the  young  people  and  they  loved  him. 
He  enjoyed  the  teachers  and  loved  to  give  them  help, 
when  he  could  and  they  loved  him.  He  retired  from 
the  school  district  the  day  before  he  died. 

He  loved  the  moimtains  and  loved  to  hunt. 
He  also  knew  where  every  patch  of  huckleberries  were 
and  could  take  you  to  them.  His  sense  of  direction 
was  nearly  pcrfea  and  never  deserted  him. 

By:  Ruth  Grover  Murdoch  and 
Tressa  Murdoch  Garrett  (sister) 
CHILDREN: 

(l)ReedDelynm  b- 1933 

md-  Joyce  Marie  Housley 

(2)  Sharon  Jean  b-  1936 
md-  Gene  Raymond  Berger 

(3)  Thomas  Albert  b-  1964 
md-  Sandra  Lee  Christenscn 

(40  Gerriane  b-  1953 

md-  Kaylcn  Miskin 

THOMAS  HAMMON  MURDOCH 

and 

ALTA  BLANCH  HILLAM 


Thomas  (Tom)  and  Alta  Hillman  Murdoch 

Thomas  Hammon  Murdoch,  bom  March  16, 
1912  at  home  in  Famum,  Fremont  County,  Idaho. 
Grandma  Watson  (Harriet  Orr  Watson),  a  midwife, 
attended  mother.  Mother  always  said  I  was  the  end  of 
a  three  day  blizzard. 

I  was  named  after  a  very  dear  uncle,  my 
father's  brother,  "Uncle  Tom".  My  father  was 
Brigham  Murdoch,  named  after  President  Brigham 
Young.  He  had  a  very  mild  temperament,  kind  but 
firm.  He  also  had  a  happy  attitude.  Brigham  was  a 
good  Priesthood  leader,  holding  many  positions, 
among  which  he  served  as  Bishop. 

My  mother  was  Louannie  (Luann)  Hammon. 
She  was  very  good  natured  but  could  display  a  little 
temper  at  times.  She  was  always  submissive  to  father. 
She  carried  the  burden  of  homemaking  and  raising  the 


family  and  could  really  stretch  the  dollar.  Mother  was 
a  good  homemaker  and  mother  and  an  ardent  and 
devoted  Church  member,  holding  many  positions. 

Like  most  kids,  we  had  our  ups  and  downs, 
but  loved  and  respected  one  another.  We  were  taught 
to  work  together  and  share.  Our  parents  were  good 
examples.  We  had  lots  of  freedoms  but  were  expected 
to  live  within  certain  rules.  Our  parents  took  us  to 
church.  We  enjoyed  family  get  togethers,  holidays, 
birthdays.  Thanksgiving  and  Christmas. 

We  were  taught  to  respect  local,  state  and 
general  authorities.  This  has  carried  over  into  our 
present  lives. 

I  started  to  school  in  the  Famum.  We  moved 
to  Rupert  that  fall  in  November,  1919.  I  attended 
Lincoln  elementary  school  at  Rupert.  I  learned  to 
read  real  easy  and  enjoyed  reading.  I  also  liked 
geography  and  spelling,  recess  and  lunchtime. 

While  at  Rupert  I  nearly  drowned  while 
swimming  in  the  big  canal  near  our  home.  I  was  with 
Dallas  and  Reed.  They  were  strong  swimmers.  The 
current  swept  me  out  into  the  middle  of  the  stream.  I 
went  under  three  times  and  was  about  gone  when 
brother  Dallas,  a  very  good  swimmer,  rescued  me  and 
saved  my  life.  I  vowed  to  learn  to  swim  and  did  so  that 
summer.  Dallas  never  received  a  meritorious  reward 
for  saving  my  life,  but  I  have  always  been  grateful  to 
him  for  doing  it. 

We  moved  back  to  Farnum  in  April  1922. 
Our  livestock  and  machinery  were  shipped  by  rail, 
Uncle  Tom  and  Dallas  accompanying  it.  Dad,  Reed 
and  I  came  in  our  Model  T  car  while  mother  and  the 
girls  came  by  train,  after  visiting  in  Burley  for  a  few 
days.  Eight  miles  north  of  Pocatello,  we  had  a  wreck. 
Reed  was  thrown  clear  of  the  car.  I  was  thrown 
through  the  windshield  and  the  car  tipped  over  on  top 
of  me.  Father  was  also  pinned  under  the  car.  No  one 
was  around  to  help  us.  Years  later  father  said,  "Son 
unseen  hands  pulled  you  out  from  under  the  car." 
These  same  unseen  hands  also  helped  father  from 
underneath.  Once  again  the  hand  of  providence  had 
saved  my  life.  Each  of  us  sustained  a  broken  shoulder. 

That  night,  in  the  hospital,  Reed  and  I 
experienced  the  power  of  the  Priesthood  as  father  gave 
each  of  us  a  blessing  and  we  immediately  went  to  sleep 
relieved  of  our  pains.  Reed  and  Dad  went  on  to 
Famum  the  next  day  and  I  was  kept  in  the  hospital  for 
two  weeks  spending  another  week  with  friends  in 
Pocatello.  My  reunion  with  mother  and  father  and 
the  rest  of  the  family  was  a  glorious  one.  Many  tears 
of  joy  flowed  freely.  What  a  pleasure  it  was  to  be 
home  with  loved  ones.  I  think  I  know  a  little  of  what 
the  resurrection  will  be  like,  and  being  able  to  be 
together  as  a  family  again. 

Growing  up  was  a  natural  period  of 
experiences  of  work  and  play.  We  had  many 
childhood  friends  and  had  lots  of  good  times  riding 
horses,  swimming,  fishing,  Sunday  School  and  Primary 
parties.  Bruce,  Less  and  Gene  Hill,  Wayne  and  Earl 
Schofield,  Chas  Merrick,  Kenneth  Henry,  Clinton  and 


Harvey  Green  were  some  of  our  special  friends.  There 
were  others  too,  but  one  especially.  Gene  Hill,  has 
kept  our  friendship  very  much  alive  with  Alta  and 
myself.  As  Deacons,  we  pledged  with  each  other  to 
not  smoke  and  drink  liquor  or  tea  or  coffee.  We  have 
kept  that  pledge. 

I  started  high  school  in  Ash  ton  in  1926.  My 
school  yezirs  were  quite  normal.  I  participated  in 
school  plays,  glee  dub  and  football.  High  school  was 
to  play  an  important  time  of  my  life,  shaping  many 
things  that  were  to  be  lasting. 

I  sustained  a  broken  nose  and  collar  bone 
playing  fix)tball,  but  I  had  a  great  time.  1  made  many 
new  friends,  some  of  them  becoming  very  close.  It 
was  in  high  school  I  fell  in  love  with  a  choice  beautiful 
freshman  girl.  Our  romance  lasted  all  through  school 
and  is  very  much  still  in  bloom  through  these  many 
years. 

I  well  remember  asking  father  if  he  gave  his 
consent  to  my  getting  married.  He  said,  "If  it's  Alta, 
of  course  get  married."  That  fall  on  October  5,  1932, 
we  were  married  in  the  Logan  L.D.S.  Temple. 

We  made  our  home  in  Famum  for  about  a 
year  and  a  half  and  farmed  the  old  Daniel  Gibson 
place.  In  November  the  following  year  we  moved  to 
Marysville  and  I  worked  at  the  Red  and  White  store, 
owned  by  George  Stone.  Our  first  child  Ronald,  was 
bom  November  3,  1933  on  my  father's  birthday.  He 
was  to  live  only  three  days  and  died  November  6, 
1933. 

In  March,  we  moved  to  Ashton  and  bought 
our  first  home.  I  continued  to  work  for  George  Stone 
and  later  purchased  the  store. 

Over  the  years,  four  more  children  were  bom 
to  us,  Darrel  Dean,  Mary,  Judy,  and  Tamra.  All  of 
them  are  married.  Darrel  filled  a  mission  to  the  East 
Central  States,  came  home  and  married  his  little 
sweetheart  Marva  Anglessey  who  waited  for  him.  They 
have  eight  children. 

Mary  married  her  high  school  sweetheart, 
Weldon  Reynolds.  They  have  two  children. 

Judy  has  four  children  by  Jr.  Atchley  and 
adopted  Gene  Hemming's  youngest  by  a  previous 
marriage. 

Tamra  finished  college  in  Hawaii  where  she 
met  Sam.  They  were  married  a  while  later.  Four 
children  came  into  their  family. 

We  are  proud  of  our  children  for  the  many 
good  things  they  endeavor  to  do. 

MEMORIES 

One  Sunday  moming  while  eating  breakfast  I 
became  offended  and  was  sent  in  the  east  room,  we 
called  it.  Dad's  Bishop's  desk  was  by  the  window 
which  was  covered  with  lace  curtains.  There  were  a 
couple  of  matches  laying  on  the  desk — well  I  struck 
one  of  them  and  touched  it  to  mother's  curtains. 
They  didn't  last  long.  Blanche  came  to  the  door  to  sec 
what  I  was  doing.    She  said  it's  awful  bright  in  there. 


C 
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287 


*''J. 


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By  this  time  the  fire  had  caught  on  the  wall  paper  and 
was  going  really  good.  I  had  the  doors  locked  but  I 
got  scared  all  at  once  and  unlocked  the  door.  There 
were  two  buckets  of  water  sitting  on  the  cabinet  and 
dad  doused  the  flames.  The  house  was  saved.  Again, 
I  didn't  get  a  whipping,  but  I  got  talked  to  and  a 
talking  to  always  hurt  very  much. 

I've  had  many  other  experiences,  most  of 
them  faith  promoting  and  know  that  we  will  be 
blessed  if  we  obey  our  Father  in  Heaven.  The  Lord 
has  blessed  me  exceedingly,  and  my  family. 

I've  been  active  in  the  L.D.S.  church  all  my 
life  and  served  in  both  church  and  dvic  positions. 

In  1968,  Alta  and  I  sold  our  store  in  Ashton 
and  went  to  Island  Park  where  we  managed  the  Flat 
Rock  Club  for  16  1/2  years.  This  was  a  rich 
experience  working  with  those  fine  club  members. 
They  are  good  people,  they  are  family  people. 

During  the  time  we  lived  in  Island  Park,  I  was 
called  to  be  Branch  President  and  organize  the  branch 
of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints 
there.  I  served  a  little  over  14  years.  This  was  a 
special  time  in  our  lives.  Alta  deserves  a  crown  of 
glory  as  she  took  care  of  the  Club  so  I  could  honor 
my  Priesthood  calling.  We  learned  a  lot  during  this 
time,  worked  hard,  but  it  was  a  good  time  in  our  lives. 
We  made  many  lasting  friendships.  We  still  love  to 
visit  in  Island  Park  and  attend  church  there. 

We  left  Flat  Rock  by  our  own  choice.  Mary 
and  Weldon  rented  us  their  second  house,  next  to 
theirs.  Alta  had  a  lot  of  fun  remodeling  it.  Two 
months  after  we  moved  in  I  became  very  ill.  Prior  to 
our  moving  home,  I  had  a  couple  of  operations  and 
radium  treatments.  That  caused  me  lots  of  trouble.  I 
wound  up  in  the  hospital  again  in  Idaho  Falls.  The 
good  Lord  smiled  on  me  once  again  and  I  was  made 
well  after  a  Priesthood  blessing  and  two  operations. 
Today,  I'm  fine  but  walk  very  poorly  but  glad  I  can 
walk.  I've  been  extremely  blessed. 

We've  lived  in  Ashton  two  and  one-half  years, 
near  our  children.  All  in  all,  we  are  a  blessed  couple. 
We're  proud  of  our  family,  they  are  very  devoted  to 
one  another.  We  celebrated  our  Golden  Wedding 
Anniversary  in  1982.  Our  children  did  a  marvelous 
job  of  putting  this  event  on  the  map.  Many  other  fine 
things  have  happened. 

We  don't  have  many  regrets,  life  in  general 
has  been  good.  We  have  always  enjoyed  our  families 
on  both  sides.  We  regret  the  loss  of  our  two  dear 
ones.  Sam,  Tamra's  husband  was  taken  from  her  in  a 
car  accident.  He  left  dear  Tamra  and  four  littie  ones. 
Also,  Julie  who  was  only  20  1/2  years  old,  was  in  a  car 
accident  and  lost  her  life.  But,  we  know  that  all  is  well 
with  them,  hoping  that  the  rest  of  us  can  qualify  to 
enjoy  their  companionship  when  it  comes  time  for  us 
to  leave  this  sphere  of  action.  We  love  all  of  you. 

By:  Thomas  Hammon  Murdoch 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Ronald  Thomas  b-  1933        d-  1933 

(2)  Darrel  Dean  b-  1935 
md-  Marva  Lynn  Anglesey 


(3)  Mary  b-  1937 
md-  Shirley  Weldon  Reynolds 

(4)  Judith  Ann  b-  1940 
md-  (1)  William  Atchley,  Jr. 

(2)  Eugene  Hemming 

(3)  Chester  Daniel  Albertson 

(5)  Tamra  b-  1951 
md-  Samuela  Koroi  Cikaitoga 

By:  Thomas  Hammon  Murdoch 

LAURA  JEAN  MURDOCH 

Laura  Jean  was  bom  at  Famum,  Idaho  on 
June  25,  1914  the  fifth  child  of  Brigham  and 
Louannie  Hammon  Murdoch. 

There  she  was  raised  in  a  large  loving  family 
of  eleven  children  in  a  white  two  story  frame  house 
overlooking  Fall  River.  Jean  has  fond  memories  of  her 
childhood  in  Farnum-riding  to  school  in  a  horse 
drawn  sleigh  with  hay  for  seats  and  a  warm  stove,  and 
lots  of  laughing  children,  attending  high  school  in 
Ashton;  going  to  dances  at  Warm  River;  having  fun  at 
the  annual  Dog  Sled  Races;  seeing  the  beautiful  view 
of  the  Teton  Peaks  from  their  home.  The  only  bad 
memory  she  has  of  Famum  is  the  harsh  wind  howling 
around  the  homestead. 

In  High  School,  Jean  met  Charles  Angus 
Blanchard  at  the  Dog  Sled  Races.  After  their  marriage 
in  1933,  she  moved  to  Chester  where  Angus  was 
farming.  They  lived  in  the  Byron  Blanchard  home 
which  Angus  had  inherited  from  his  father.  Later 
Angus  purchased  her  father's  farm  in  Famum. 

In  Chester  Jean  and  Angus  were  active  in  the 
L.D.S.  Church  and  raised  six  children.  Dale,  lives  in 
Henderson,  Nevada,  they  have  four  children;  Barbara, 
lives  in  Castro  Valley,  California  they  have  three 
children;  Don,  lives  in  Cedar  City,  Utah,  they  have 
four  children;  Virginia  (Gina),  and  her  husband  Mike, 
have  bought  her  parents  home  and  Jean  lives  with 
them,  they  have  three  children;  Joanne,  lives  in 
Clayton,  California,  they  have  three  children;  and 
Marlene,  lives  in  Chester,  they  have  one  daughter. 

Jean  and  Angus  were  also  active  in  the  Flying 
Farmers.  Jean  was  selected  Idaho  Flying  Farmer 
Queen  in  1957.  Jean  and  Angus  loved  to  fly.  They 
liked  to  travel  and  traveled  extensively  in  the  United 
States  and  abroad,  visiting  Hawaii,  Canada  and 
Mexico,  Japan,  Hong  Kong,  Greece,  Italy,  and  the 
British  Isles,  including  Scotiand. 

Jean  is  well-loved  in  her  community  and  has 
earned  the  reputation  of  being  kind,  , cheerful, 
generous  and  loving — traits  her  parents  instilled  in  all 
their  children.  She  is  also  known  for  her  beautiful 
handi-work,  her  good  cooking,  and  her  warm 
hospitality.  All  who  enter  her  door  feel  welcome  and 
at  home. 

Jean  has  resided  in  the  same  home  for  over 
fifty-five  years  and  loves  Chester.  She  still  considers 
Farnum  and  Ashton  as  hometown.  Laura  Jean 
Murdoch  Blanchard. 

By:  daughter  Virginia( Gina) 


288 


LAURA  JEAN  MURDOCH 

and 

CHARLES  ANGUS  BLANCHARD 


Laun  Jean  Murdoch  and  Angus  Blanchard 

Charles  Angus  Blanchard  was  bom  in  the  log 
house  on  his  fathers  homestead  in  Chester,  Fremont 
County,  Idaho,  April  12,  1905.  His  parents  were 
Byron  and  Annie  McLane  Blanchard.  His  parents 
lost  their  first  three  children  at  birth.  Angus  was  the 
fifth  living  child.  He  had  the  following  brothers  and 
sisters,  George,  Mae,  Irene,  Wayne,  Wanda  and 
Louise. 

Angus's  father  was  called  on  a  mission  for  the 
L.D.S.  Church.  Angus  was  bom  the  year  after  his 
return. 

Angus  attended  school  in  the  two  story 
frame  building,  in  Chester,  it  was  later  destroyed  by 
fire,  later  a  new  brick  school  was  built  east  of  the 
church.  His  father  donated  the  land  to  the  school 
district  to  build  the  new  school.  He  attended  this 
school  from  the  fifth  grade  through  the  eight  grade. 
Because  there  wasn't  a  high  school  in  the  area  Angus 
attended  the  Ricks  academy,  at  Rcxburg,  Idaho.  He 
and  his  Blanchard  cousins  boarded  together  while 
attending  school  there. 

Angus's  father  Byron  took  up  a  homestead 
and  accumulated  additional  farmland,  south  and  west 
of  Famum..  Angus  and  his  two  brothers  George  and 
Wayne,  helped  their  father  on  the  farm.  George  died 
December  14,  1919  at  the  age  of  22  of  a  bad  heart, 
and  is  buried  in  the  Wilford,  cemetery.  By  1926  his 
father  had  developed  a  bad  heart  and  had  to  retire. 
His  parents  and  two  younger  sisters,  Wanda  and 
Louise  went  to  Long  Beach,  California  to  live.  This 
left  Angus  and  Wayne  to  run  the  farm.  A  lovely  brick 
home  had  been  built  before  they  moved  to 
California.  They  would  come  back  home  during  the 
summer. 

In  1926  Angus  was  called  to  serve  a  mission 
for  the  LDS  Church,  in  the  Central  States  Mission. 
He  returned  from  his  mission  in  1928. 

In  the  wintertime  the  annual  Dog  Races 
were  held  in  Ashton  during  the  day  and  a  dance  was 
held  at  night  at  the  "Old  Opera"  house.  Angus' 
cousin  Lottie  Mc  Lane  introduced  him  to  Jean 
Murdoch  at  the  dog  race  dance.  He  was  impressed 
with  her  black  hair  and  dark  eyes  and  she  was 


impressed  by  his  height  and  how  handsome  and 
friendly  he  was. 

Angus  and  Jean  were  married  in  the  Salt 
Lake  Temple  January  11,  1933,  the  same  day  as  his 
cousin  Floyd  Blanchard  and  Rula  Kent.  Both  couples 
honeymooned  in  California  for  the  winter.  Angus 
and  Jean  returned  to  Chester  in  the  spring.  He 
continued  farming.  His  father  had  died  March  11, 
1930  and  Angus  inherited  the  family  home  and  some 
farm  acreage  and  began  to  build  up  land  of  his  own. 
He  was  a  hard  worker  and  worked  long  hours  on  the 
farm.  Jean  was  an  excellent  cook.  She  had  plenty  of 
practice  at  home  before  she  was  married. 

Besides  his  farming  Angus  owned  and 
operated  a  service  station  and  grocery  store  in 
Chester  on  the  Yellowstone  Highway.  He  also  owned 
a  trailer  home  and  travel  trailer  business  and  had  a 
couple  of  rental  houses,  in  St.  Anthony,  one  was 
renovated  into  an  apartment  house.  Angus  was 
handy  at  so  many  things  and  did  his  own  remodeling 
or  fixing  up  things  at  home  to  make  his  home  a 
lovely  place  to  live  and  enjoyed  having  people  come 
to  visit,  and  made  people  feel  welcome.  He  provided 
well  for  his  family. 

Angus  and  Jean  have  worked  hard  and  didn't 
like  to  be  idle.  Angus  had  an  Aaronica  two  place 
airplane  for  a  number  of  years  and  enjoyed  flying.  In 
1965  Angus  was  elected  President  of  the  Flying 
Farmers  of  Idaho  association.  A  fly-in  was  held  at  the 
Angus  Blanchard  home,  they  served  breakfast  to 
quite  a  few  people.  Six  planes  used  the  field  at  the 
north  side  of  the  house  for  a  landing  field.  Jean  was 
chosen  as  Flying  Queen  and  she  and  Angus  traveled 
to  Chicago  where  she  comp>etcd  for  National  Queen. 
They  have  been  able  to  travel  many  places. 

Angus  has  been  active  in  the  LDS  church 
and  also  in  the  community  affairs,  he  served  as  school 
trustee  for  the  Fremont  County  School  board,  and 
active  in  politics.  They  celebrated  their  Golden 
Wedding  anniversary  in  January  1983. 

Angus  died  June  7,  1984  at  St.  Anthony 
General  hospital,  St.  Anthony,  Idaho  and  is  buried  at 
Ashton,  Fremont  County,  Idaho. 

Chester  Ward  History  and  revised  By  Tressa 
Murdock  Garrett 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Dale  Robert  b- 1933 
md-  Rulcnc  Parkinson 

(2)  Barbara  Joyce  b-  1936 
md-  Charles  Richard  Bateman 

(3)  Don  Lee  b-  1939 
md-  Linda  Woolard 

(4)  Virgina  Kayc  (Gina)   b-  1940 

md-  (1)  Samuel  Douglas  Jones  dc'd 

(2)  Stanly  Parley  Smith  (div) 

(3)  Mike  Smiley 

(5)  Jo  Anne  b-  1943 

md-  (1)  Donald  P.  Brucmmer  (div) 
239  (2)  Randy  Farron  Gardner 


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(6)  Marlcnc  b-  1948 

md-  (1)  Lcrmic  Dec  Peterson  (div) 
(2)  Glen  Floyd 

TRESSA  ISABELL  MURDOCH 

and 
CLYDE  RAYMOND  GARRETT 

I  was  bom  January,  5,  1918,  the  sixth  child 
of  Brigham  and  Martha  Luann  Hammon  Murdoch,  in 
my  parent's  home  on  the  farm  at  Famum,  Fremont 
County,  Idaho.  My  mother  was  thirty-three  years  old 
and  my  father  48  years  old. 

My  mother  told  me  there  was  no  snow  until 
the  day  I  was  bom.  This  was  very  unusual.  They  had 
a  long  fall  and  threshed  grain  in  November. 

Idaho  had  only  been  a  State  eighteen  years 
when  I  was  bom.  It  was  the  last  state  to  be  taken  from 
what  was  originally  the  Oregon  Territory.  It  was 
admitted  as  a  State  July  3,  1890.  When  Idaho 
became  a  territory  on  March  3,  1863,  it  included  all 
of  Montana  and  most  of  Wyoming.  The  area  where  I 
was  bom  was  settled  in  the  early  1900's. 

I  was  born  at  the  close  of  World  War  I. 
Woodrow  Wilson  was  President  of  the  United  States. 
The  Armistice  was  signed  11  November  1918.  The 
war  started  28  July  1914.  Austria  and  Hungary 
declared  war  on  Siberia.  The  United  States  later 
entered  the  war. 

A  franchise  for  women's  suffrage  hadn't  been 
given  our  State  until  1920.  The  adoption  of  what  is 
called  the  nineteenth  amendment  gave  the  women  the 
right  to  vote. 

My  father  and  his  brother  Thomas  Todd 
Murdoch,  came  to  Famum  about  1900,  and  applied 
for  Homestead  land,  their  land  joined  each  other. 
Dad  received  107  acres  of  land  in  1901  that 
overlooked  the  Fall  River,  a  most  beautiful  view,  a 


beautiful  place  to  raise  a  family.  He  and  mother 
started  their  life  together  on  the  "River  View"  Ranch, 
the  21  April  1903,  (they  had  been  married  previously 
April  8,  1903)  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple. 

I  grew  up  in  this  small  forming  community  to 
young  woman-hood.  I  experienced  the  love  of  family, 
and  the  love  neighbors  had  for  one  another. 

I  attended  the  small  Famum  school,  that  had 
only  2  rooms  divided  by  a  hall.  There  were  two 
teachers  usually  a  man  and  wife.  I  went  to  school 
eight  years  in  this  littie  schoolhouse.  These  years  were 
hard  for  my  parents  raising  a  large  family  of  11 
children  that  had  blessed  their  home,  one  brother 
Rue,  (Dad's  son  by  a  previous  marriage)  had  married 
and  left  home,  before  I  was  bom. 

I  grew  up  during  the  depression  years.  I 
remember  crops  being  hailed  out.  This  one  storm,  I 
thought  the  end  of  the  world  had  come,  the  clouds 
were  so  black  and  low,  the  hail  came  so  thick  we 
couldn't  see  the  chicken  coop,  that  was  only  a  short 
distance  fi-om  the  house.  The  poor  animals  ran  for 
cover  to  get  out  of  it  but  the  poor  baby  chicks  were 
swept  away  by  the  water  and  hail  rushing  through  the 
bam  yard.  It  looked  like  a  canal  coming  through.  The 
crops  looked  like  a  hay  chopper  had  gone  through 
them.  I  can  still  see  my  mother  standing  at  the 
window  praying  their  crops  would  be  saved.  We  lived 
entirely  from  what  could  be  raised  on  the  farm. 

Mother  canned  hundreds  of  quarts  of  fruit, 
vegetables,  jams  and  jellies  with  big  bins  of  potatoes 
and  carrots,  for  our  welfare  during  the  long  winter 
months,  which  usually  lasted  from  late  Oaober  until 
garden's  started  to  produce  in  the  spring  and  summer. 
Mother  always  had  a  large  raspberry  and  strawberry 
patch,  also  gooseberry  and  current  bushes.  Dad 
usually  took  wheat  to  the  mill  to  trade  for  flour  and  a 
littie  extra  to  buy  the  sugar  that  was  needed  for  the 
year,  and  they  had  chickens  for  eggs  and  meat,  also 


Clydsc  and  Trcssa  Murdoch  Garrett  family 

b.r.  Irvin  Schmitt,  Dennis  Womack,  Jamie  Wiercman,  Anthony  Winkle,  Lcland  Nebekcr,  WendcU  Merrill  f.r.  Sandra  Garrett,  Clydcnc  Garrett, 

Brigham  Garrett,  Clyde  Garrett,  Trcssa  Murdoch  Garrett,  Pamela  Garrett,  Ivana  Garrett,  Geraldine  Garrett 


290 


pork,  beef  and  mutton.  Meat  was  used  very  sparingly 
and  we  ate  lots  of  vegetables  and  fruit.  Mother  would 
bake  about  8-10  loaves  of  bread  every  other  day. 

To  do  her  washing  she  heated  the  water  on 
the  stove  with  a  big  copper  boiler  and  would  put  the 
clothes  in  the  boiler  and  let  them  soak  a  while  and 
take  them  out  and  put  them  in  a  tub  with  a  scrubbing 
board  and  soap  the  dirty  spots  and  scrub  them  until 
the  dirt  came  out.  She  made  most  of  her  own  soap  or 
used  good  old  White  King  bar  soap  and  later  they  had 
a  powdered  soap  which  was  a  great  contribution  to 
the  housewife.  She  would  wring  the  water  from  the 
clothes  by  hand,  and  often  had  blisters  by  the  time  she 
would  get  through.  Later  she  got  a  wringer  that  we 
could  turn  the  handle  and  it  would  take  the  clothes 
between  two  rubber  rollers  which  pressed  the  water 
out  as  it  carried  the  clothes  through  the  wringer. 
Later  there  was  a  washer  we  would  have  to  push  a 
stick  handle  back  and  forth,  the  cogs  would  put  a 
gyrator  in  force  to  move  the  clothes  back  and  forth. 
This  wasn't  easy  either.  Instead  of  blisters,  it  was  a 
tired  sore  shoulder  and  an  aching  back.  Later  Mother 
got  a  gas  engine  maytag.  Most  of  the  time  it  worked 
pretty  good  and  what  an  improvement  over  the 
others.  Today  the  automatic  washer  is  a  miracle  over 
the  scrubbing  board. 

When  I  was  about  1 1  years  old  my  father  had 
inflammatory  rheumatism  and  was  bedfast  all  through 
the  winter.  He  was  never  strong  after  that  and  it  left 
his  heart  weak.  These  times  were  hard  on  my  mother 
and  younger  brothers.  My  older  brothers  were  grown 
up  and  finding  interest  in  other  places  and  wanted  to 
go  to  college.  They  worked  fe>r  other  neighbors,  but 
came  home  when  they  could  to  help  plant  the  crops 
and  harvest.  So  my  younger  sister  Martha  and  I  and 
younger  brothers  Howard  and  Wallace,  had  to  help 
father  on  the  farm.  Bunching  and  shocking  hay  and 
grain,  milking  was  our  special  chore.  I'll  say  we 
weren't  the  best  farm  hands  but  we  did  learn  to  work 
and  know  how  important  each  chore  was  to  the 
welfere  of  the  farm  and  family. 

When  I  was  15  I  started  high  school  in 
Ash  ton.  I  hadn't  stayed  away  from  home  only  a  few 
times  and  had  only  been  around  people  I  had  known 
all  those  years.  I  wasn't  so  sure  I  wanted  to  go  to 
high  school  among  all  those  strangers,  I  was  ready  to 
turn  around  and  go  back  home.  The  fall  of  my 
freshman  year  I  rode  back  and  forth  in  a  car  for  about 
six  weeks  with  different  ones  and  sometimes  there 
wasn't  a  ride  available.  I  had  to  walk  five  miles  night 
and  morning  a  couple  of  rimes.  There  were  a  few 
families  that  would  take  young  people  in  and  let  them 
work  for  room  and  board.  Up  until  Christmas  of  that 
year  I  lived  with  three  different  families,  then  I  went 
to  live  with  the  Jesse  and  Finnie  Hammond  family 
who  let  me  live  with  them  for  a  year  and  a  half  Now 
that  I  am  older,  words  can't  explain  how  I  appreciate 
these  people  and  the  sacrifices  they  made  for  me. 

My  junior  year  my  brother  Dallas  was  married 
and  would  be  teaching  at  Midway  High  School  and 


took  my  sister  Martha  and  I  to  live  with  them.  The 
next  year  he  taught  at  Emmett,  Idaho  and  Martha  and 
I  lived  with  them  again.  I  graduated  from  Emmett 
,KDgh  School  in  the  spring  of  1936.  I  am  so  grateful 
for  those  that  contributed  to  my  education. 

During  the  summers  I  wasn't  attending 
school,  I  went  home  to  the  farm  to  live  with  my 
femily.  It  was  always  good  to  be  home.  I  loved  the 
ferm.  Such  a  peace  there.  My  two  younger  brothers 
Howard  ,Wallace  and  one  sister  Katy  were  still  at 
home  and  were  ready  to  go  to  high  school,  so  Dad 
sold  the  farm  to  his  son-in-law,  Angus  Blanchard  and 
moved  to  town  and  built  up  a  dairy  business.  This 
way  the  children  could  stay  at  home  and  go  to  school. 
Dad's  health  still  wasn't  good.  I  worked  at 
housework  for  our  neighbors  during  the  summer. 

I  met  my  husband,  Clyde,  June  of  1937  and 
we  were  married  the  next  January  4,  1938  in  the  Salt 
Lake  Temple.  To  me  he  has  always  been  my  Knight 
in  shining  armor.  There  have  been  six  beautiful, 
wonderful  children  born  to  us.  My  husband  and 
children  have  been  my  life  and  a  joy  to  me.  My 
husband  Clyde  is  the  son  of  Earl  Park  and  Ida  Green 
Garrett.  He  was  bom  at  Ashton,  Idaho.  As  a  small 
child  his  parents  moved  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho  and  he 
grew  up  there.  His  father  was  a  drayman  and  also 
stored  ice  and  sold  it  to  people  that  had  ice  chests. 
He  and  his  brothers  helped  their  father  in  this 
business.  He  attended  grade  school  and  graduated 
from  high  school  in  St.  Anthony. 

He's  been  a  good  husband  and  father  and  has 
provided  for  our  family  with  the  material  and  spiritual 
needs.  He  was  out  of  work  only  three  days  in  all  our 
married  life.  We  have  both  been  active  in  our  church 
and  held  many  responsible  positions  which  have 
helped  us  grow  spiritually,  and  given  us  an 
oppommity  to  serve  our  fellowman  and  to  love  the 
people  we  associated  with.  We  haven't  accumulated 
any  worldly  wealth  only  the  love  of  good  families  and 
fiiends,  what  could  be  greater.  We  have  been  married 
54  years  January  5,  1992  and  hope  we  may  spend  all 
eternity  together.  We  have  24  grandchildren  and  26 
great  grandchildren,  all  are  very  predous  to  us.  I  love 
my  family  and  brothers  and  sisters  including  Clyde's 
and  the  good  association  we  have  with  each  other. 

By:  Tressa  Murdoch  Garrett 

MEMORIES  OF  GRANDMA 

"THE  SUNSET  I  OWE  TO  MY  GRANDMA, 
TRESSA  MURDOCH  GARRETT" 

The  sunset  I  owe  to  my  Grandmother.  Oh  I 
know  that  Grandma  had  no  part  in  the  actual  creation 
of  the  sunset,  but  she  was  the  one  who  showed  me 
the  beauty  and  tranquility  one  could  find  there.  She 
taught  me  to  sec  and  appreciate  the  colors,  textures, 
and  fragrances  of  nature  and  thus  many  of  my 
memories  are  images  and  feelings.  The  glint  of  sun 
29]^    on  a  hummingbird's  wing,  the  smell  of  lilacs  in  the 


C  a- 


air,  the  sharp  taste  of  green  apples,  the  warm 
sweetness  of  a  freshly  picked  raspberry,  (although  it 
was  seldom  just  one),  the  mouth  watering  smell  of 
chocolate  chip  cookies  baking  in  the  oven,  and  the 
warm  secure  feeling  of  sitting  on  Grandma's  lap 
listening  to  stories  of  her  childhood. 

These  memories  and  many  more  have  helped 
me  through  out  my  life.  Times  when  I  felt  confused 
and  alone  I  would  think  about  the  times  I  had  spent 
with  Grandma  and  here  at  the  Point  with  all  of  my 
family,  and  I  would  realize  that  I  am  never  really  alone 
because  there  is  always  someone  who  cares. 

Grandma  has  given  me  many  things  and  her 
love  of  story  telling  is  one  that  I'll  cherish  as  long  as  I 
live.  Through  her  eyes  I  have  seen  many  treasured 
memories,  and  these  stories  have  made  a  great  impact 
on  my  life.  They  gave  me  a  great  love  for  reading  and 
writing  stories  of  my  own.  I  have  decided  to  major  in 
English  and  teach.  I  hope  someday  to  write  seriously. 
So  you  see: 

Lx)ve,  Desire'e  Winkle  (grandaughter) 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Geraldine  b-  1938 
md-  Wendell  Lamoine  Merrill 

(2)  Tressa  Clydene  b-  1940 
md-  Dennis  Lee  Womack 

(3)  Sandra  Jean  b-  1943 
md-  Irvin  Schmitt 

(4)  Pamela  b-  1948 
md-  James  Anthony  Wmkle 

(5)  Ivana  b-  1950 
md-  Lcland  Wiley  Nebeker 

(6)  Brigham  Eari  b-  1959 
md-  (1)  Melanie  Rae  Brower  (div) 
md-  (2)  Jamie  Carol  Weierman 

MARTHA  LUCILLE  MURDOCH 

and 

RALPH  EDMUND  GODFREY 


Ralph  and  Martha  Murdoch  Godfrey 

Martha  Lucille  Murdoch  was  bom  at  Famum, 
Idaho,  a  small  farming  community  about  5  miles 
south  of  Ashton.    Their  nearest  neighbors  Jim  and 


292 


Elma  Hill  to  the  north,  George  and  Minnie  Kidd 
Allen  and  Luella  Hendrickson,  Lester  and  Vera 
Hendrickson  east.  Obcrhansley's,  Uncle  Tom  and 
Aunt  Sarah  south  of  our  place,  George  and  Marion 
White  through  the  field  south  west  of  our  place,  John 
and  Catherine  VanSickle  to  the  south  west,  and  Hans 
Neilsen,  a  bachelor,  west  on  the  Fall  River.  They  were 
all  good  neighbors. 

Martha  was  the  7th  child  of  Brigham  and 
Louannie  Hammon  Murdoch.  Her  growing  up  years 
were  enjoyable  on  the  farm.  Some  of  her  chores  when 
she  was  old  enough,  was  milk  the  cows  somerimes 
help  feed  the  animals  bunch  hay  and  shock  grain, 
work  in  the  garden  with  her  mother  and  other 
members  of  the  family.  Everyone  had  their  own 
chores  and  other  work  to  do.  She  was  raised  during 
the  depression  years. 

She  attended  the  country  school  with  two 
rooms  with  a  hall  between  the  two  rooms  with  places 
to  hang  our  coats  and  hats  on  pegs.  There  was  a  table 
with  a  water  bucket  and  a  tin  dipper  that  every  one 
drank  out  of  A  tin  wash  basin.  There  was  a  bell  in 
the  belfry  for  a  while,  but  for  some  reason  it  wasn't 
always  used.  I  remember  a  hand  bell  also,  we  all  had  a 
chance  to  ring  it  at  some  time.  The  school  was  about 
a  mile  from  our  place.  We  walked  most  of  the  time 
except  during  the  winter  when  the  weather  got  too 
cold  and  the  snow  got  too  deep  to  walk.  Many  times 
the  teacher  had  to  thaw  some  of  us  out  at  times  when 
we  had  fr^ost  bite.  The  only  means  of  transportarion 
was  by  horse  and  buggy,  or  wagon  or  school  sleigh. 
The  sleigh  would  have  a  small  stove  to  keep  us  warm. 
Our  family  was  the  last  ones  to  get  in  the  school  sleigh 
so  that  put  us  to  the  back  of  the  sleigh  and  the  heat 
didn't  get  to  the  back,  so  it  was  a  rather  cold  trip 
espedaly  if  it  was  hard  to  get  the  horses  through  the 
snow  and  it  took  longer  to  make  the  trip. 

Martha  was  a  good  student  and  had  good 
grades,  she  attended  all  8  grades  and  graduated  from 
the  8th  grade  at  Famum.  At  that  time  there  would  be 
special  graduation  exercises  held  and  a  diploma 
received. 

We  lived  5  miles  from  Ashton,  Idaho  where 
the  closest  High  School  was.  It  was  hard  for  the 
young  people  to  get  to  High  School.  Those  that  did 
go  on  to  High  School  would  have  to  live  in  other 
people's  homes  or  rent  rooms  at  the  hotel,  cabins  and 
some  families  moved  into  town  and  rented  houses  and 
moved  their  families  into  town.  Martha  went  to  live 
with  her  sister  Jean  and  brother-in-law,  Angus 
Blanchard  and  attended  school  at  Sugar  City  in  her 
Freshman  year.  Sugar  city  sent  school  buses  to 
Chester  and  Twin  Groves  and  picked  up  the  students 
in  that  area.  The  roads  were  kept  plowed  out  on  the 
main  roads.  During  her  Sophmorc  and  Junior  year 
she  and  her  sister  Tressa  lived  with  their  brother 
Dallas,  as  he  was  teaching  Agriculture,  at  Midway 
High  School  just  North  and  West  of  Rigby.  Her 
Junior  year,  she  and  Tressa  went  to  Emmett  and  lived 
with  Dallas  and  his  wife  Wmona  and  went  to  Emmett 


High  School.  While  there  she  met  and  married  Ralph 
Godfrey  September  5, 1936  at  Emmett,  Idaho. 

When  the  war  broke  out  they  went  to  Ogden 
to  work  in  the  war  effort.  Later,  Ralph  joined  the 
Navy  and  served  on  the  SS  Hancock.  Martha 
followed  him  from  Post  to  Post  until  he  was  sent  over 
seas,  and  she  retiimed  to  Emmett  for  the  duration. 
When  he  returned  they  lived  in  Emmett.  They  later 
moved  around  to  various  places  to  keep  employed  as  a 
carpenter.  They  were  later  divorced.  Ralph  died 
November  8,  1974. 

They  had  three  sons,  young  Ralph  lives  in  San 
Diego,  he  is  married  and  has  two  sons.  He  is  a  carpet 
consultant  for  various  carpet  manufecturers.  John  was 
a  mechanic,  and  also  worked  in  the  timber.  He  died 
from  bee  stings,  when  a  tree  was  felled  and  upset  a 
nest  of  hornets.  He  died  September  8,  1988.  James 
(Jim),  lives  in  Cascade  and  is  a  carpenter. 

Martha  later  married  Marion  Reed  of 
Meridian.  They  moved  to  Cascade  in  1964.  He  was  a 
logger.  In  1971  she  and  her  husband  bought  a  cafe 
and  they  operated  this  until  his  death  the  7th  July 
1984.  Martha  ran  the  cafe  for  a  few  years  and  retired. 
She  still  lives  in  Cascade. 

By:  Martha  Murdoch  Reed  and 
Tressa  Murdoch  Garrett 

JAMES  HOWARD  MURDOCH 

and 
LAURETTA  GRACE  HILLAM 

I  was  bom  in  Rupert,  Idaho  March  8th,  1922 
to  Brigham  and  Martha  Louannie  Hammon 
Murdoch.  Dad  had  homesteaded  in  Famum,  Idaho  in 
1901,  with  his  brother  Thomas  Todd  Murdoch.  The 


folks  moved  to  Rupert  in  November,  1920  and  moved 
back  to  Famum  in  1922,  because  of  crop  failure  and 
the  recession  and  the  banks  went  broke. 

We  had  a  happy  life  and  had  lots  of  fun. 
There  were  always  prayers  in  our  home  and  we  always 
attended  our  church  meetings.  We  lived  two  and  a 
half  miles  from  the  church.  We  either  drove  a  team  or 
rode  with  the  neighbors.  Dad  served  as  the  second 
bishop  of  the  Famum  Ward. 

It  wasn't  until  I  grew  up,  that  I  realized  that 
we  didn't  have  much,  but  neither  did  our  neighbors. 
Not  many  had  cars.  We  had  a  model  A  Ford  but 
couldn't  afford  to  drive  it.  This  was  in  the  middle 
thirties. 

I  enjoyed  the  farm  and  always  wished  my  own 
children,  could  have  been  raised  on  the  farm.  It 
seemed  we  always  had  lots  of  company.  We  enjoyed 
having  them  come.  Fall  River  ran  through  our  place 
and  fishing  was  always  good. 

I  never  remember  all  the  family  living  at  home 
at  the  same  time.  Blanche  was  married  and  Dallas  and 
Reed  were  away  at  college  or  working.  There  was 
always  work  to  be  done  and  I  had  to  grow  up  to 
appreciate  the  opportunity  I  had  to  leam  to  work. 

I  started  to  milk  the  cows  when  I  was  7  and 
never  quit  until  I  moved  to  Rexburg  in  1972.  For  a 
time  my  sister,  Martha,  and  I  did  the  milking. 
Sometimes  she  would  milk  one  cow  and  I  would  milk 
one  and  when  we  got  through  I  would  move  over  to 
the  third  cow  and  she  would  turn  around  and  she 
would  milk  one  side  and  I  would  milk  the  other  side. 
We  always  milked  Jersey  or  Guernsey  cows  and 
mother  would  make  butter  and  every  Saturday,  Dad 
and  mother  would  take  the  butter  and  eggs  and 
buttermilk  to  town  and  trade  them  for  groceries. 


Howard  and  Grace  Hillman  Murdoch  family  b.r.Bryan,  Bradley,,  Grace  Hiliman  Murdoch,  Howard  Murdoch,  Richard, 

f.r.  MoUy,  Gwcn,  Patricia  (Pat),  Marilyn,  La  Rae 


293 


WaW^ 


\ 

hi 


There  was  always  people  who  wanted  her  butter.  The 
Jersey  and  Guernsey  cows  milk  was  richer  and  sweeter 
than  the  other  breed  of  cows.  We  lived  5  miles  from 
the  town  of  Ashton,  Idaho.  We  would  go  by  team 
and  wagon.  We  finally  made  a  trailer  with  rubber  tires 
from  a  model  T  ford.  That  was  really  luxury  to  ride 
on. 

Dad  was  a  hard  worker  and  did  all  he  could. 
He  was  52  when  I  was  bom  and  I  hardly  remember 
him  when  he  enjoyed  good  health.  He  had  a  bad  heart 
and  some  days  when  he  wasn't  feeling  good  I  would 
get  excused  from  school  and  drive  the  horses  in  the 
field.  I  would  have  been  in  the  7th  grade. 

The  year  I  was  in  the  first  grade,  dad  spent 
the  winter  in  bed  with  inflammatory  rheumatism.  I 
can  remember  going  to  his  bed  side  and  reading  to 
him  and  he  told  me  how  good  I  was  doing.  It  was  that 
same  year  my  mother  would  come  get  me  out  of  bed 
and  we  would  go  out  and  gather  up  the  new  lambs 
that  had  been  born  and  bring  them  in  so  they 
wouldn't  freeze  to  death.  This  same  year  the  folks 
bought  a  new  battery  operated  radio.  We  would  take 
the  battery  out  of  the  car  and  hook  it  up  to  the  radio. 
I  remember  one  night  the  folks  were  listening  to  some 
program  that  was  fimny  and  Mother  said  it's  too  bad 
we  can't  watch  it,  and  Dad  said  some  day  we  will.  We 
didn't  have  electricity  so  that  was  why  they  bought  a 
battery  operated  radio. 

Mother  was  a  real  hard  worker,  she  did  a 
terrific  job  of  trying  to  feed  her  family.  She  had  a 
large  garden,  raspberry  patch,  and  flowers.  She  liked 
to  sew  and  crochet.  The  first  pair  of  bough  ten  dress 
pants  I  can  remember,  I  earned  a  dollar  from  my 
Uncle  Tom,  my  mother  put  some  more  money  with 
it,  I  was  still  wearing  these  pants  when  I  was  in  the 
eighth  grade. 

Dad  also  raised  sheep.  One  summer  dad  and 
two  other  sheep  men  put  their  sheep  together  and 
when  it  was  dad's  turn  to  herd  the  sheep  I  got  to  go 
with  him  for  a  couple  of  weeks.  I  enjoyed  being  with 
dad. 

In  the  summer,  feed  was  scarce  so  we  had  to 
herd  the  cows  where  ever  we  could  find  feed.  One 
day  I  was  herding,  one  of  the  heifers  got  into  the  hay 
field  and  bloated  and  died.  Dallas  stuck  her  in  the 
side  to  help  her  but  it  was  too  late.  I  felt  so  bad  and 
went  to  dad  and  told  him  what  happened.  He  didn't 
say  much.  I  felt  so  bad  I  went  to  bed  with  out  any 
supper.  I  couldn't  face  any  one  for  what  happened. 
Dad  was  kindest  and  most  even  tempered,  any  man 
could  be.  I  have  always  hoped  to  be  like  him.  Mother 
did  most  of  the  correcting  and  trying  to  get  us  kids  to 
work.  I  think  she  gave  me  the  most  advice  I  got  and 
I  still  remember  and  am  gratefiil  for.  There  are  a  lot 
of  things  I  wouldn't  have  done  for  anything  because 
of  her  advice.  She  was  serious  and  didn't  put  up  with 
any  foolishness  and  didn't  hesitate  telling  anyone  how 
she  felt. 

Our  school  at  Farnum  was  a  two-room 
building  with  four  grades  in  each  room.    The  school 


was  a  mile  and  a  quarter  from  home  and  we  had  to 
walk  most  of  the  time.  In  the  winter  we  had  school 
sleighs  with  a  litde  stove  to  keep  warm. 

When  I  was  in  the  eighth  grade  my  folks 
decided  to  sell  the  farm  to  my  brother-in-law,  Angus 
Blanchard,  and  move  to  Ashton.  Dad  would  keep  his 
cows  and  start  a  dairy.  My  folks  moved  first,  my 
brother  Wallace  and  I  stayed  on  the  farm  to  take  care 
of  things  until  they  were  ready  for  the  cows.  The  day 
before  Halloween,  dad  came  and  said  "lets  go."  This 
was  the  saddest  day  of  my  life.  Dad  was  62  years  old 
and  not  in  good  health  so  it  was  a  good  decision  he 
made.  We  took  off  driving  the  cows  into  town.  For 
the  first  time  in  our  lives  we  had  electricity,  running 
water  in  the  house  and  a  bathroom.  Dad  said  later  the 
dairy  made  more  money  than  the  farm  did.  I  would 
have  stayed  on  the  farm  if  they  would  have  let  mc.  I 
did  have  a  hard  time  adjusting  to  a  bigger  school,  and 
making  new  friends.  I  even  wanted  to  drop  out  of 
school  but  didn't.  Wallace  and  I  helped  Dad  milk  and 
deliver  it. 

At  first  we  didn't  have  a  car  to  deliver  the 
milk,  so  in  the  winter  we  made  a  toboggan  and  pulled 
it  and  I  used  my  bicycle  in  the  summer.  I  had  six 
bottles  of  milk  in  a  carrier  on  each  side  of  the  handle 
bars.  We  finally  bought  a  1930  Chevy  car,  later  a 
1935  chevy  and  then  bought  a  Ford  delivery  truck. 


Brighain  Murdoch  and  his  delivery  truck 


294 


Howard  Murdoch  at  your  service 


The  spring  after  I  graduated  from  the  eighth 
grade,  I  went  to  work  for  the  Merricks.  The  next  two 
summers  I  worked  on  farms.  My  senior  year  I 
worked  in  the  grocery  store  for  Nels  Knudsen.  I 
never  did  stop  helping  dad  when  I  could.  I 
remember  the  first  five  dollar  bill  he  gave  for  helping 
him.  I  didn't  wnt  to  take  it.  He  told  me  I  earned  it. 

By  now  I  have  started  dating  Grace  Hillam 
and  it  was  the  1935  Chevy  that  she  first  learned  to 
drive.  I  graduated  from  High  School  in  1941.  At 
this  time  I  was  still  working  at  the  store.  One  day 
Dan  Hess  came  into  the  store  and  talked  me  into 
going  to  school  at  Ricks  College.  We  went  to 
register.  He  wanted  me  to  be  one  of  his  roommates. 
I  had  the  money  in  my  pocket  for  the  tuition  $25.00. 
I  was  a  year  older  than  Dan  and  was  getting  close  to 
being  drafted,  as  the  second  World  War  had  begun.  I 
changed  my  mind  and  went  back  to  work  in  the 
store.  I  didn't  want  to  be  drafted,  so  I  talked  my 
folks  into  letting  me  enlist  in  the  Air  Force.  Just  a 
week  before  I  left  I  gave  Grace  an  engagement  ring. 
It  was  the  best  thing  I  ever  did. 

I  enlisted  in  the  Army  Air  Force  and  was  sent 
to  McCarren  Field  in  Las  Vegas,  Nevada  for  my  basic 
training.  After  my  basic,  I  was  sent  up  in  the 
mountains  west  of  Las  Vegas  to  build  a  rest  camp. 
Seventeen  months  later  I  was  sent  to  England.  I  was 
there  "D"  day  and  a  week  later  was  sent  to  France. 
We  were  assigned  to  the  First  Quarter  Master 
trucking  unit  to  supply  gasoline  to  the  bombers.  We 
went  from  England  to  France,  to  Belgium  to  Holland 
to  Germany,  then  back  to  France  to  prepare  to  come 
home.  While  in  Belgium  four  thousand  gallons  of 
gasoline  leaked  out  on  the  floor  of  our  motor  pool.  I 
started  walking  through  it  to  get  to  the  other  door. 
When  one  of  the  trucks  with  a  water  tank  started 
coming  in  the  door.  The  driver  was  headed  for  the 
other  side  so  they  could  hose  the  gas  out.  When  he 
shut  off  the  motor  it  backfired  and  set  the  gas  on  fire. 
The  driver  jumped  out  but  slipped  and  fell.  The 
Captain  and  I  had  started  for  the  other  door.  We 
were  almost  side  by  side  as  we  went  out  the  door. 
His  shoes  were  on  fire  but  mine  wasn't.  The  driver 
was  alive  when  they  got  him  out  but  he  died  that 
night.  I  have  always  wondered  why  the  building 
didn't  blow  up,  but  I  have  always  thought  that  the 
Lord  preserved  my  life  for  some  reason.  I  am  grateftil 
for  my  life. 

The  war  finally  ended  and  we  were  sent  back 
to  France  to  wait  to  come  home.  They  sent  the 
troops  home  according  to  the  number  of  points  we 
had  accumulated.  We  watched  the  military  newspaper 
"The  Stars  and  Stripes"  to  see  who  was  going  next. 
My  time  finally  came  with  66  points.  We  played 
volleyball  every  day  while  waiting  to  get  on  ship. 
Finally  the  12th  of  December  we  got  on  board  the 
USS  Thomas  Cressap.  It  was  a  small  ship  that  carried 
500  troops.  While  waiting  for  the  ship  I  got  to  attend 
the  one  and  only  LDS  church  service  since  leaving  the 
states. 


295 


We  spent  18  days  on  the  sea  and  four  or  five 
of  them  in  the  worst  storm  imaginable.  Many  were 
seasick  even  the  crew.  Again  I  felt  blessed  because  I 
didn't  get  sick  going  either  direction,  going  over  or 
coming  back.  We  landed  New  Year's  Day  at  Newport 
News,  Warwick  County,  Vu-gjnia.  I  was  discharged  at 
Fort  Douglas,  Utah  January  12,  1946,  having  served 
39  months.  It  was  good  to  be  back  but  I  was  proud 
to  have  the  privilege  of  serving  our  country. 

It  was  good  to  be  home  again  and  see  the 
folks  and  especially  Grace  who  had  waited  faithftiUy 
all  this  time. 

Grace  was  the  daughter  of  George  Marvin 
and  Laura  Mae  Lemmon  Hillam,  bom  3  April,  1925 
in  Marysville  and  grew  up  there  and  attended  Ashton 
High  School.  She  was  now  attending  Ricks  College 
and  serving  as  President  John  L.  Clark's  secretary.  It 
was  decided  we  should  wait  until  school  let  out  in  the 
spring,  to  get  married. 

I  went  to  work  for  my  brother  Tom  in  his 
grocery  store  and  meat  market.  Grace  and  I  were 
married  the  4th  of  June  1946  in  the  Idaho  Falls 
Temple.  Her  sister  Vonda  and  Frank  Biom  also  were 
married  the  same  time. 

The  next  two  years  brings  the  death  of  my 
father  at  the  age  of  76.  After  his  death  Mother  said, 
"Dad  didn't  leave  any  wealth  but  he  left  us  a  good 
name." 

In  1948  Yellowstone  Stake  bought  a  317 
acre  farm  just  North  of  Ashton.  My  brother  Tom 
had  a  chance  to  buy  it  and  wanted  me  to  work  for 
him.  When  the  church  decided  they  would  like  to 
buy  it  my  brother  gave  up  his  option  and  they  asked 
me  to  run  it  for  them,  we  spent  the  next  11  years 
there.  It  was  a  wonderful  experience  and  a  privilege 
to  work  with  so  many  wonderful  people.  We  left 
there  with  good  feelings  and  went  to  work  for  my 
wife's  father,  Marvin  Hillam.  We  spent  the  next  10 
years  farming  with  Grace's  father.  We  enjoyed  it 
there  also.  I  have  always  enjoyed  farming.  We  now 
have  8  children  and  busy  working  in  the  church. 

Mother  passed  away  in  1962.  She  was  able 
to  stay  in  her  own  home  until  about  the  last  six 
months.  She  stayed  with  my  sisters,  Blanche  and 
Katie  when  she  couldn't  be  left  alone.  She  was  a 
happy  person  through  it  all.  She  put  all  her  trust  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  through  all  her  life.  She  had  a 
hard  life,  as  most  pioneer  women  had,  with  no 
conveniences.  She  was  a  good  example  to  all  who 
knew  her. 

In  1967  because  of  a  bad  back  and  two 
hernias,  I  decided  to  work  that  winter  for  Ricks 
College.  I  knew  I  couldn't  spend  another  winter  in 
the  potato  warehouse.  When  spring  came  I  decided 
to  stay  on  at  the  College.  I  could  still  help  Grace's 
fiather  some  week  ends  on  the  farm. 

After  driving  to  work  for  five  years  we 
decided  to  build  a  new  house  in  Rcxburg.  Three  of 
us  had  been  riding  together  to  work  all  these  years. 
On  August  12th,  1972,  we  had  a  farewell  for  Bryan, 


a. 

6 
c 


d 

y 
a' 


he  was  going  to  the  Kansas,  Missouri  Mission,  and  it 
was  also  our  farewell  as  we  would  be  moving  to 
Rexburg.  It  was  hard  to  say  goodbye  to  all  those 
good  people  we  had  grown  up  with. 

When  I  was  interviewed  to  work  for  the 
College  the  man  doing  the  interview  advised  me  to 
stay  on  the  farm.  He  said  I  would  never  make  as 
much  money  at  the  College.  I  started  as  a  custodian 
and  a  couple  of  years  later  I  transferred  into  the 
Structural  Department.  I  did  upholstering,  furniture 
repair,  carpets,  drapes  and  learned  to  sharpen  saw 
blades  and  many  other  things.  I  enjoyed  my  work 
there.  Working  there  entitled  our  children  to  free 
tuition  and  all  of  our  children  have  attended  Ricks 
College. 

I  enjoyed  working  at  Ricks  College.  It  was  a 
good  decision  we  made  when  we  moved  here.  After 
19  1/2  years  I  retired  from  the  College  and  Grace 
retired  from  the  school  lunch  program  and  the 
college  Food  Service  and  we  started  thinking  about  a 
Mission  for  our  church.  We  had  planned  for  this  a 
long  time.  We  had  to  wait  for  Bradley  to  leave  for  his 
Mission.  He  was  called  in  May  1988  to  the  London 
England  South  Mission  and  on  December  16,  1988 
we  were  called  to  the  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico 
Mission.  We  served  with  the  Lamanites  on  the 
Canoncito  Navajo  Reservation.  We  enjoyed  our 
Mission  and  made  lots  of  fHends.  We  drove  50,000 
miles,  had  one  flat  tire,  no  accidents  or  citations.  We 
returned  home  May  4,  1990.  Bradley  returned  from  a 
his  mission  the  24  May,  1990.  Our  three  sons, 
Bryan,  Richard  and  Bradley  have  all  served  a  misson. 

If  any  success  comes  from  our  experiences,  I 
give  credit  to  my  good  wife,  Grace,  she  is  a  hard 
worker  and  a  good  example.  We  are  proud  of  our 
children  and  are  grateftil  for  them.  The  highlight  of 
our  lives  was  to  share  the  Light  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  with  the  Lord's  chosen  people. 

Throughout  our  married  life  I  have  never 
been  out  of  employment  or  out  of  a  church 
assignment.  We  have  truly  been  blessed. 

by:  James  Howard  Murdoch 

CHILDREN: 

{l)Gwen  b-  1947 

md-  Fred  Stanley  Freeman 
(2)Patrida  b-   1949 

md-  Ronnie  Sutton  Wodskow 

(3)  Bryan  Howard  b-   1953 
md-  Deborah  Stolworthy 

(4)  Molly  b-   1955 
md-  Karl  Thurman  Cook 

(5  Richard  James  b-   1959 

md-  Lori  Ann  Cordoza 
(6)LaRae  b-  1961 

md-  Gary  Wayne  Mackay 
(7)  Marilyn  b-   1963 

md-  Gary  Hansen 


296 


WALLACE  P.  MURDOCH 

and 

PAULINE  CLEMENTS 

I  was  bom  October  24,  1924  at  home.  The 
9th  child  and  the  fifth  son  of  Brigham  and  Louannie 
Hammon  Murdoch.  My  wife  Pauline  Clements  was 
bom  8  July  1925  the  only  child  of  Paul  Eugene  and 
Nellie  Johnston  Clements.  She  was  bom  at  Wmfield, 
Titus  County,  Texas.  We  met  and  were  married  while 
I  was  stationed  in  Tyler,  Texas.  We  presendy  live  on  a 
50  acre  farm,  four  miles  South  of  Gettysburg, 
Pennsylvania.  Our  youngest  son,  Scott,  is  presently 
living  with  us.  We  have  three  other  sons  who  are 
married.  Wallace  Jr.  and  his  wife,  Sandy,  live  in 
Panama  and  are  employed  by  the  Panama  Canal 
Commission  and  United  States  Air  Force  respectively. 
Our  second  son,  Robert,  and  his  wife,  Debbie,  and 
children,  Alan  and  Nicole,  live  in  Boiling  Springs, 
Pennsylvania,  a  historic  area  about  25  miles  North  of 
Gettysburg.  Our  third  son,  Jon,  and  his  wife,  Judy, 
live  nine  miles  West  of  Gettysburg  in  Cashtown, 
Pennsylvania,  a  town  of  fame  associated  with  the 
Battie  of  Gettysburg  on  July  2,  3,  and  4,  1863. 

I  believe  my  earliest  memories  of  living  in 
Farnum,  are  associated  with  attending  the  Farnum 
School  and  my  association  with  my  peers  from  the  first 
grade  to  the  sixth  grade,  at  which  time  we  moved  to 
Ashton  in  November  7,  1935.  My  first  and  second 
grade  teacher  was  Wmifred  Bean  later  (Kirkham).  She 
was  an  excellent  teacher  but  I  did  not  get  along 
academically  in  her  classes  as  I  was  partially  color  blind 
and  could  not  identify  certain  colors.  I  was  not  real 
aware  of  the  situation  until  I  moved  to  Ashton  and  my 
sixth  grade  teacher,  Mrs.  Manning  recognized  my 
problem  explained  it  to  me  and  others  class  members. 

Bob  Bean  and  I  were  in  the  same  grade  and 
were  good  friends  and  remained  so  throughout  our 
school  days,  including  high  school,  where  we  were 
greatly  involved  in  musical  activities,  including  his 
dance  band.  I  had  many  other  friends  and  other 
acquaintances  from  the  many  families  that  lived  in  the 
Farnum  commimity.  These  involved  Elden  and  Elma 
Ruth  Hill,  Keith  and  Gweneth  Whittle,  Jack  Kidd, 
Wayne  Obcrhansley  and  William  and  WiUard  Rogers. 
Time  and  space  doesn't  permit  relating  personal 
experiences  with  these  wonderful  people  but  they  and 
others  in  the  community  certainly  helped  in 
establishing  positive  relationships  and  long  lasting 
fiiendships. 

During  my  third  and  fourth  grades  I  was 
taught  by  Mrs.  Elda  Smith,  a  wonderfiil  teacher.  Her 
husband  Edwin  Smith  taught  fifiii  through  eighth  and 
he  taught  me  in  the  fifth  and  part  of  the  sixth  grade 
year.  I  regarded  him  as  an  excellent  understanding 
teacher.  He  spent  extra  time  with  me  attempting  to 
improve  my  math  skills.  He  must  have  been 
successfiil,  as  I  later  attended  Utah  State  University 
earning  a  BS  degree  in  zoology  and  Masters  degree  in 
Medical  Entomology  followed  by  some  10  years  later 


Wallace  and  Pauline  Clements  Murdoch  family  b.r.  Jon,  Jercmey,  Wallace,  Pauline,  Jon,  Scott,  RobcrtWallace  Jr.  (Wally) 

fj".  Judy,  Nellie  Clements,  Allen,  Debbie,  Nichole,  Sandra 


receiving  a  Doctor  of  Philosophy  in  Zoology  and 
Environmental  Engineering  at  the  University  of 
Utah. 

The  Smiths  were  building  a  home  in  Sugar 
City  and  would  return  there  on  occasions,  particularly 
Mr.  Smith.  After  we  moved  to  Ashton,  Mr.  Smith 
acquired  a  dog  team  to  get  from  Farnum  to  Ashton 
so  he  could  go  on  to  Sugar  City  by  train.  On  several 
occasions  he  would  leave  his  dog  team  and  sled  to  my 
care  and  I  had  permission  to  use  them  during  his 
absence.  Needless  to  say  I  was  overjoyed  because 
what  seventh  grader  had  access  to  a  real  dog  team  and 
sled.  Although  dog  teams  were  common  in  Ashton 
during  the  1930's  and  early  1940's  not  many  were 
driven  by  a  young  kid.  I  will  always  have  a  warm  soft 
spot  in  my  heart  for  Elda  and  Edwin  Smith  for  being 
such  wonderful  teachers  and  role  models  to  follow. 

For  such  a  rural  community,  Farnum  seemed 
to  have  a  reasonable  amount  of  social  functions  which 
were  held  at  the  Farnum  L.D.S.  Church.  I  recall 
attending  annual  Christmas  parties  with  Santa  in 
attendance  with  a  dance  following.  With  Frank  Bratt 
playing  the  violin  and  Brian  Bean  (Bob  Bean's  dad), 
on  the  saxophone.  I  think  they  had  a  piano  player  but 
I  don't  recall  who  it  was.  There  were  also  plays, 
rodeos  and  ball  games  held  at  the  church.  There  was 
a  big  empty  field  around  the  church  where  outdoor 
activities  could  be  held.  It  was  also  where  we  as  a 
family  worshipped.  I  remember  riding  to  church  in  a 
buggy  and  horse  drawn  rubber  tired  wagon,  and  by 
car  as  time  went  by. 

My  parents  being  homesteaders  were  real  true 
pioneers  and,  as  other  homesteaders  of  the  time,  really 
struggled  to    make  their  farms  a  success.    No  one 


could  make  it  alone  and  I  vividly  recall  the  yearly 
scenes  of  neighbors  helping  each  other  out  in  the 
haying  season  and  helping  one  another  in  the 
harvesting  before  the  rains  and  snow  came  which  it 
did  early  some  years.  Threshing  was  one  of  the  farm 
activities  that  was  a  great  event,  in  my  memory 
because  of  the  massive  machinery  and  the  many  teams 
and  wagons  it  took  to  haul  the  peas  or  grain  from  the 
field  to  the  thresher,  and  how  steady  the  horses  were 
as  they  stood  by  the  great  long  power  belt  that  drove 
the  thresher.  I  also  remember  vividly  the  tragedy  of 
Allen  Hendrickson  being  injured  by  a  great  pulley  and 
his  subsequent  death  a  few  days  later. 

I  remember  the  great  meals  mother  and  other 
neighbor  ladies  prepared  and  fed  these  hungry 
threshers  were  amazing. 

Haying  was  also  an  intriguing  aspect  of  farm 
life  that  required  a  lot  of  help.  I  remember  Claud 
Henry  was  always  our  hay  stacker  and  took  great  pride 
in  being  able  to  make  an  absolute  perfect  stack  of  hay. 
I  also  remember  him  being  narrowly  missed  by  the 
massive  derrick  pole  when  it's  anchor  cable  broke  and 
the  pole  came  crashing  down  just  a  few  inches  from 
his  head  .  I  also  remember  Claud  and  Sarah  for  their 
kindness  to  my  younger  sister  Katie  and  I.  On  many 
trips  to  town  he  would  stop  by  and  take  Katie  and  I  to 
town  with  him  and  always  buy  us  a  goodie  of  some 
sort.  I  also  remember  one  Fourth  of  July  when  I  was 
very  young  that  the  Murdoch  and  Henry  families 
celebrated  at  the  Bear  Gulch.  We  went  through  the 
railroad  tunnel.  We  had  a  big  bonfire.  I  remember 
Donald  throwing  fire  crackers  into  the  fire,  and  the 
mosquitoes,  so  many  they  could  almost  carry  one  off 
I  last  saw  Donald  at  a  dance  at  Rendezvous  dance  hall 


297 


c  a; 


at  Warm  River  when  wc  were  both  home  on  leave 
from  the  military  in  1944. 

My  memories  of  home  life  on  the  farm  are 
generally  good  and  I  look  back  on  them  fondly. 
Geographically  it  was  a  wonderful  location.  It 
provided  a  wonderful  view  of  the  mountains  to  the 
North,  the  Tetons  to  the  East,  and  Fall  River  below, 
which  formed  part  of  the  boundary  of  our  farm.  Fall 
River  provided  an  outiet  for  recreation  to  the  family 
members  who  loved  to  fish  and  for  many  friends  and 
relatives  from  many  miles  distance.  That  river 
becomes  a  common  bond  that  brings  family  members 
together  every  year  at  the  "Point",  the  confluence  of 
Fall  River  and  Conant  Creek.  Reunions  have  for 
several  generations  been  an  important  function  for  the 
Murdoch  and  Hammon  (Mother's  maiden  name) 
families  and  continue  to  do  so.  Without  these 
reunions  I  would  have  never  met  many  of  my  uncles, 
aunts,  and  cousins.  Our  family  was  quite  musical,  and 
music  played  a  big  part  in  our  lives  in  those  early  days. 
Dad  played  the  guitar  and  corded  on  the  piano  and  I 
remember  with  fascination  the  times  that  he  on  the 
piano,  uncle  Tom(  dad's  brother)  and  Claud  Henry 
on  the  fiddles  and  Johnny  Van  Sickle  on  the  guitar 
would  play  together  for  dances.  We  had  a  piano  which 
provided  a  basis  of  a  lot  of  family  entertainment. 

Glen  Baird  was  a  ditch  rider  for  our  section  of 
the  Conant  Creek  canal,  which  passed  through  our 
ranch.  Glen  would  make  a  detour  on  his  horse  and 
come  down  to  the  house  and  give  piano  lessons  to  my 
sisters,  Tressa  and  Martha,  and  would  be  on  his  way 
again.  The  canal  that  ran  through  our  place  provided 
irrigation  water  but  also  a  place  for  swimming  or  more 
honesdy  mud  crawling.  The  canal  had  it's  beginning, 
in  Conant  Creek  many  miles  to  the  east. 

Ours  was  an  active  ranch  with  all  the  tillage 
and  planting  b>eing  done  by  horses.  On  occasion  the 
horses  would  ford  the  Fall  River  usually  at  night.  To 
drive  them  back  meant  a  long  walk  around  to  the 
bridge  at  Jim  Hill's  place  (where  Jay  Hill  lives  at  the 
present  time)  and  back  down  the  river  to  where  the 
horses  were,  drive  them  back  across,  then  take  the 
long  walk  back.  If  the  water  was  not  too  high  we 
would  ford  the  river  where  the  horses  crossed,  chase 
them  back  across  then  follow  them  ourselves.  This 
was  very  dangerous  and  my  brother  Howard  and  I 
were  lucky  we  survived  these  crossings.  Wc  also  had  a 
herd  of  Jersey  cows  that  required  milking  twice  a  day. 
Tressa  and  Martha  were  good  milk  maids  and  the  year 
I  was  seven,  I  foolishly  had  them  teach  me  how  to 
milk.  Once  I  learned  it  was  one  of  my  daily  chores 
that  lasted  for  many  years.  Mother  made  butter  which 
she  sold  in  town  and  another  job  I  had  was  to  operate 
the  hand  cranked  chum.  I  detested  this  chore  and 
got  very  bored  cranking  the  churn  in  one  direction 
only  but  was  afraid  to  crank  in  reverse  for  fear  of 
unchuming  the  butter.  Mother's  butter  was  very  good 
and  readily  sold  in  the  Red  and  White  store  in  Ashton. 

Wc  also  had  a  large  herd  of  sheep  which 
required  a  lot  of  work  and  care.    Dad  banded  his 


298 


The  Murdoch  sheep  camp  and  family 

sheep  with  a  neighbor,  Hans  Neilsen  and  Mr.  John 
McFarlin,  our  mail  carrier  from  Dnimmond.  They 
had  grazing  rights  in  the  Targee  National  Forest,  east 
of  Drummond  and  I  remember  visiting  the  sheep 
camps  in  the  summer  and  of  having  to  tromp  wool 
into  the  wool  bags  at  shearing  time  in  the  spring  time. 
I  liked  the  sheep  and  raised  sheep  on  our  Gettysburg 
ferm  for  15  Years  with  a  breeding  flock  of  up  to  200 
ewes.  I  also  raised  beef  cattle  here  but  never  had  a 
milk  cow.  Our  farming  here  at  Gettysburg  was  more 
of  a  hobby  as  I  was  engaged  full-time  in  my 
professional  career  as  a  commissioned  Medical 
Entomologist  in  the  Medical  Service  Corps  of  the  U.S. 
Army  and  upon  retirement  as  an  association  Executive 
Direaor. 

Life  on  the  ranch  in  Famum  has  left  me  with 
many  pleasant  memories  and  my  experience  there 
certainly  impacted  on  my  life  that  followed.  Wc 
children  were  required  to  work  hard,  learn  respon- 
sibility and  how  to  care  for  one  another.  From  our 
Gettysburg  home  we  can  drive  on  many  country  roads 
and  see  horse  drawn  buggies,  farmers  working  in  the 
fields  using  horses  and  mules  and  homes  without 
electric  power  or  telephone.  These  are  the  fiirms  of 
many  Amish  families  in  the  area,  that  continue  to  live 
the  life  style  that  we  lived  while  at  Famum. 

One  of  the  big  joys  of  summer  was  taking  the 
24th  of  July  off  from  haying  and  going  to  St  Anthony 
to  sec  the  parade,  attend  a  patriotic  meeting  in  the 
Tabernacle  and  attend  a  rodeo  later  in  the  day. 
During  the  Parade  I  vividly  remember  watching  a 
formation  of  World  I  war  veterans  marching  in  the 
parade.  This  memory  has  stayed  with  me  over  the 
years. 

Our  farm  here  in  Gettysburg  was  part  of  the 
scene  of  batde  during  the  last  two  days  of  that  historic 
battie  in  the  Civil  War  on  the  2nd,  3rd,  and  4th  of 
July  1865.  The  artifacts  of  bullets,  buckles,  buttons, 
rifle  parts,  spurs,  exploded  parts  of  cannon  balls,  as 
well  as  unexplodcd  cannon  balls,  attest  to  the  ferocity 
of  the  fighting  that  took  place  on  our  farm.  Knowing 
our  house  (a  pre-Civil  War  home),  was  used  to  shelter 
the  wounded  and  dying  makes  this  great  battie  more 


important  to  mc.  The  Union  and  Confederate  still 
march  the  streets  of  Gettysburg  and  reenactment  of 
some  of  the  individual  battles  are  held  every  year  here, 
sometimes  involving  over  12,000  troops.  As  I  view 
these  events  I  am  always  reminded  of  those  veterans  of 
another  era  that  fought  for  our  freedoms,  marching  in 
the  24th  of  July  parade  in  St  Anthony,  Idaho.  I  look 
back  on  the  12  years  of  living  in  Farnum  as  a 
wonderful  privilege  and  experiences.  I  am  the  product 
of  loving  and  caring  parents,  brothers  and  sisters  who 
helped  me  find  an  identity  and  helped  mc  prepare  for 
a  successful  future.  They  were  indeed  wonderful 
years. 

By:  Wallace  P.  Murdoch 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Wallace  P.Jr.  b- 1948 
md-  Sandra  Kimiko  Saito 

(2)  Robert  Allen  b-  1952 
md-  Debra  Lee  Coppersmith 

(3)  Jon  Paul  b-  1956 
md-  Judy  Ann  Sheivert 

(4)  Kenneth  Scott  b-  1959 
md-  Georgia      (div) 

KATIE  MURDOCH 

and 

GLADE  LYON 


U    i 

Glade  and  Kadc  Mundoch  Lyon 

I  was  bom  on  August  5,  1926  at  Farnum  to 
Brig  &  Louann  Hammon  Murdoch.  I  was  the  10th 
child. 

My  childhood  memories  are  warm  and  happy. 
We  weeded  gardens,  picked  raspberries,  milked  cows, 
hunted  for  mice  nests  and  I  knew  where  every  bird 
nest  was  for  at  least  a  mile  radius.  We  weren't  allowed 
to  take  the  eggs  but  it  was  fim  to  watch  them  hatch 
and  see  the  baby  birds  grow.    I  helped  Martha  and     999 


Tressa  herd  cows  and  I  spent  many  happy  hours  with 
the  bum  lambs. 

The  Christmas  parties  held  at  the  Church 
were  wonderful.  Santa  always  came  with  each  child  a 
gift.  We  ate  and  then  everyone  danced.  Even  the 
children.  My  dad  and  uncle  Tom  played  for  the 
dances  and  sometimes  dad  would  take  time  out  and 
dance  with  my  mother. 

The  only  relatives  we  had  living  near  was 
uncle  Tom  and  aunt  Sarah  Murdoch.  It  was  fun 
growing  up  with  their  family  and  going  to  holiday 
dinners  cither  at  their  house  or  ours.  Uncle  Tom  and 
Dad  used  to  meet  at  the  canal  so  they  could  cut  each 
others  hair. 

The  4th  of  July  party  was  at  the  Church  and 
all  social  things  were  held  there.  This  was  before 
anyone  ever  thought  of  complaining  about  church  and 
state.  We  just  all  had  a  good  time. 

My  parents  worked  very  hard  and  about  the 
only  time  they  took  off  was  when  the  relatives  came 
from  Utah  and  a  big  reunion  took  place. 

We  rode  the  school  sleigh  in  the  winter  and 
walked  in  the  spring  and  fall.  In  the  summer  we  swam 
in  the  canal  and  the  river. 

I  attended  the  2  room  school  for  almost  five 
years.  My  first  grade  teacher  was  Wmifrcd  Kirkham 
and  my  next  teachers  were  Edwin  and  Elda  Harriet 
Smith. 

I  remember  once  when  there  was  such  a  bad 
blizzard  the  sleigh  didn't  make  it  home.  Howard  and 
Wallace  walked  home  but  Gweneth  Whittle  and  I 
stayed  at  her  grandmas  house  all  night.  I  was  very 
firightened  being  away  from  home. 

When  I  was  10  we  moved  to  Ash  ton  and  my 
parents  ran  a  dairy.  Dad's  health  was  bad  and  he  relied 
a  lot  on  Howard  and  Wallace.  Mother  really  kept 
everything  together. 

The  war  came  and  this  was  a  bad  time  for  all 
of  us.  Howard  and  Wallace  went  along  with  brothers- 
in-law,  nephews  and  many  cousins.  The  whole 
community  was  very  close  at  this  time. 

I  attended  school  in  Ashton  and  after 
graduation  worked  in  stores  and  picked  potatoes  like 
everyone  else  did. 

In  1946  I  married  Glade  Lyon,  an  Ashton 
man,  just  returned  from  the  war.  We  ran  Lyon's  store 
for  42  years. 

We  had  4  children.  All  married.  Jack  and 
Anne  live  in  Salt  Lake  area  and  have  4  children. 
Suzanne  and  husband  Larry  Hamilton  have  3  children 
and  live  in  Ashton.  Robin  married  Rodolfo  Rivas  and 
has  4  children  and  also  lives  in  Ashton.  Kathy  and 
Steve  Anderson  live  in  Bremerton,  Washington  and 
have  4  children. 

It  has  been  a  good  life  and  we  have  kept  close 
ties  with  Farnum.  We  own  a  couple  of  acres  where 
Conant  Creek  empties  into  Fall  river.  Every  holiday 
and  every  chance  we  get  is  spent  there.  The 
Murdochs  still  meet  there  once  a  year  in  August  for  a 
reunion. 


V- 
(,'■ 


^•3 


Wc  arc  grateful  for  Famum  and  all  the  people 
we  knew  there  and  the  warm  memories  that  wc  still 
hold  dear. 

Since  retirement  Glade  and  I  still  live  in 
Ashton.  We  travel,  picnic,  garden  and  enjoy  our  14 
grandchildren.  I  especially  enjoy  making  quilts. 

By:  Katie  Murdoch  Lyon 

CHILDREN: 

(l)JackM.  b- 1951 

md-  Cecilia  Anne  Williams 

(2)  Suzanne  b-  1953 
md-  Larry  Grant  Hamilton 

(3)  Robin  b-  1957 
md-(l)Verl  Ralph  Miller 

(2)  Rudolph  Rivas 

(4)  Kathy  b-  1961 
md-  Gary  Steven  Anderson 

HANS  ANTONE  NEILSEN 

and 

AMY  SIMMS  COOLEY 


Hans  Ncilscn  (age  91),  Lynn  Murdoch 
children,  Amy  Simms,  Coolcy  Ncilscn 

Hans  Antone  Neilsen,  was  born,  a  son  of 
Hans  and  Anna  Holgerson  Neilsen,  at  Gastrup, 
Denmark,  August  16,  1872.  In  1879  his  father  died 
and  his  mother  married  a  widower  with  four  daughters 
and  one  son.  Later  a  boy  was  bom  to  this  union.  At 
the  age  of  10,  with  his  parents  who  had  been 
converted  to  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Lattcrday 
Saints,  he  came  to  Utah  settling  at  Fountain  Green, 
Utah.  Here  he  worked  with  his  father  who  was  a 
carpenter  and  from  him  learned  the  trade.  As  a  young 
man  he  went  to  Samaria,  near  Malad,  and  lived  with  a 
family  named  Jenkins  and  herded  sheep  in  the  hills  for 
him. 

He  came  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho  from  Samaria 
March  4,  1895  and  herded  sheep  in  the  Wilford  area 
for  a  sheepman. 

He  came  to  Farnum  in  March  1896  and 
looked  things  over  and  went  back  to  St.  Anthony  and 
worked  for  Charlie  Coxson,  just  after  his  livery  stable 
burned  down.  Hans'  team  was  the  first  team  put  in 
the  new  bam.    He  worked  for  Charlie  and  his  father 


300 


until  July  when  he  heard  about  the  new  Conant  Creek 
Canal  being  made.  "When  I  saw  the  canal  was  to  be 
built,  I  went  to  St.  Anthony  in  July  1896  and  filed  on 
a  homestead  of  144  acres,  on  Fall  River  taking  off  a 
corner  of  Section  24,Township  B,  Range  42. 
President  Teddy  Roosevelt  signed  the  document. 

It  was  a  beautifiil  place,  on  the  banks  of  Fall 
River.  (On  May  19,  1900,  there  were  thirteen  home- 
steaders in  the  community  at  that  time.  Hans  Neilsen 
was  admitted  as  a  member  of  the  Conant  Creek  Canal 
Company. 

In  1903  water  was  turned  in  the  canal  for  the 
first  time.  It  was  not  complete  but  a  small  stream  was 
run  through.  This  was  to  the  first  terminus.  (Pioneer 
Irrigation  Upper  Snake  River  Valley  History  Book 
page  258-9). 

Hans  soon  started  to  build  a  house  and  other 
buildings  on  his  homestead.  He  worked  away  in  the 
winter  at  different  jobs,  cutting  ice,  and  feeding  sheep 
for  Woodmansce.  He  worked  on  the  reservoir.  Hans 
went  to  Market  Lake  for  champagne  to  serve  to  his 
friends  when  the  train  made  it's  first  run  to  St. 
Anthony. 

He  drove  a  delivery  team  owned  by  Charlie 
Coxson.  He  and  Percy  Hawkcs  bid  the  first  four  logs 
for  the  Community  House. 

Hans  Neilsen  and  Silas  Green  and  others 
carried  mail  from  Chester  to  Squirrel  so  they  could 
establish  a  mail  route. 

Hans  was  active  in  church  affairs.  He  was  class 
leader  of  the  adult  class  when  Farnum  was  made  a 
Ward.  Deafness  became  a  handicap  to  him  early  in 
life.  Hans  loved  to  dance. 

He  bought  a  band  of  sheep  and  lived  in  a 
sheep  camp  and  rented  his  farm  to  others.  Ed  and 
Beth  Hansen  a  brother  and  sister-in-law  of  Sarah 
Hansen  Murdoch  rented  the  place  for  a  while 
followed  by  the  McCaskills  1924-25,  Srillman  and 
Hazel  Whittle,  Arnold  and  Gertrude  Whittic,  Steven 
and  Delia  Murdoch  Davis  1940,  Chet  and  Edna 
Phillips  were  a  few  that  lived  on  Hans'  place. 

In  1938  he  married  Amy  Simms  Cooley  of 
Ponca  City,  Oklahoma.  He  bought  a  home  in  Ashton 
at  this  time,  next  door  to  his  dear  friends  Brig  and 
Louannie  Murdoch.  It  was  nice  that  he  would  choose 
to  live  neighbors  again.  They  had  been  neighbors  for 
fburty  years  and  had  become  like  brothers. 

Hans  passed  away  May  19,  1964,  having 
lived  a  very  full  and  rewarding  life,  at  the  age  of  92. 
He  is  laid  to  rest  next  to  the  two  families  he  loved  the 
most,  the  Thomas  Todd  Murdoch  family  and  the  Brig 
Murdoch  family.  He  and  his  wife  Amy  are  buried  in 
the  Murdoch  plots. 

(Ashton  Herald  News,  Thursday  April  15, 
1937).  Hans  Neilsen  home  again  driving  a  new  Ford 
V8. 

(Ashton  Herald  News,Thursday  November 
1938).   Hans  came  out  from  .^ihton  to  look  after  his 
sheep. 
Sources: 


(1)    (6007,455)  Farnum  Ward  Early  membership 
records  (1899-1900).  (2)    1910  Census  Upland 
precinct,  Fremont,  Idaho. 
(3)  WUford  Ward  records  11  November,  1898. 

By  Delia  Murdoch  Davis  Perry 
Tressa  Murdoch  Garrett 

FREDRICK  CHARLES  CHRISTIAN 

NIENDORF 

and 

ADDIE  FRANCIS  DURHAM 

It  sovmded  like  the  promised  land.  Majestic 
mountains,  crystal  streams,  verdant  meadows,  and  fine 
soil  for  farming  —  so  wrote  my  two  brothers  who 
were  homesteading  in  Idaho. 

Father  was  finally  convinced.  He  sold  his 
shoe  store  in  Mound  City,  Missouri  and  chartered  a 
fi-eight  car  for  our  belongings.  On  April  5,  1906,  the 
Fred  Niendorf  family,  consisting  of  Father,  Mother, 
three  boys  (15,  13,  and  3),  and  three  girls  (17,  16, 
and  me  -  age  10),  was  ready  to  begin  the  long  train 
ride. 

What  a  ferwell  party!  Friends  and  neighbors 
—  even  the  Mayor  —  brought  food,  baskets  of  fhiit 
and  all  kinds  of  goodies.  It  was  a  tiring  journey  for 
my  pregnant  mother,  but  exciting  for  the  rest  of  us. 
We  changed  trains  several  times  -  no  easy  task  with 
valises,  baskets,  boxes,  blankets,  and  all  that  food! 
Once  when  we  were  getting  ready  to  disembark,  my 
feisty  brother,  Harry,  lined  us  all  up  (each  weighed 
down  with  belongings)  and  called  out  in  a  military 
voice,  "January,  February...  MARCH!"  Spectators 
laughed,  but  Mother  didn't  think  it  very  funny. 


At  last  we  reached  St.  Anthony  -  so  desolate 
my  sisters  wept.  There  my  homesteading  brothers, 
Loyd  and  Ralph  met  us.  We  all  rested  a  few  days  and 
then  because  our  house  was  still  being  built,  the  rest 
of  the  family  remained  in  the  hotel  while  Father,  Lucy, 
Paul  and  I  got  our  first  taste  of  real  pioneering.  We 
rode  in  a  lumber  wagon  over  sagebrush,  skirting 
snowdrifts  and  forded  the  Snake  River.  How  could 
this  be  the  road  to  the  promised  land?  There  wasn't 
even  a  trail.  Even  Loyd  and  Ralph  seemed  lost, 
sometimes  unhitching  one  of  the  four  horses  to  gallop 
off  to  some  distant  farm  for  directions. 

That  night  we  slept  on  the  floor  of  a  deserted 
cabin  and  were  terrified  to  hear  our  first  coyotes.  The 
second  evening  we  reached  the  homestead  in  what  is 
now  the  Lamont  area.  The  nearest  town  was  Squirrel 
with  one  school,  a  dance  hall,  store  and  post  office. 

Farming  was  hard  and  sometimes  discour- 
aging, but  the  soil  was  good  and  my  brothers  did  well. 
The  land  kept  its  promise. 

By:  Wmnie  Niendorf  Robson 
as  told  to  Sylvia  E.  Moss 

The  following  information  was  written  by  Harry 
Niendorf  Jr.  January  1991. 

The  Niendorf  family  homesteaded  about  the 
four  comers  area,  one  mile  north  of  Lamont,  which  I 
will  use  as  a  starting  point  to  describe  the  area  and 
inhabitants.  Harry  homesteaded  the  southwest  comer 
(now  farmed  by  Marvin  Hill  -  1991).  Lucy  filed  and 
proved  up  on  the  northwest  corner  while  Paul 
homesteaded  the  northeast  corner.  (This  is  now 
ovmed  by  Francis  Bratt).    Ralph  took  that  property 


Fredrick  C.  C.  and  Addic  Francis  Niendorf  family 

301 


^''? 
i 


west  of  Paul's  homestead,  and  was  located  on  both 
sides  of  the  road  where  the  road  leaves  the  section  line 
to  follow  the  ravine  down  into  Conant  Creek.  Loyd 
was  able  to  acquire  a  form  west  of  Drummond,  some 
8-10  miles  west  of  Lamont.  The  first  home  of  the 
NiendorPs  was  located  not  on  their  own  homestead 
but  approximately  a  hundred  yards  north  of  the 
boundary  in  a  neighbor's  pasture.  This  site  is  directly 
across  the  road  from  the  Ralph  hill  residence  (as  of 
1990)  and  on  land  then  owned  by  Elias  Cook.  The 
family  lived  there  about  two  years  while  construction 
was  begun  on  a  new  modern  (frame)  house  much 
larger  than  the  sod  roof  cabin  near  Conant  Creek. 
This  house  was  built  about  a  quarter  mile  west  of  the 
comers  and  provided  an  ideal  view.  It  is  still  in  the 
family,  owned  by  Mrs.  Edna  (Frank)  Niendorf,  who 
was  married  to  the  youngest  of  the  Niendorf  boys, 
Don. 

Fredrick  Charles  Christian  Niendorf  was  bom 
July  7,  1856  in  Mecklinburg,  Germany,  and  died 
February  12,  1914.  His  wife  Addie  Frances  (Durham) 
Niendorf  was  bom  March  6,  1863,  in  Indiana.  She 
died  Nov.  10, 1925  in  Culver  City,  Ca. 

Ralph  the  oldest  of  the  living  children  was 
bom  in  Mound  City,  Mo.  on  July  22,  1883.  He  had 
left  the  homestead  around  1920  for  greener  pastures 
in  Culver  City  and  died  there  September.  13,  1942. 
Loyd  lived  and  farmed  in  the  Dmmmond  area.  He 
also  operated  a  grocery  store  and  was  Postmaster  there 
until  his  death  in  1950. 

Jenny  Lena  Niendorf  married  Bill  Stronks  of 
Highland  and  they  too  moved  to  Culver  City,  Ca.  in 
the  early  twenties  where  Bill  worked  as  a  carpenter. 
Jennie  was  bom  in  Mound  City,  Mo.  on  August  3, 
1889,  and  died  December.  18,  1944,  just  two  years 
after  Ralph's  death. 

Howard  Nelson  Niendorf,  the  youngest  of 
the  family  to  make  the  trip  west,  was  bom  May  12, 
1903  and  died  at  the  homestead  on  Mar.  24, 1917. 

Harry  and  Paul  married  sisters,  Hazel  and 
Bemice  Gibson.  Their  father  was  William  Gibson  who 
homestcaded  the  last  remaining  public  land  in  the 
area,  located  about  two  miles  cast  of  the  four  comers, 
and  the  last  farm  on  the  south  side  of  the  road  that 
leads  into  Targhee  Forest.  Hazel  had  homesteaded 
several  acres  on  the  north  side  of  that  same  road,  land 
now  (1990)  owned  by  the  Fredrickson  family  since 
1940.  Harry  and  Hazel  were  divorced  about  1925 
and  Harry  later  married  Josie  Burrell  of  St.  Anthony. 
Harry  was  bom  in  Moimd  City,  September.  3,  1891 
and  died  December  22, 1957. 

Hazel  was  bom  January  23,  1892,  lived  until 
1985.  That  same  year  Zeta  and  Edna  also  passed  on. 
Edna  was  born  July  28,  1893  and  Zeta  was  born 
September  14, 1896.  Bemice  died  January  7, 1953. 

Other  children  of  that  marriage  were  Margie, 
bom  May  16,  1899,  Joe  bom  December  1,  1900, 
Cora  Belle  born  September  22,  1903,  and  William 
Henry  (Hoot)  Gibson,  bom  Nov.  1,  1907,  and  died 
in  1986. 


1883 

d- 

1942 

1884 

d- 

1950 

1886 

d- 

1978 

1889 

d- 

1944 

1891 

d- 

1957 

1896        d- 1990 


302 


Summary  of  the  Niendorf  Family 
PARENTS 
Fredrick  Charles  Christian  Niendorf 

b-  1856        d-  1914 
Addie  Francis  Durham  Niendorf 

b- 1863       d-  1925 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Ralph  b- 

2)  Loyd  John  b- 
md-  Effie  Mae  Garver 

3)  Lucy  b- 
md-  Roy  Moore 

4)  Jennie  Lena  b- 
md-  Bill  Stronks 

5)  Harry  b- 
md-  (1)  Hazel  Gibson 
md-  (2)Josie  Burrell 

6)  Paul 
md-  Bemice  Gibson 

7)  Wmnie  b- 
md-  Horace  Robson 

8)  Howard  Nelson  b-  1903        d-  1917 

9)  Don  b-  1906        d-  1977 
md-  Edna  Frank 


As  we  leave  the  four  corners  going  east 
toward  Dad  Gibson's  farm,  the  next  neighbors  (of 
Paul)  were  the  Smiths.  Earl  and  Naomi  Smith  had 
homesteaded  approximately  one  year  later  than  the 
Niendorfs.  They  had  three  children;  Merlin,  Alon, 
and  Patty.  This  farm  was  later  tumed  over  to  Mrs. 
Nellie  (DePriest)  Snowberger  who  had  taught  school 
for  many  years  in  the  Squirrel  and  Lamont  school 
districts. 

The  next  farm  east  of  the  Smith  family  was 
the  Swanson  homestead.  Mr.  Swanson  died  shortly 
after  obtaining  a  patent  on  the  land  and  his  widow 
Dollie  (DePriest)  Swanson  married  Boone  Jessen. 
They  farmed  there  for  a  good  many  years  until  failing 
health  necessitated  a  move.  The  DePriest  family 
moved  to  Idaho  about  1900  from  Ogallala,  Nebr. 
Nellie  and  Dollie  had  two  brothers,  Nick  and  Pete 
DePriest,  who  made  a  living  trapping  and  some  farm 
work  in  the  area.  The  next  farm  east  of  the  Swansons 
was  Jasper  and  Allie  Litton.  Jasper  had  apparently 
moved  to  Idaho  from  the  New  England  area  and  still 
possessed  a  Yankee  accent,  somewhat  out  of  place 
among  the  Western  or  German  accents  around 
Lamont.  The  Litton  homestead  extended  east  to 
border  Hazel  Gibson's  homestead. 

The  two  remaining  farms  on  the  south  side  of 
this  road  going  east  fi-om  the  four  comers  were  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Moody.  Mr.  Moody  was  somewhat  of  an 
enigma.  He  was  a  quiet  man,  and  for  one  reason  or 
another,  had  left  a  position  as  professor  in  one  of  the 
more  prestigious  universities  back  east,  to  try  his  hand 
at  farming  in  the  west.  He  found  fiir  farming  as 
enjoyable  as  dry  farming  (and  probably  more 
profitable  in  the  early  1930's).  He  raised  foxes  and  he 


found  that  the  less  company  they  had  in  those  days  of 
travel  by  horseback  or  team  (and  the  family  dog),  the 
better  his  foxes  would  do.  It  seems  the  foxes  were 
easily  upset.  The  Moody  farm  was  adjacent  and  to  the 
west  of  Dad  Gibson's  place.  West  of  Moody's  was  the 
Conlon  farm.  "Pop"  Conlon  had  one  of  the  larger 
places  in  the  Lamont  area.  His  farm  extended  west  to 
the  "four  comers"  and  south  to  the  railroad  that  runs 
through  beautiful  "downtown"  Lamont. 

There  were  several  femilies  in  Lamont  in  the 
early  1930's.  Joe  Cook  and  wife  Lilly  had  left  the 
Conant  Creek  family  home  to  work  for  the  Railroad. 
Alon  Fulmer  of  the  Teton  Basin  area  was  the  foreman 
then.  When  the  Union  Pacific  dosed  the  maintenance 
facility  at  Lamont,  Joe  opened  the  general  store  there 
and  became  Postmaster.  Alon  and  family  were  moved 
to  Tctonia.  Jim  and  his  son,  Harold  Southwick,  lived 
on  the  west  end  of  the  community. 

Following  Highway  #32  east  (more  or  less), 
we  would  come  to  the  homesteads  of  the  family  after 
whom  the  village  was  named.  The  first  home  on  the 
right  was  the  Elmo  Lamont  homestead.  Ben  and  Kate 
(Thomas)  Lamont  still  live  on  the  property  (1990). 
The  next  home  on  the  left  (still  on  HW-32)  was  the 
Schultz  family.  Mrs.  Schultz  operated  the  Post  Office 
out  of  the  local  school  house  until  Joe  Cook  was 
appointed  Postmaster.  Continuing  east  on  SH-32 
past  Schultzcs  and  on  the  left,  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  is 
the  Clyde  Lamont  homestead,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  road.  This  may  very  well  be  the  most  scenic  view 
in  all  of  southeastern  Idaho.  Clyde  and  Emma  left  the 
farm  in  the  mid-thirties  to  operate  the  local  bus  system 
in  Idaho  Falls.  The  south  side  of  the  road  at  that 
point  was  the  homestead  of  Mr.  Lamont,  Clyde  and 
Elmo's,  father.  Their  house  can  be  seen  still  standing 
( 1990)  on  the  south  side  of  the  road,  overlooking  the 
Bitch  Creek  bridge.  It  should  be  noted  that  SH-32 
east  turns  south  at  this  point  and  on  into  Teton 
County.  The  Kimbrough  family  had  homesteaded 
some  acreage  north  of  the  road  and  had  built  their 
home  at  this  turn  of  the  road  to  the  south.  They  left 
the  form  in  the  early  thirties  also,  to  open  a  motel  in 
Idaho  Falls. 

Following  a  county  road  more  or  less  east 
from  the  Kimbrough  comer  we  would  come  to  the 
Ferrin  school  house.  It  was  moved  to  Teton  county  in 
the  late  thirties,  to  replace  a  school  house  that  bumed. 
Hazel  Gibson  Niendorf  was  the  last  school  teacher  at 
Ferrin.  She  began  teaching  at  Lamont  the  following 
term,  about  1930.  North  of  the  Ferrin  school  were 
the  farms  of  Fred  Halsey,  and  beyond  his  place  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile,  was  the  Sy  Johnson  homestead. 
North  of  Sy's  farm,  we  again  return  to  the  south 
boundary  of  Dad  Gibson's  place.  Between  the  Moody 
farm  and  the  Kimbrough  farm  was  another  small  farm, 
belonging  to  Dutch  Miller.  No  one  remembers  the 
Dutchman's  first  name,  but  Dutch  became  more 
famous  in  death,  than  life,  probably.  He  was  stmck  by 
lightning  while  discing  or  plowing.  The  bolt  left  him 
sitting  on  the  implement,  until  he  was  found  several 


303 


days  later.  Clyde  Lamont  saw  his  horses  running  free 
in  the  pasture,  with  the  harness  on,  and  went  over  to 
investigate. 

Returning  to  Lamont  as  a  new  starting  point 
for  the  community  and  going  west  along  SH-32  past 
Jim  Southwick's  we  would  come  to  the  Philip  Lerwill 
place,  and  beyond  his  farm,  north,  was  the  Alex  Hill 
homestead  and  still  in  the  family.  North  of  Hill's,  the 
next  homestead  we  come  to,  is  the  Lee  Gallagher 
farm,  which  borders  the  Fred  Niendorf  new  home  up 
on  the  hill,  with  the  wonderful  view  mentioned  earlier. 

South  of  the  Lerwill  farm  but  on  the  south 
side  of  SH-32  is  the  firm  of  Earnest  and  Dolly  French. 
This  farm  is  still  in  the  family. 

To  return  to  the  Ferrin  schoolhouse  as  a 
landmark,  another  mile  east  of  the  school,  was  the 
farm  owned  by  Fred  Hill.  Fred  and  Olga  had  another 
beautiful  homesite  overlooking  Bitch  Creek  from 
among  the  pines.  This  farm  too,  is  still  in  the  family. 

It  would  be  appropriate  to  include  other 
members  of  the  Lamont  community  who  were  not 
land  owners  but  made  up  an  important  segment  of  the 
social  stmcture.  These  would  be  Alf  and  Burt  Tew, 
who  lived  in  a  trapper  cabin  about  half  way  between 
Bitch  Creek  and  the  Ferrin  schoolhouse.  Alf  married 
Lulu,  to  the  delight  of  local  punsters  who  couldn't 
refiain  from  describing  them  as,  "Alf  and  Lulu  too". 
Alf  and  Lulu  did  receive  a  wonderful  shivarce, 
however,  and  possibly  Burt  may  have  had  no  part  in 
that.  One  might  remember  that  Burt  did  have  a 
wonderful  sense  of  humor  though,  and  was  well  liked 
and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

George  Nelson  was  back  and  forth  in  the 
area,  and  he  to,  was  well  liked  and  respected  by  all. 
George  came  to  Idaho  from  Father  Flanaghan's 
Boystown,  near  Omaha,  Nebraska.  Frank  Stulick 
arrived  in  the  area  about  1934  or  35,  and  eventually 
acquired  a  homesite  on  Conant  Creek.  Alton  (Red) 
Bailey  operated  a  sawmill  on  George's  homesite, 
before  George  bought  the  land.  Fred  Bryson  was  a 
tie-hack.  He  was  a  muscular  individual.  He  could, 
and  did,  carry  two  railroad  ties,  simultaneously,  from 
where  the  tree  was  felled,  to  the  wagon  loading  site. 
This  was  green  lumber  and  generally  regarded  as  nigh 
impossible,  by  those  who  have  "worked  the  woods". 
Jack  Triptow  had  a  cabin  in  the  Bitch  Creek  area  cast 
of  Fred  and  Olga  Hill's  place,  where  he  lived  and 
trapped.  Jack  Hiese  was  in  the  area  part-time,  working 
as  a  common  laborer. 

Conant  Creek  was  generally  considered  the 
north  boundary  of  Lamont,  never  the  less,  we  should 
give  recognition  to  Elias  Cook  who  lived  on  the  north 
side  of  the  creek.  He  owned  land  on  the  south  side, 
so  we  shall  include  him  here.  Elias  had  three  boys; 
Elias  Jr,  Joe,  and  Clevc.  The  Elias  Sr.  home  was  on 
the  west  side  of  the  road  and  two  of  the  boys  (Elias 
and  Joe),  built  cabins  on  the  east  side  of  the  road. 
These  cabins  are  still  visible  (1990).  Elias  Jr.  moved 
to  Montana  with  his  family  also  in  the  early  1930's, 
when  so  many  of  the  residents  of  the  area  were  literally 


< 

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< 

i 

0 


i 

0  C' 

::  V 


111'-', 


forced  from  the  farms  in  the  depression  years.  Elias' 
boy,  Floyd,  was  killed  in  action  in  WWII.  Dan 
Albcrtson,  who  had  married  Hilda  Cook,  moved  to 
the  creek  to  help  Elias  with  the  farm. 

This  then,  concludes  the  Lamont  community 
of  the  late  1920's  and  early  30's.  The  writer  has  tried 
to  include  everyone  of  that  era,  but  if  anyone  was 
omitted,  it  has  been  by  accident  and  certainly  not 
intentional. 

By:  Harry  Niendorf  Jr. 

LOYD  JOHN  NIENDORF 

and 

EFFIE  MAE  GARVER 


ESk  Garvcr  and  Loyd  J.  Niendorf 

My  mother  Effie  Mac  Garver  came  to  Idaho 
in  1903  with  her  parents,  Jacob  Allen  Garver  and 
Mary  Ellen  Butler  Garver.  Their  first  home  in 
Fremont  county  was  south  of  Squirrel  on  the  west  side 
of  the  road.  Grandpa  Garver  worked  for  the  Highland 
Ranch  at  Squirrel. 

He  came  to  Idaho  while  working  as  a  cowboy 
driving  herds  of  cattle  from  Texas.  His  first  trip  to 
Idaho  was  with  a  herd  of  cattle  driven  from  Texas  to 
Wyoming.  When  they  arrived  in  Wyoming  there  was 
not  enough  grass,  so  they  went  on  to  Montana.  The 
drought  was  the  same  there,  and  no  grass.  They  came 
through  Reynold  pass,  down  the  Snake  River  to  the 
Highland  Ranch  with  the  first  herd  of  Texas  cattle  in 
this  part  of  Idaho.  Usually  when  they  arrived  in 
Montana  with  their  cattle,  they  would  find  a  buyer 
and  sell  the  cattle  and  all  their  horses.  Each  cowboy 
had  seven  regular  horses,  one  for  each  day  of  the  week 
with  two  or  three  extra  horses  in  the  remuda.  These 
were  all  sold.  They  would  keep  their  personal  things, 
along  with  their  riding  gear.  They  would  then  catch  a 
boat  on  the  Missouri  River  and  go  down  river  to 
Mound  City  or  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  then  head  overland 
back  to  Texas  to  gather  another  herd  to  drive  north. 
It  was  on  one  of  these  trips  when  he  stopped  in 
Mound  City  that  he  met  Mary  Ellen  Buder,  who  he 
later  married. 


To  this  union  ten  children  were  born,  Viola 
Bell,  Clarence  Clyde,  Earnest  Emmett,  Earl  Raymond, 
Ruby  Nell,  EfTie  Mae,  Robert  Hudson,  Lucille 
Bemice,  Charley  Forest,  and  Iva  Hazel.  The  first  nine 
were  bom  in  Missouri.  All  except  Clarence  came  to 
Idaho  with  their  parents  in  1903.  Clarence  came  a 
year  later.  Iva,  the  tenth  child  was  bom  in  Idaho. 

After  working  at  the  Highland  ranch  a  few 
years,  they  homesteaded  160  acres  of  land  about  5 
miles  south  of  Drummond.  They  built  a  log  house 
and  other  buildings  on  the  place.  All  the  children 
became  adults  there.  They  all  married  and  started 
their  own  families.  Grandpa  and  Grandma  Garver 
rerired  and  moved  off  the  farm  in  the  early  thirries. 
After  spending  several  years  in  St.  Anthony,  they 
moved  back  to  Drummond  where  they  both  passed 
away. 

A  news  dipping  of  a  Mound  City,  Missouri, 
newspaper  reads:  Friday,  April  1,  1904  -  Honorable  C. 
C.  Moore  of  St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  after  a  visit  of  several 
days  in  Mound  City,  left  Monday  with  a  party  of 
twelve  for  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  Some  of  the  local 
known  names  are,  Loyd  Niendorf,  Ed  Gould,  Chas 
Hiatt,  H.  S.  Pew,  William  Hensley,  and  Clarence 
Garver. 

My  father  L.  J.  (Loyd)  Niendorf  was  joined 
later  that  year  with  his  brother  Ralph  Niendorf.  They 
selected  a  place  north  of  Lamont  Idaho  on  the  south 
side  of  Conant  Creek.  They  built  a  small  log  cabin 
and  sent  word  back  home  in  Missouri  for  the  rest  of 
the  family  to  come  west  and  join  them.  My  father  and 
his  sister  Lucy,  were  both  school  teachers.  They 
taught  school  in  several  places  around  the  country 
from  1907  to  1913.  My  father  told  of  riding  a  horse 
each  day  from  Lamont  to  Marysville  to  teach. 


304 


L.J.  Niendorf  homestead  south  of  Drummond 

In  1909  he  homesteaded  160  acres  of  land 
about  5  miles  south  of  Drummond.  He  started 
plowing  up  the  sage  brush  and  planting  grain.  For  a 
few  years  he  planted  only  oats.  He  then  found  he 
could  also  raise  wheat. 

In  1913  he  married  EflRe  Mae  Garver,  whose 
parents  had  homesteaded  a  place  across  the  road  from 
his  place.  Their  first  child  was  bom  in  March  of  1914. 
In  1917  he  and  Earnest  Garver  finished  building  a 
new  house,  which  still  stands  today. 


In  1913  he  and  eight  of  his  neighbors  formed 
a  company  and  together  bought  a  steam  engine  and 
threshing  machine  which  was  shipped  into 
Drummond  on  a  railroad  flat  car.  A  few  years  later 
while  threshing  smutty  grain  in  Horseshoe  Flat  this 
separator  caught  fire  and  burned.  They  ordered 
another  larger  separator.  This  separator  could  handle 
four  bundle  wagons  at  one  time,  and  could  thresh 
over  a  hundred  acres  a  day.  This  larger  machine,  until 
the  late  20's,  threshed  most  of  the  grain  in  the 
Horseshoe  Flats  and  surrounding  area.  It  was  also 
used  in  some  of  the  France  and  Lamont  country.  One 
by  one  he  bought  out  the  rest  of  the  stockholders  in 
the  company  until  he  owned  it  alone. 

He  and  his  wife  had  six  children  bom  to  them 
while  living  on  this  ranch.  All  of  these  children  were 
bom  at  home.  Dr.  Hargis,  out  of  Ashton,  was  present 
at  all  births. 

My  father  was  always  doing  things.  I  don't 
remember  ever  not  having  electric  lights,  from  a  DC 
plant.  My  mother  had  an  electric  washing  machine  in 
the  early  twenties  while  still  living  on  the  ranch.  In 
the  early  20's  he  studied  radio.  He  bought  parts  and 
built  several  radios.  We  used  a  timer  he  had  built  on  a 
radio  in  1935.  I  remember  him  getting  programs  or 
speeches  on  the  radio.  Then  he  would  call  several 
people  on  the  party  telephone.  Putting  the  radio 
speaker  near  the  receiver  on  the  phone  so  neighbors 
could  listen  to  the  radio. 

This  telephone  line  was  maintained  by  each 
party  purchasing  their  own  phone  and  maintaining 
one  or  two  miles  of  line. 

He  was  also  the  first  one  in  this  part  of  the 
country  to  own  and  ride  a  motorcycle,  which  he 


purchased  in  1910.  He  had  a  side  car  on  his  cycle 
which  was  used  to  take  many  people  for  rides.  One 
time,  before  they  were  married,  my  father  was  giving 
mother  a  motorcycle  ride.  He  went  around  a  comer 
to  fast,  got  into  deep  road  dust,  and  started  to  slide. 
They  went  into  a  gutter  and  hit  a  bank.  That  threw 
mother  out  of  the  side  car,  over  a  three  wire  fence, 
and  into  a  plowed  field.  Even  after  that  she  still 
married  him. 

In  1926  they  moved  off  the  farm  into 
Drummond,  where  they  bought  a  General  Store  from 
Charlie  Burrell  of  Ashton.  Their  last  child  was  bom 
when  living  in  Drummond.  In  1930  he  bought  a 
Caterpillar  hillside  combine  had  a  30  horsepower 
Caterpillar  tractor  to  pull  it.  The  combine  and  a  20  ft. 
header  and  an  80  bushel  grain  bin.  Most  of  the 
combines  at  that  time  were  sack  machines.  That  year 
he  hired  Lowe  Welker  to  run  the  tractor,  but  before 
they  finished  harvesting  grain,  Lowe  had  to  quit  to  go 
to  work  in  the  sugar  factory  at  Sugar  City.  I  stayed 
out  of  school  and  ran  the  tractor  to  finish  the  rest  of 
the  harvest.  In  1934  he  bought  another  store  and 
post  office  from  Walter  Kidd.  After  building  a  house 
on  the  store,  which  was  once  the  Drummond  Bank, 
he  moved  his  store,  post  office  and  home  to  that 
location.  He  also  started  a  wholesale  gas  and  oil 
business  in  that  same  year.  They  continued  to  operate 
the  store  along  with  the  farm.  After  having  a  stroke  in 
1946,  father  retired  in  1948.  He  sold  the  store  and 
Post  Office  to  Chester  Moycr.  They  then  moved  to 
Idaho  Falls. 

My  father  passed  away  in  1950.    Mother 
passed  away  in  1964. 


b.r.  Loyd,  Margaret  Nicndorf  Green,  m.r.  Mac,  Effie,  Audrey,  Marion,  (Denny),  and  Peggy, 
f.r.  Jack,  (Terry),  Fred,  Bobby,  (Jesse  McFarlin)  OrWIIc  McFarlin  and  (Lloyd),  Gary  and  Ronnie  Green 

305 


'5  J 

OV 

::   y 


C  a 


b.r.  Lynctte,  Kim  Jones,  Cindy,  Leon  Weston, 
Terry,  Diane,  f.r.  Jack  and  Mac  Nicndorf 

CHILDREN: 

1)  Margaret  b-  1915 
md-  Gail  Green 

2)  Marion  b-  1916 
md-  Jack  Reynolds 

3)  Jack  b-  1918 
md-  Mae  Reynolds 

4)  Audrey  b-  1920 
md-  Orville  McFarlin 

5)  Bobbie  b-  1922        d-  1979 
md-  Joyce  Grecnhalgh 

6)  Peggy  b-  1924 
md-  William  Smith 

7)  Fred  b-  1930 
md-  Ilene  Severson 


In  October  1940  I  married  Mae  Reynolds, 
daughter  of  James  J.  and  Chloc  Thompson  Reynolds 
of  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  We  have  three  children:  Terry 
Lance  Niendorf,  Cindy  Margo  Weston,  and  Kim 
Reynold  Niendorf.  We  built  a  home  just  east  of 
Drummond  in  1946  where  we  have  lived  and  raised 
our  family. 

By:  Jack  Niendorf 

THE  NIENDORF  FAMILY 

(a  letter  from  Fred  Niendorf  to  Tressa  Garrett  2-28- 
90) 

Hi  Tressa, 

Received  your  letter  of  January  29,  1990, 
hoping  to  help  on  the  history.  Seriously,  I  wasn't 
born  till  1930  so  I  don't  know  much  before  then, 
except  what  I  hear  say. 

My  daddy,  Lloyd  John  Niendorf  home- 
steaded  a  farm  a  littie  east  and  south  of  the  Hawkes 
place.  The  house  is  still  there  on  the  Parkinson's 
property  now.  The  Garvers  lived  across  the  road,  and 
they  had  a  well  that  gave  all  the  water  they  wanted. 
My  daddy  married  Effie  Mae  Garver.    He  built  the 


best  cistern  in  Fremont  County,  it's  still  there. 

Anyhow,  due  to  circumstances  beyond  his 
control  or  maybe  he  had  borrowed  too  much  on  the 
homestead,  the  house,  and  the  160  acres,  he  left  it  to 
the  Insurance  Company  and  moved  to  Drummond, 
with  more  money  than  he  had  ever  had,  in  1929.  He 
told  me  that  later  when  I  was  only  four  years  old. 

My  daddy  was  a  busy  man.  He  ran  a  post  of- 
fice, a  general  store,  and  a  wholesale  gas  and  oil 
business  in  these  parts,  along  with  about  2,000  acres 
of  farm. 

He  had  some  kin  up  in  Lamont.  Harry 
Niendorf  had  a  homestead  there  and  my  great 
grandaddy  and  Donald  Niendorf.  His  wife,  my 
&bulous  Aunt  Edna,  is  still  alive. 

Why  my  daddy  moved  off  the  farm  and  lost  it 
I  really  don't  know.  But  Tressa,  I  think  he  just  let  the 
Insurance  Company  that  held  the  deed  take  it.  It  was 
tiic  nicest  house  in  the  county,  but  the  land  wasn't 
tiiat  great.  My  daddy  opened  up  a  general  store  in 
Drummond. 

My  daddy  married  Effie  Mae  Garver.  They 
had  three  boys  and  4  girls.  There  was  Margaret, 
Marion,  Jack,  Audrey,  Peggy,  Bob,  and  me. 

Tressa,  I  grew  up  during  the  depression,  and 
Blaine  Hawkes  did  too.  I  remember  Wilford  and 
Farnum  and  helped  my  daddy  sort  the  mail.  Many 
times  in  the  winter  I  took  a  toboggan  and  hauled  the 
mail  to  my  daddy's  post  office.  Near  Christmas  times 
I  might  have  to  make  two  trips. 

With  my  help,  my  daddy  got  the  mail  sorted. 
Sometimes  I'd  say  "Where  do  we  put  this.*"  There 
were  two  W.  B.  Millers.  "Put  Dutch  Bill's  in  his  box, 
and  Wild  Bill's  in  his."  My  daddy  could  just  read  the 
handwriting  and  know  where  it  goes.  I  tried  to  figure 
that  out. 

In  about  1948  my  daddy  sold  out  the  store 
and  the  Post  Office  and  moved  to  Idaho  Falls  with  my 
mother  and  retired. 

But  there's  things  like  Conrad  Lenz.  Every 
day  he  came  and  took  the  mail  to  Squirrel,  ...  in  the 
winter  with  a  team  of  horses  and  a  sled  with  a  stove  in 
it,  ...  and  smoke  coming  out  of  the  chimney,  ...  and 
there  was  Mae.  John  McFarlin,  who  delivered  the  mail 
up  Lamont  way  in  a  Model  A. 

Drummond  is  still  here.  Lamont, 
Farnum,  and  Lillian  have  lost  their  post  offices 
and  some  other  things.  Drummond  has  lost  its 
post  office,  too.  At  the  present  time,  we're  still 
an  incorporated  village,  and  I'm  the  Mayor. 
We're  working  real  hard  now  to  rebuild  our 
water  plant.   We  could  use  some  help. 

Tressa,  I  know  this  isn't  much  that  I've 
written  to  respond  to  the  history  and  all,  but  it's 
enough  for  now.  We  might  can  get  you  some  more 
information  from  the  old  papers. 

Sincerely,  Fred  J.  Niendorf 


306 


ANDREW  PERCY  NYBORG 

and 

RHODA  ANN  FOOTE 

Andrew  Percy  Nyborg,  know  as  Percy  or  A. 
P.,  was  bom  in  Mt.  Pleasant,  Utah,  on  February  16, 
1896,  the  son  of  Andrew  Ephriam  and  Laura  Hansen 
Nyborg. 

In  1900,  the  family  moved  from  Mr.  Pleasant, 
Utah,  to  Twin  Groves,  Idaho,  arriving  on  July  2, 
1900.  They  moved  into  a  small  log  house  in  Twin 
Groves  until  a  home  could  be  constructed  on  the  land 
his  father  had  purchased. 

Percy  attended  school  in  the  Twin  Groves 
church  house  until  a  school  was  built,  which  his  father 
helped  construct  and  later  he,  his  father  and  brothers 
helped  in  the  construction  of  the  Yellowstone  Stake 
Tabernacle. 

In  1901,  his  father  and  two  of  his  friends  who 
had  also  moved  up  from  Utah,  took  up  200  acres  of 
land  in  the  Squirrel  area,  which  later  became  part  of 
the  Drummond  distrirt.  They  used  the  land  to  run 
their  cattie  on  in  the  summer. 

Percy  made  his  first  trip  from  Twin  Groves  up 
to  the  ranch  in  the  fall  of  1905  at  the  age  of  9.  They 
stayed  overnight  at  the  S.  O.  Peterson  ranch  on 
Conant  Creek  and  he  met  their  son  Blaine  Peterson, 
for  the  first  time.  They  later  became  dose  neighbors 
when  Percy  purchased  land  on  Conant  Creek 
adjoining  the  Peterson  ranch. 

A  couple  of  years  later,  Percy's  father  and  his 
friends  sold  the  200  acres  and  Percy's  father  purchased 


an  adjoining  40  acres  which  was  being  cultivated.  So 
from  the  age  of  12  on,  Percy  spent  the  summers  there 
farming  that  land  and  also  helping  his  father  run  the 
farm  in  Twin  Groves.  He  started  hauling  bundles  to 
the  threshing  machine  at  the  age  of  12  and  by  the  age 
of  14  was  placed  in  charge  of  running  the  threshing 
machine  by  Clay  Harshbarger.  They  threshed  grain 
from  Drummond  up  the  north  side  of  Conant  Creek 
to  the  Luebber  Ranch  and  back  down  the  south  side 
finishing  at  the  Frank  Christensen  Ranch. 

In  1910,  Percy's  father  purchased  an 
adjoining  120  acres  and  Percy  moved  up  and  spent 
full-time  at  the  ranch  during  the  summer.  In  the 
summer  of  1912,  his  mother  passed  away  and  he  then 
had  to  divide  his  time  between  farming  the  ranch  at 
Drummond  and  helping  his  fether  farm  the  ranch  in 
Twin  Grove  and  raise  younger  brothers  and  sisters. 

Rhoda  Ann  Foote  was  born  in  Glendale, 
Utah,  on  March  28,  1896,  the  daughter  of  David  and 
Sarah  Rebecca  (Hall)  Foote.  She  grew  up  in 
Orderville,  Utah,  where  she  attended  school.  She 
came  to  Idaho  in  the  summer  of  1917,  to  cook  and 
keep  house  for  two  of  her  brothers  who  were  farming 
a  ranch  for  Fred  Bailey,  which  was  located 
approximately  a  half  mile  from  the  Nyborg  ranch.  She 
and  Percy  became  acquainted  that  summer,  but  in  the 
fell,  she  returned  to  Utah. 

In  September  of  that  same  year,  Percy  was 
drafted  into  the  U.  S.  Army  and  left  St.  Anthony  in 
late  October  for  Camp  Lewis,  Washington,  now 
known  as  Fort  Lewis,  where  after  nine  months  of 
training  was  sent  overseas  to  France  to  fight  in  World 


Standing  I.  r.  EIna,  Gerald,  Lowell,  Vclva  Eldon,  Keith,  Sitting  l.r.  Milton,  Percy,  Rhoda,  No!a,Nyborg 

307 


'5  "J 


C  1' 


War  I.  He  served  as  a  scout  in  his  unit  and  was  sent 
out  to  scout  enemy  positions.  On  September  29, 
1918,  he  was  wounded  in  action  when  a  bullet 
penetrated  the  brim  of  his  steel  helmet,  split  his  ear 
lobe  and  entered  his  neck,  lodging  in  the  tissue  of  his 
lung.  The  bullet  was  never  removed  and  he  carried  it 
with  him  throughout  his  life.  He  spent  the  next 
three  months  in  the  hospital  and  a  convalescent 
camp.  Three  days  after  he  was  wounded  in  France, 
his  fether  passed  away  at  a  hospital  in  Salt  Lake  City, 
but  he  didn't  find  out  about  it  until  six  weeks  later. 

Percy  returned  to  the  United  States  in  April 
of  1919,  and  was  discharged  from  the  Army  at  Camp 
Russell,  Wyoming.  He  returned  to  the  ranch  in 
Drummond  which  his  brother  Eleel  was  now 
farming.  Percy  took  what  money  he  had  saved  and 
what  he  had  received  from  his  father's  estate  and 
bought  horses  and  a  scraper  and  went  to  work  for 
Fremont  County  constructing  roads  in  the  area  that 
summer. 

Percy  and  Rhoda  had  continued  to 
correspond  while  he  was  in  the  army,  so  in 
December  of  1919,  he  took  the  train  to  Ordcrville 
"to  see",  as  he  put  it,  "what  his  chances  were  with 
her."  Evidently  they  were  very  good  for  they  were 
married  within  a  few  days  after  his  arrival  in 
Orderville  on  January  7,  1920.  They  came  to  Idaho 
and  Percy  bought  out  his  brothers  and  sisters  interest 
in  the  property  in  the  Drummond  area  and  they 
made  their  home  there. 

In  1926,  they  purchased  property  on  Conant 
Creek  which  became  the  family  home  and  where 
they  raised  their  children.  They  were  the  parents  of 
nine  children,  however  their  first  child,  a  baby  girl, 
was  stillborn,  so  there  are  eight  living  children,  5 
boys  and  3  girls. 

(1)  Elden  Percy  Nyborg  was  bom  December 
30,  1922,  and  resides  in  Ashton,  Idaho,  having 
retired  from  a  career  in  the  grain  industry. 

(2)Velva  Ruth  (Nyborg)  Ostler  was  born 
July  7,  1924,  and  resides  in  Mesa,  Arizona,  having 
retired  from  a  career  in  the  medical  profession.  Her 
husband,  Gary,  is  deceased. 

(3)  Lowell  David  Nyborg  was  bom  January 
5,  1926,  and  resides  in  Ashton,  Idaho,  also  retired 
from  the  grain  industry. 

(4)  Gerald  Wendell  Nyborg  was  bom  April 
18,  1928,  and  resides  in  Rcxburg,  Idaho,  having 
retired  from  a  career  with  the  U.S.  Forest  Service, 
but  has  started  a  second  career  working  for  Artco  in 
Rexburg. 

(5)  Keith  Foote  Nyborg  was  bom  March  4, 
1930,  and  resides  on  the  family  farm  in  the 
Dmmmond  area.  He  served  for  five  years  as  the 
United  States  Ambassador  to  Finland.  (1981-1986) 

(6)  Elna  Irene  (Nyborg)  Sullivan  was  bom 
March  16,  1931,  and  resides  in  Rexburg,  Idaho, 
where  she  is  a  homemaker  and  works  for  Artco.  Her 
husband,  Roger,  works  for  Ricks  College. 


308 


(7)  Nola  LaRue  (Nyborg)  Goulding  was 
born  November  7,  1936,  and  resides  in  Billings, 
Montana,  where  she  is  a  homemaker  and  works  in 
the  medical  profession.  Her  husband,  Sherman,  is  a 
trucker. 

(8)  Milton  Hargis  Nyborg  was  born  June 
26,  1939,  and  resides  in  Pleasant  Hill,  California, 
and  works  in  the  banking  industry. 

The  children  attended  school  at  France,  a 
small  community  between  Drummond  and  Lamont, 
which  was  situated  in  the  Drummond  School 
District.  This  is  a  whistle  stop  on  the  railroad,  with  a 
grain  elevator,  which  is  called  France  Siding.  They 
jokingly  tell  people  they  were  raised  and  educated  in 
France,  which  sounds  very  prestigious.  High  School 
was  attended  in  both  Ashton  and  St.  Anthony. 

The  France  schoolhouse  was  the  center  of 
community  activity,  especially  during  the  winter 
months.  In  addition  to  being  the  school  with  its 
attendant  programs  and  activities,  it  was  also  the 
center  for  community  activities,  programs  and  dances 
as  well  as  serving  for  many  years  as  a  meeting  place 
for  a  branch  Sunday  School  of  the  Farnum  Ward, 
Yellowstone  Stake,  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter 
Day  Saints,  during  the  winter  months  when  it  was 
impossible  to  get  down  to  Famum  to  attend  church 
due  to  the  snow,  the  distance  involved  and  the  mode 
of  transportation  at  the  time. 

The  family  were  members  of  the  Farnum 
Ward  and  attended  Church  there  until  the  Ward  was 
merged  into  the  Marysville  Ward  at  which  time  they 
had  built  a  home  in  Ashton  and  became  members  of 
the  Ashton  Ward. 

They  attended  Sunday  meetings  and 
participated  in  MIA  and  scouting  in  the  Farnum 
Ward  and  Percy  served  in  many  callings  in  the  Ward 
including  Ward  Teacher,  Scout  Troop  Commit- 
teeman, Counselor  in  Sunday  School,  Sunday  School 
Superintendent  and  Counselor  in  the  Bishopric. 
Keith  was  the  only  one  of  the  children  who  had  an 
opportunity  to  serve  a  full  time  mission  for  the 
Church,  serving  in  Finland  from  1950  to  1952. 

Percy  passed  away  on  December  26,  1959, 
and  Rhoda  passed  away  on  September  20,  1979.  As 
of  this  writing,  their  children  are  all  still  living  and 
residing  in  the  areas  previously  stated. 

By:  Keith  Nyborg 

GEORGE  FERDESTAND  OBERHANSLEY 

and 
HARRIET  STRONG 

George  F.  Oberhansley,  born  June  23,  1875 
at  Payson,  Utah,  County,  Utah.  The  son  of 
Ferdinand  Ulrick  and  Mary  Staheli  Oberhansley.  He 
died  December  3,  1925,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 
County,  Utah.  He  and  his  family  moved  to  St. 
Anthony  from  Payson  in  1903.    He  applied  for  a 


BYRON  OBERHANSLEY 

and 

CLARICE  JENSEN 


Ann  Francis  Strong,  George  and  Hattk  Strong  Obcrhanslcy 

homestead  of  160  acres,  about  1905  and  received  his 
patent  October  25, 1909. 

Harriet  Strong  the  daughter  of  Harvey  Burke 
Strong  and  Harriet  Smith  (or  Schmidt).  She  was 
born  May  8,  1875,  Lansing,  Alamakee  County,  Iowa. 
She  died  March  30,  1948  at  Seattle,  King  County, 
Washington.  Her  parents  moved  to  Utah  when 
Hamet  was  a  young  woman.  She  met  and  married 
George  Obcrhanslcy,  May  6,  1925  at  Provo  Utah. 
They  moved  to  Famum  in  1902  (1905)  and  took  up 
a  homestead.  Mr  Obcrhanslcy  died  23  years  ago  and 
she  continued  to  make  her  home  in  Famum,  until  13 
years  ago,  when  she  moved  to  Scattic  Washington  (in 
1934),  to  make  her  home  with  her  daughter, 
Maybellc  Murray.  She  is  survived  by  her  son  Byron,  a 
daughter  Maybellc.  And  son  Harold  that  died  at 
birth.  Two  brothers  Edward  Strong  Salt  Lake,  Utah, 
George  Strong  Mccall,  Idaho  Mrs.  Anna  Franklin  of 
Payson,  Utah.  She  is  buried  in  the  Pincvicw 
Cemetery  at  Ash  ton,  Idaho. 

George  and  Hattic,  as  she  was  called,  moved 
from  Payson,  Utah  to  St.  Anthony,  Fremont,  Idaho 
in  1903  they  moved  to  Famum  in  1905. 

CFnLDREN: 

(1)  Byron 

b-  June  13,  1898,  Payson,  Utah,  Utah, 
d-  April  10,  1979, 

(2)  Harold 

(3)  Maybellc 

b-  May  13,  1903,  St.  Anthony,  Fremont,  Idaho. 


< 

r 


b.r.  May  Dca,  Wayne  f.r.  Clarice  and  Byron  Oberhansley 

Byron  Oberhansley: 

b-  June  13,  1898,  Payson,  Utah,  Utah 
md-May    9,1924, 
d-  April  10,  1979 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Wayne 

b-  1925  St  Anthony,  Idaho 
md-  Georgia  Cordingly 

(2)  MayDca 

b-  1927  Famum,  Idaho 
md- 

WAYNE  OBERHANSLEY 

and 
GEORGIA  COPJ5INGLEY 


b.r.  Steven,  Garth,  Gary,  Dennis,  f.r.  LaDawn,  Craig,  Georgia, 
Wayne,  Ina,  and  Eric  Obcrhanslcy 


309 


I 

"J 

C  a- 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  La  Dawn  b- 1948 
md-  Rex  Baum 

(2)  Dcnni5  b-  1949 
md-  La  Fayc  Harrigfeld 

(3)  Garth  b-  1951 
md-  Cheryl  Lymi  Stan 

(4)  Gary  George  b-  1951 
md-  Rhonda  Renae  Asay 

(5)  Ina  b-  1955 
md-  Bruce  Richard  Herker 

(6)  Steven  Byron  b-  1957 
md-  Angila  Phelps 

(7)  Eric  b-  1967 
md-  Whitney  Shelby 

(8)  Craig  b-  1969 

MAYBELLE  OBERHANSLEY 


Fredrick  and  Suzetta  had  the  following 
children  together  with  their  spouses  and  children:  (this 
list  may  not  be  complete  in  some  cases). 


Fnmk  and  Mabel  Murray 

Maybelle  daughter  of  George  and  Harriet 
Strong  Oberhansley  was  born  May  13,  1903,  St. 
Anthony,  Fremont,  Idaho.  She  married  Frank  Murray 
June  10,  1930.  They  moved  to  Seattle  about  1933. 
Her  Mother  was  widowed  and  moved  to  Seattie  with 
Maybelle  and  her  husband.  Maybelle  still  lives  in 
Auburn,  Washington.  Her  husband  passed  away  about 
20  years  ago. 

By:  Wayne  Oberhansley. 

THE  OBERHANSLI  FAMILY 

Fredrick  and  Suzetta  Oberhansli  lived  in 
Payson,  Utah  and  were  the  parents  of  5  sons  and  2 
daughters,  many  of  whom  moved  into  the  Farnum 
area  in  the  early  1900's. 

he  Oberhansli  ferm  consisted  of  about  800 
acres  of  good  irrigated  and  dryland  farms.  They  raised 
grain,  potatoes,  hay,  and  livestock.  The  main  ranch 
buildings  were  located  about  one-half  mile  east  of  the 
Blaine  Baird  place.  The  Zundel  family  now  operate 
this  farm. 


310 


Fred,  Ida,  Earnest  (Dooicy),  Bill,  Carl,  Gladys  and  Gkn  Oberhansli 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Ida  md.  Joe  Hanson  lived  at  Mid  vale,  Utah,  a 
son  Steve. 

(2)  Earnest  (Dooley)  not  married. 

(3)  Fred,  one  son  Robert. 

(4)  Bill  md.  Ellen,  one  daughter  lila. 

(5)  Carl 

md.  1st  Alta  Gilbert 

2nd  Louise  Heller,  a  daughter,  Vonda. 

(6)  Glen  md.  Lois  Godfi-ey, 

(l)son,  E.  Dooley  md.  Eunice  Bolton. 
Their  children:  Judy  K., 
Craig  Gene  and  Paul  Dean, 
Janice  md.  Marcus  Lambright, 
Micheal  Dane  md.  Courtney, 
Tracy. 
(2)  son.  Glen  Wayne. 
Glen  later  md.  Kathryn  Schell  Peterlin,  the  daughter  of 
Wilhelm  and  Katrina  Schell. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Harry  Peterlin  md.  Nila  Wilson 
have  one  son,  Kim 

(2)  Glade  md.  Margo  Hessman 
have  3  daughters 

(7)  Gladys 

md.  (1)  Ned  VanSickle  and  later 
(2)  Pat  Davis. 

LIFE  ON  THE  FARM. 

I  was  raised  on  a  farm,  worked  hard  all  my 
life,  but  when  I  married  Glen  I  found  I  had  never 
worked  that  hard  and  enjoyed  every  moment. 

Earnest  and  Glen  farmed  together,  so  we 
were  a  big  happy  family.    The  first  few  years  were 


hard,  wc  didn't  have  much  money,  like  a  lot  of  others, 
but  we  made  it.  Had  a  lot  of  sickness  with  the  boys 
for  a  few  years,  appendix,  tonsils,  whooping  cough, 
you  name  it,  we  had  it,  but  we  all  worked  together 
and  came  through  ok. 

Earnest  (Dooley)  was  sure  good  to  us  and  was 
still  with  us  till  he  died  of  a  heart  attack.  We  raised 
our  family  and  tried  to  give  them  all  a  good  education. 
Dooley  decided  to  join  the  Navy  when  he  graduated 
and  Harry  the  same  thing.  He  joined  the  Marines. 
Then  Glen  Wayne  decided  to  join  the  Navy  for  4 
years,  then  re-enlisted  in  the  Air  Force.  They  knew 
they  were  going  to  be  called,  so  they  decided  to  enlist. 
Glade  was  in  college  when  he  got  his  call,  but  Glen 
went  to  the  draft  board  to  see  if  he  could  get  him 
deferred,  which  they  did  for  the  time  being.  Then  he 
got  married  and  his  wife  became  pregnant  so  he  was 
put  in  4-F  or  whatever.  Then  the  other  boys  were  on 
the  farm,  and  gradually  went  on  their  own,  none 
wanted  to  ferm,  so  Glen  got  a  renter  and  he  still  runs 
the  place. 

The  boys  are  all  doing  ok,  have  nice  families 
and  I  love  them  all.  We  have  3  nice  daughters-in-law. 

We  later  went  in  soil  bank,  then  Earnest  died 
and  Glen  wasn't  well,  but  we  had  good  renters. 

Dooley 's  family  live  in  Hawthorne,  Nevada. 
Harry  lives  here  close  to  where  I  live  in  Idaho  Falls. 
Wayne  lives  in  Richmond,  California,  and  Glade  in 
Elko  and  is  still  teaching  Jr.  High.  He  is  the  principal 
there. 

I'm  doing  ok,  have  good  health  and  keep 
busy  with  various  things.  I  have  a  lot  of  lovely  grand- 
kids,  had  10;  and  have  20  great-grandchildren. 

By:  Kay  Oberhansli 


Glade  and  Margo  Oberhansli  holding  Ashley  Mae  and  Kassidy 

THE  ORME  FAMILY  ON  THE  HIGHLAND 

RANCH 


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Three  pictures  of  the  Highland  Ranch 


^-mAM.i^ ^'z-.^:-His^.-:'ik.  .j»»rr,^^. -^.^.^-^-o;^^^^ 


Kim,  Harry,  Nyla,  Connie,  and  Shawn  Lee  (child)  Pcteriin 


iiftiii  nvw^*- ^""^     ■••  ■'^^-i-^— - 


311 


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After  crossing  the  Great  Plains  by  handcart, 
Samuel  Washington  Orme  Sr.  and  Sarah  Cross  Orme, 
lived  in  Tooele,  Utah.  During  the  1850's  to  1870's 
they  had  five  sons;  Samuel  W.,  Joseph  C,  John  K., 
Silas  C,  and  Calvin.  These  five  sons  all  came  up  into 
the  upper  Snake  River  Valley,  settling  in  and  around 
the  Highland  Ranch  area. 

LIFE  ON  THE  HIGHLAND  RANCH 

By  Kate  Orme  Loosli 

The  Orme  Brothers  of  Tooele,  Utah  first 
learned  of  the  Highland  Ranch  of  Squirrel,  Idaho, 
through  a  good  fiiend,  Charles  R.  McBride,  the  first 
counselor  to  Silas  when  he  was  bishop  of  the  Tooele 
Ward  from  1905  to  1911.  Mr.  McBride  was  a 
chemical  engineer  for  the  Tooele  Valley  Smelter,  who 
had  been  to  Anaconda,  Montana. 

The  Ranch,  as  we  have  always  called  it, 
consisted  of  2,160  acres  of  land  and  was  purchased  by 
the  Orme  Brothers  in  1910  for  the  sum  of 
$80,000.00.  They  started  farming  it  in  the  spring  of 
1911. 

All  of  these  people  in  Squirrel  welcomed  the 
Ormes  and  were  so  fiiendly  with  them,  that  they  were 
made  to  feel  a  part  of  the  community  right  fi-om  the 
start.  The  Orme  Brothers  farmed  this  land  jointly  as 
a  co-operation  for  a  number  of  years  —  with  Silas  C. 
Orme  as  the  foreman,  Edwin  as  the  manager.  He  and 
his  family  lived  in  the  main  log  ranch  house.  His 
wife,  Aunt  Millie,  and  her  sister  Mary  McClause 
prepared  the  meals  for  the  hired  men.  Art  Gartsidc  (a 
relative  from  St.  Louis,  MO)  was  the  bookkeeper. 
His  office  was  in  the  little  bedroom  on  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  ranch  house;  shelves  and  pigeonholes 
were  built  in  the  wall  to  equip  it  better  for  office 
work. 

George  Shields  from  Tooele  was  the  black- 
smith and  general  repairman.  When  he  wasn't  too 
busy,  occasionally  he  made  rings  for  us  little  girb  out 
of  horseshoe  nails. 

The  hired  help  were  young  fellows  who  came 
up  from  Tooele  each  spring.  It  was  like  a  summer 
vacation  for  these  dty  fellows.  I  can  remember  how  S. 
C.  Orme  learned  to  know  each  of  them  well;  and  he 
said  how  willing  some  of  them  were  to  learn  how  to 
work  and  to  do  their  jobs  well,  and  how  others  could 
care  less.  The  cousins  all  worked  on  the  ranch  each 
summer  too;  Sam  J.,  Milo,  Gilbert,  Sam  W.,  John  A., 
Laurence,  Martell,  Parley,  Ellis  and  Adrian. 

Bertie  Orme,  S.  W.  Orme,  Jr.'s  daughter,  at 
Wilford  married  E.M.  (Rone)  Jergensen  in  1909.  He 
was  farming  a  big  tract  of  land  with  his  fether  east  of 
St.  Anthony,  and  he  broke  up  a  lot  of  sagebrush  land 
on  the  Ranch  at  Squirrel  with  his  big  equipment. 

The  men  were  always  fed  a  hot  dinner  at 
noon  each  day  no  matter  how  far  away  the  field  was 
that  they  were  working  in.  It  usually  fell  to  Amy  and 
Mary's  lot  to  take  these  meals  to  the  men  in  a  little 
one-seated  buggy  with  a  trusty  team  hitched  to  it. 


312 


After  four  years  farming  together,  the 
brothers  found  that  financially  it  wasn't  successful.  S. 
C.  Orme  suggested  that  they  divide  it  up  and  farm 
individually.  He  specified  then,  that  he  wanted  the 
headquarters  with  the  ranch  house  and  buildings  —  he 
would  buy  400  acres  of  the  land.  So  in  1914  the  land 
was  divided.  Uncle  Edwin  and  family  returned  to 
Tooele  where  he  became  the  cashier  of  the  Tooele 
County  Bank. 

We  moved  from  the  Uttle  house  by  the  creek 
where  we  had  lived  each  summer,  into  the  log  ranch 
house  where  Uncle  Ed  and  his  family  had  Hved.  We 
felt  this  quite  an  advancement  —  there  was  water 
piped  into  this  house  from  a  spring  east  of  the  house. 
Now  we  would  have  hot  and  cold  water  and  a  built-in 
bathtub. 

S.  C.  Orme  buying  some  400  acres.  Uncle  Ed 
was  to  have  the  next  240;  and  S.  C.  Orme  agreed  to 
farm  that  for  him.  Later  he  bought  the  land  from 
Uncle  Ed.  Uncle  Joe  (Luella's  father)  took  240  acres 
joining  Ed's  land;  Uncle  Lafe  took  240  acres  beyond 
this  south.  Uncle  John  K.  (Ellen's  father)  took  240 
acres  east  of  Lafe's  place  where  the  red  house  was. 
Now  it's  owned  by  Kurt  Kandler.  Gilbert  (J.C.'s  son) 
took  240  acres  adjoining  J.  K.'s  land  on  the  east  of 
his.  S.  W.  Jr.  took  400  acres  across  the  road  south  of 
Gilbert's  for  his  two  sons,  Sam  J.  and  Milo.  Art 
Gartside,  the  bookkeeper,  married  John  K.  Orme's 
daughter  Jean  and  took  the  160  acres  south  of  the 
ranch  house.  They  built  their  home  in  a  pretty  grove 
of  quaking  aspen  trees.  Alvin  the  sixth  son,  had 
remained  in  Utah,  farming  his  father's  farm  at  Erda, 
north  of  Tooele. 

The  ground  for  the  Squirrel  dance  hall  was 
donated  by  S.C.  Orme  —  and  he  played  a  big  part  in 
the  construction  of  it.  It  was,  and  has  continued  to 
be,  a  center  for  all  community  activities.  When  asked 
why  he  hadn't  given  the  land  on  the  comer  of  the 
field  directly  across  from  the  store  for  the  dance  hall, 
S.C.  Orme  replied,  "The  First  National  Bank  of 
Squirrel  is  going  to  be  built  there."  I  think  that  he 
firmly  believed  that  would  take  place.  However,  that 
comer  was  put  to  good  use  for  the  Squirrel  baseball 
field. 

When  the  dance  hall  was  completed,  Saturday 
night  found  everyone  at  the  dance,  which  we  wouldn't 
miss  for  anything.  For  music,  George  Amen  chorded 
on  the  piano  and  Pete  Lief,  a  real  violinist,  always  had 
two  drinks  under  his  belt  before  he  would  play. 
Henry  Bolland  and  Maynard  Bowersox  took  turns  at 
the  violins.  Mother  Emma  Orme  would  often  give 
George  Amen  a  rest  by  chording  on  the  piano.  It  was 
here  that  we  leamed  to  dance.  There  were  plenty  of 
parmers  —  those  big,  tall  German-bred  fellows  were 
always  taking  big  strides  across  the  floor  to  ask  us  for 
the  next  dance. 

Church  attendance  was  the  hardest  thing,  to 
get  up  Sunday  moming  after  the  dance  and  to  ride  10 
miles  to  Lamont  in  the  white-top  buggy  to  the  closest 
LDS  Church  services.    Believe  me,  that  was  tough! 


Wc  couldn't  even  go  back  to  sleep,  the  country  roads 
were  so  rough.  In  the  early  1920's  we  got  our  first 
car,  it  wasn't  any  trick  to  drive  to  church  at  Marysville, 
and  we  all  enjoyed  going  to  church  at  the  Marysville 
Ward. 

Silas  C.  was  tall  in  stature  (6'2'')  with  broad 
shoulders.  He  provided  a  measure  of  strength, 
direction,  and  purpose  for  guidance  and  conviction  as 
to  the  future,  for  all  of  us.  With  his  attitude  of 
patience  and  confidence,  he  assured  us  that  if  a  farmer 
put  hard  work  and  effort  into  the  soil,  it  would  offer 
its  own  reward.  There  was  no  mistake  about  good  soil 
with  him.  He  knew  it  by  the  feel  of  it  in  his  hand. 
But  there  were  other  elements  that  had  to  be  added  to 
labor,  and  that  must  be  provided  fi-om  above.  I  have 
seen  Father  pray  earnestly  for  rain,  when  the  crops  on 
the  dry  farm  were  needing  moisture  badly.  He  would 
plead  for  rain  desperately,  and  always  when  it  did 
come,  he  would  give  thanks  fi-om  the  bottom  of  his 
heart.  And  he  would  say,  "That's  a  million  dollar  rain 
for  the  country.** 

SILAS  CROSS  ORME 

and 
EMMA  JANE  SMITH 


Died  in  infancy 


CHILDREN: 
(1)  Silas  Vere 
(2) John  A. 

md-  Florence  West 

(3)  Laurence 

md-  Vera  Johnson 

(4)  Amy 

md-  Orville  Bowles 

(5)  Mary 

md-  Joe  Evans 

(6)  Kate 

md-  Stan  Loosli 
(7)Iva 

md-  Morgan  Hawkes 


It  is  interesting  now  to  hear  the  story  of  the 
Orme  family  from  a  great  grandson  of  Samuel  W. 
Orme,  Sr.,  who  now  owns  and  operates  the  Highland 
Ranch  and  has  five  sons  of  his  own  to  carry  on  the 
Orme  tradition: 


b.  r.  Gregory  Larry,  Larry  Don,  Ryan  Don 
f.r.  Kevin  Cross,  Elton  John,  Bradley  Silas  Onne 


313 


My  grandfather  Silas  Cross  Orme  came  from 
Tooele,  Utah.  Their  farm  at  Erda,  near  Tooele  had 
flowing  wells,  and  ponds  fiiU  of  carp.  Story  at  that 
time  —  best  way  to  eat  carp  was  to  parboil  it  on  a 
shingle,  throw  the  carp  away  and  eat  the  shingle. 

The  Ormes  had  grazing  rights  in  Middle 
Settlement  Canyon.  Bingham  Copper  mining  Co. 
bought  control,  drilled  through  the  mountain  and 
piped  water  to  Bingham  for  their  copper  mines.  They 
ended  up  having  to  sell  their  grazing  rights  for  little  of 
nothing . 

Sometimes  Silas  would  rent  fall  grazing  to  the 
Indians  in  Tooele.  When  they  would  pay,  it  would  be 
a  sack  of  pine  nuts  or  a  beaded  pair  of  buckskin  gloves. 
One  rime  my  father  Laurence  was  there  and  Silas 
pointed  and  said  "papoose".  The  Indian  gave  him  a 
small  pair  of  beaded  buckskin  gloves. 

Because  of  losing  their  grazing  ground  and 
needing  more  open  spaces  for  their  livestock  they  made 
the  move  to  Idaho.  Silas  loaded  everything  they  could 
in  a  boxcar.  They  had  the  white-top  buggy,  ducks  and 
geese,  horses,  odds  and  ends.  The  two  boys  Laurence 
and  John  A.  were  riding  in  the  boxcar,  bedding  down 
in  the  white-top  buggy.  To  pass  the  time,  they  would 
throw  duck  and  geese  eggs  at  the  telephone  poles.  A 
mare  foaled  on  the  way  up  near  PocatcUo  and  they 
named  the  foal,  Pocatello.  The  conductor  discovered 
the  boys  on  the  boxcar  and  since  they  weren't 
livestock,  Silas  had  to  pay  their  fare  from  Pocatello  on. 

The  Orme  brothers  ran  a  Percheron  stallion 
dirca  fi'om  France.  He  was  branded  with  a  star  under 
his  mane  and  probably  would  never  have  been 
exported  but  had  run  a  stick  in  his  foot  and  had  a  club 
foot.  Charley  Pickett  had  a  cart  and  he  would  haul 
him  around,  he  was  used  to  upgrade  the  work  horses 
in  the  surrounding  country-side. 

The  ranch  had  their  own  blacksmith.  He  was 
very  good  (George  Shields),  he  later  moved  to  Kanab, 
Utah  and  had  a  nice  shop  there.  It  was  later  taken  to 
the  Smithsonian  Institute  in  Washington  D.  C.  and  put 
on  display  there. 

Silas  was  foreman  of  the  ranch  and  they  were 
busy  on  all  aspects  of  running  this  big  place.  During 
threshing  time  they  had  up  to  nineteen  men  to  feed. 
Silas  would  butcher  a  mutton  every  other  day  for  the 
crew.  This  went  on  whether  they  worked  or  not  as 
they  had  to  eat  even  if  it  rained. 

One  time  80  acres  was  cut  and  shocked, 
because  it  was  so  full  of  wild  oats.  One  of  the  brothers 
had  a  torch  and  on  a  saddle  horse  rode  around  and 
burned  all  the  bundles.  Coyotes,  squirrels,  and  this 
type  of  farming  were  difficult  and  discouraging.  One 
rime  graining  the  teams,  the  first  four  horses  were 
given  squirrel  poisoned  oats  and  died.  Coyotes  were 
always  taking  their  toll  on  the  sheep.  They  had  two 
dogs,  hounds,  named  Speed  and  Pied.  They  were  fast, 
and  in  the  winter  were  used  for  the  coyotes.  If  one  was 
spotted  they  were  sent  after  them.  When  the  dogs 
caught  up  to  the  coyote  one  would  knock  him  off  his 
feet  and  the  other  would  break  his  neck. 

One  time  a  neighbor  had  his  pup  along  and 


ii 


wanted  to  train  him.  He  said,  "After  the  hounds  catch 
the  coyote  —  call  off  your  dogs  and  let  my  pup  worry 
the  coyote  a  little."  They  did  and  the  pup  rushed  in, 
the  dying  coyote  snapped  onto  the  pups  head  in  a 
death  grip  and  wouldn't  let  go.  They  had  to  pry  him 
free  and  die  man  said,  "My  pup  will  never  be  any  good 
now." 

When  the  ranch  was  purchased  from  the 
Anaconda  Mining  Co.  in  1911  the  brothers  had  high 
hopes.  But  they  were  unsuccessful  operating  it  as  a 
company  and  divided  it  up  in  240  —  400  acre 
allotments.  In  1929  when  the  banks  failed,  a  lot  of 
Orme  money  that  was  in  the  banks  was  lost.  The  land 
they  bought  for  $35.00  per  acre  was  now  worth 
$12.00. 

My  grandfather  was  able  to  hold  on  to  the 
headquarter  tract  of  400  acres  and  later  bought  from 
the  bank  the  adjoining  240  for  $12.00  an  acre.  My 
Dad  was  able  to  purchase  the  Highland  ranch  around 
1944.  He  recorded  some  historical  dates  that 
happened  during  his  lifetime:  "I  have  lived  in  parts  of 
two  centuries.  I  was  born  during  the  Spanish 
American  War  in  1898.  I  have  lived  during  the  time  of 
eight  Presidents  of  the  United  States  and  eight 
Presidents  of  the  L.D.S.  Church.  I  was  bom  21  years 
after  the  Nez  Perce  War  of  Chief  Joseph  fame  in  1877. 
My  date  of  birth  was  22  years  after  General  George 
Custer  and  all  his  soldiers  were  killed  on  the  Little 
Bighorn,  in  Montana.  I  was  five  years  old  when  the 
Wright  Brothers,  Orville  and  Wilbur,  flew  the  first 
airplane  in  Kittyhawk,  N.  C,  December  17,  1903.  I 
lived  ^\4len  farming  was  at  its  hardest  and  community 
life  was  at  its  best." 

I  purchased  the  ranch  from  my  father  in  1976. 
We  have  expanded  the  acreage  to  1640  acres.  The 
water  rights  have  been  converted  into  sprinkler  systems 
allowing  for  vast  improved  use  of  the  water. 

The  love  of  the  land  and  livestock  continue 
with  our  family.  We  have  five  sons  to  assure  an  Orme 
name  continue  on  here  in  Squirrel. 

By:  Larry  Orme 

LAURENCE  ORME 

and 
VERA  JOHNSON 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Elaine 

md-  John  Haws  Baum 
She  teaches  high  school  home  economics  at  Orem, 
Utah. 

(2)  Silas  Kirby 
md-  Susan  Hay 

He  is  Dr.  of  cardio  vascular  medicine  and  surgery  at 
Boise,  ID 

(3)  Larry  Don 

md-  Deanna  Sommer 
They  operate  the  Highland  Ranch  at  Squirrel. 

(4)  Diane 

md-  Brent  Stohl 
They  farm  at  Lamont,  she  teaches  first  grade  at  Ashton 
Elem. 

LARRY  DON  ORME 

and 
DEANNA  SOMMER 


b.r.  Vera,  Laurence,  Elaine,  Diane,  f.r.  Larry  Don,  Krby  Orme 


314 


b.r.  Gregory,  Ryan  m.r.  Shawna,  Larry  Don,  Deanna,  Em  Lee, 
f.r.  Kevin,  Bradley,  and  Elton  John  Orme 


CfflLDREN: 

(1)  Kim  Lee 

md-  Michael  Gust  Steinmann 

(2)  Shawna 

md-  James  Bowles 

(3)  Ryan  Don 

md-  Janelle  Scipert 

(4)  Gregory  Larry 

md-  Raegan  Shoupe 

(5)  Bradley  Silas 

(6)  Elton  John 

(7)  Kevin  Cross 

Note:    For  a  more  complete  history  of  the  Orme 
family,  we  refer  you  to  the  Snake  River  Echoes;  A 


Quarterly  of  Idaho  History,  Vol  12.,  No.  3.  It  has 
many  pages  of  other  Orme  feimilies  histories. 

SAMUEL  WASHINGTON  ORME 

and 

SARAH  CROSS 

CHILDREN: 

Note:  The  children  of  this  family  are  the  first 

generation  to  settle  in  the  Squirrel/Highland  area. 

(1)  Samuel  Washington,  Jr.   b-  1858 

md-  Mary  Agnes  Smith 

(2)  Joseph  Cross  b-  1860 
md-(l)  Margaret  K.  England 
md-(2)  Gertrude  Ester  Eyre 

(3)  John  Kirby  b-  1862 
md-  Janet  A.  Park 

(4)  Silas  Cross  b-  1864 
md-  Emma  Jane  Smith 

(5)  Arthur  b-  1867       died  as  a  child 

(6)  Charles  Alvin  b-  1869 
md-  Ada  Madden  Dunn 

(7)  Lafayette  (Lafc)  b-  1872 
md-  Emily  Isgreen 

(8)  Edwin  Marshal  b-  1874 
md-  Millie  McLaws 

SAMUEL  W.,  ORME  JR. 

and 
MARY  AGNES  SMETH 

Note:  The  children  of  the  four  following  families  arc 
the  second  generation  of  those  who  settled  in  the 
Squirrel/Highland  area. 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Samuel  John  b-  1887 
md-  Laura  Henrietta  Baker 

2)  Mary  Alberta  b- 1889 
md-  E.  M.  (Rone)  Jergensen 

3)  Nettie  b- 

4)  Milo  S.  b-  1892 
md-  Mary  Louise  White 

5)  J.  Roy  b-  1894 
md-  Pearl  Vivian  Hobbs 

6)  Sara  C.  b-  1896 
md-  William  D.  Hollist 

7)  E.  Dean  b-  1898 
md-  Stella  Miller 

8)  Luetta  b-  1900 
md-  Arnold  Swensen 

9)  Boy  &  Girl  b-  1902 

10)  Elva  b-  1904 
md-  Que  Cannon  Swensen 

(11)  Reed  S.  b- 1906 

md-  Maxine  Ovard 


died  as  a  child 


twins  died  at  birth 


JOSEPH  CROSS  ORME 

and 

MARGARET  K.  ENGLAND 

and 
GERTRUDE  ESTER  EYRE 
CHILDREN: 

1)  Arthur 

2)  Gilbert  C. 

md-  Elsa  Harrigfeld 

3)  Ada 

md-  Otto  Lunderman 

4)  Luella 

md-  Oliver  Baum 

5)  Parley 

md-  Mary  Hall 

6)  Adrian 

md-  Rose  Perkins 

7)  JuHe 

md-  Wm.  L.  Mclntyre 

8)  Margaret  Leone 
md-  Dr.  Dale  L.  Lee 

9)  Sherman  died  as  a  child 

10)  Jane 

md-  C.  Ross  Sundberg 

11)  Grant  E. 

md-  Vella  Goslan 

12)  Gladys 

md-  Lyle  Williams 

JOHN  KIRBY  ORME 

and 

JANET  A-  PARK 


r. 


died  as  a  child 


CHILDREN: 

1)  John  Kirby,  Jr.  b-  1889 

2)  Ethel  b-  1890 
md-  Wm.  Rex  Dalling 

3)  Jean  Agnes  b- 
md-  Art  Gartside 

4)  Elva  Janet  b-  1895        died  as  a  child 

5)  Samuel  Washington    b-  1897 
md-  Olive  Cluff 

6)  Martell  b-  1901 
md-  Annette  Walker 

7)  Ellen  b-  1904 
md-  George  C.  Harrigfeld 

8)  Merle  b-  1906 

9)  Merlin  Harvey  b-  1908 
md-  Erva  Beulah  Bagley 


died  as  a  child 


SILAS  CROSS  ORME 

and 
EMMA  JANE  SMITH 


315 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Silas  Vcre 
(2) John  A. 

md-  Florence  West 
(3)  Laurence 

md-  Vera  Johnson 


died  in  infancy 


J 


I 


0. 


(4)  Amy 

md-  Orvillc  Bowles 

(5)  Mary 

md-  Joe  Evans 

(6)  Kate 

md-  Stan  Loosli 

(7)  Iva 

md-  Morgan  Hawkes 


SAMUEL  JOHN  ORME 

and 

LAURA  HENRIETTA  BAKER 


Note: 


d-  1967 


d-  1988 


The  children  of  this  family  are  of  the  third 
generation     of    those     who     settled     in     the 
Squirrel/Highland  area. 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Samuel  Alvin  b- 1912 
md-  Margaret  Eloisc  Muir 

(2)  Ha  b-  1914 
md-  Arthur  Gale  Smith 

(3)  Jesse  Milton  b-  1916 
md-  Helen  Manwaring 

(4)  Laura  Beth  b-  1921 
md-(l)  Keith  S.Archibald 
md-  (2)  Calvin  Charles  Amott 

(5)  Sarah  Marie  b-  1923 
md-  Gordon  Merl  Carson 

A  Short  History  of 
HARRIET  PERSIS  TANNER  ORR 


d-  1973 


the  valley  pioneers,  and  about  him  hauling  granite 
blocks  by  ox  team  for  the  building  of  the  Salt  Lake 
Temple.  She  told  of  playing  on  the  foundation  of 
Temple  when  it  was  being  built,  while  a  child.  Many 
times  the  family  home  and  food  was  shared  with 
emigrants,  somenmes  they  would  spend  the  winter  in 
their  home. 

She  was  married  to  (1)  Daniel  Gibson  28 
October  1875,  at  Union  Fort,  Utah,  they  were  later 
divorced.  There  was  a  son  bom  to  this  union,  Daniel 
Henry  Gibson  who  also  helped  to  build  up  the  prairie 
in  the  Famum  Area. 

Harriet  married  (2)  John  Orr,  6  November 
1880  at  Parley's  Park,  Utah.  He  died  20  March  1901 
at  Chester,  Idaho.  Seven  children  were  bom  to  this 
union: 


Gladys,  Geneva  Beatrice,  Abigail  Jean, 
Pcrsis  Ann,  Harriet  Pcrsis  Tanner  Watson 


Hattic  Orr  Watson  on  her  100th  birthday 

Lovingly  called  Grandma  Watson  (a  pioneer 
Doctor),  Harriet  Pcrsis  Tanner  daughter  of  Nathan 
and  Persis  (Tippets)  Tanner  was  bom  10  June  1856  at 
South  Cottonwood,  Utah. 

She  spoke  often  of  her  happy  childhood  and 
the  home  she  loved.  She  told  of  her  father  Nathan 
Tanner  being  a  cross-country  freighter,  making  round 
trips  to  California  for  commodities  that  would  supply 


(1)  Persis  Ann  b- 1881 
md-  (1)  Henry  A  Schweitzer 
md-  (2)  Bash  L.  Bennett 

(2)  John  Alva  b-  1887 
md-  Lela  French  Wallace 

(3)  Abigail  Jean  b-  1890 
md-  Orland  Higginbotham 

(4)  Alta  Onita  b-  1892 
(5)-  William  Stuart  b-  1894 

md  Sereta  Thomock 
(6)-  Gladys  Virga  b-  1897 

md  Melvin  G.  Hill 
(7)-  Geneva  Beatrice        b-  1900 

md  Lewis  Steven  Wiles 


d-  1954 

d-  1965 

d-  1922 

d-  1893  child 
d-  1973 


d-  1950 


316 


Married  (3)  John  Watson  28  October  1904  at 
Chester  Idaho,  he  died  20  March  1909  at  Famum, 
Idaho. 

When  John  Orr  and  his  wife  Harriet  planned 
on  coming  to  Idaho,  she  was  encouraged  to  take  a 
course  in  obstetrics  and  nursing,  as  the  area  was  very 
much  in  need  of  doctors. 

She  had  a  family  of  seven  children  at  this 
time.  She  took  a  nursing  course  in  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah  under  instructorship  of  Margaret  C.  Roberts 
M.D.,  wife  of  B.  H.  Roberts.    Her  first  certificate  was 


signed  December  20,  1898,  and  she  was  qualified  to 
practice  as  a  trained  nurse. 

She  drove  her  horse  and  buggy,  ten  miles 
from  South  Cottonwood,  each  day  into  Salt  Lake  for 
her  classes.  She  continued  her  studies  and  on  4  April 
1899  took  her  examination  and  was  licensed  to 
practice  obstetrics  in  the  State  of  Utah,  Certificate  No. 
293,  signed  by  the  board  of  Medical  Examiners 
Consisting  of  J.  M.  Dart,  Prcs.,  J.  F.  Critchlow  MJD., 
Seq  Samuel  S.  Brick  M.D.,  Briant  Stringham  M.D., 
O.  C.  Omesby  M.D.  and  John  F.  White  MX). 

The  family  moved  to  Idaho  by  wagon  and 
buggy  and  arrived  in  Famum  July  23,  1899,  where 
her  husband  John  Orr  and  their  son  Daniel  had 
established  a  homestead  the  previous  year  1898. 

In  the  fall  they  would  move  to  Chester  so  the 
children  could  go  to  school  and  their  child  Geneva 
was  born.  In  the  spring  they  returned  to  the 
homestead. 

March  20,  1901  John  Orr  died  leaving  his 
family  in  a  strange  land  with  the  perils  of  pioneer  life 
ahead  of  them.  In  October  she  gathered  her  family 
together  and  made  a  trip  by  buggy  back  to  Salt  Lake 
for  a  visit.  After  returning  to  her  home  in  Famum  she 
began  the  practice  of  midwifery,  going  into  the  homes 
to  deliver  babies,  with  pay  that  consisted  of  various 
commodities  like  meat,  a  can  of  honey,  a  sack  of 
potatoes  and  other  food  stuff.  Money  was  scarce, 
although  she  herself  had  a  nine  month  old  baby 
(Geneva),  she  proceeded  with  her  nursing  duties, 
taking  the  baby  with  her. 

She  traveled  in  a  buggy  with  a  little  mare  that 
often  had  a  colt  bouncing  at  her  side.  No  distance 
was  too  far  or  road  too  bad,  or  river  to  deep  to  keep 
her  away  fi-om  helping  anyone  in  need  of  her  services. 

While  encountering  the  hardships  of  pioneer 
living  her  faith  and  testimony  in  her  church  never 
faltered,  and  she  always  found  time  to  teach  in  Sunday 
School,  Primary,  and  Relief  Society.  She  was  a  zealous 
student  of  the  Gospel,  and  studied  as  she  traveled  to 
and  from  her  patients. 

On  October  28,  1904  she  married  John 
Watson  and  they  returned  to  Famum  to  continue 
proving  on  John  and  Harriet's  homestead.  While  there 
he  farmed  and  she  continued  her  practice. 

In  1909  he  passed  away  and  left  her  alone  again 
with  her  family  to  raise.  It  seemed  as  though  fate  had 
predestined  her  to  carry  on  alone  without  a  mate.  She 
filed  on  more  land  included  in  the  Desert  act.  With 
her  son  Stewart's  help,  they  continued  to  live  on  the 
farm,  until  1915,  when  she  sold  the  fexm  and  moved 
to  St.  Anthony. 

After  she  was  65  years  of  age  her  married 
daughter  Jean  died  leaving  4  children.  She  raised 
these  grandchildren  lovingly  as  her  own.  When  79 
years  old  she  was  sole  attendant  in  delivering  twin  girls 
of  Mable  Rose  (Hathaway),  her  neighbor.  One  of  her 
last  duties  as  an  obstetrician  was  fulfilled  at  the  age  of 
86  delivering  her  grandaughter  (Lame),  a  premature 
baby  without  difficulty.    The  last  ten  years  of  her  life 


were  spent  without  sight  or  hearing,  but  with  a  bright 
and  quick  mind  and  never  losing  interest  of  those 
about  her. 

She  told  me  (Tressa  Garrett)  of  an  incident 
showing  her  devotion  to  her  Heavenly  Father  and  to 
her  Bishop  who  had  been  called  to  serve  over  the  ward 
she  belonged  to.  It  was  about  the  last  part  of  1908 
and  the  first  part  of  1909,  my  father,  Brigham 
Murdoch,  had  approached  her  for  her  assessment  on 
the  new  ward  building  being  built,  money  was  scarce 
and  she  had  saved  enough  to  buy  her  a  pair  of 
overshoes.  The  ward  had  been  assessed  for  the  Rick's 
Academy  in  Rcxburg,  and  the  new  Stake  House  being 
built  in  St.  Anthony.  It  was  difficult  for  the  ward  to 
meet  their  assessments.  Each  family  was  assessed  so 
much.  When  father  approached  her,  she  readily  gave 
him  the  money  she  had  saved  for  her  overshoes.  She 
wrapped  her  feet  in  gunny  sacks  to  keep  them  dry 
when  she  had  to  go  out  in  the  winter  weather.  Father 
verified  this  incident  when  I  asked  him  about  it,  but 
she  had  never  let  him  know  she  had  saved  the  money 
for  the  overshoes. 

The  words  to  describe  her,  she  had  a  zest  for 
life,  and  in  pursuit  of  her  duties  was  zealous  and  eager. 
She  was  always  interested  in  what  was  going  on  about 
her,  and  also  in  world  affairs.  She  died  14  November 
1958  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho  at  102  years  of  age.  She 
had  wimessed  a  century  of  progress,  from  covered 
wagon  and  pioneer  days  to  the  atomic  age. 
Sources: 

(1)  History  of  Nathan  Tanner  pg  548,  549. 

(2)  Famum  Ward  records. 

(3)  Memories  of  her  daughter  Gladys  Orr  Hill 

(4)  Memories  Tressa  Murdoch  Garrett  a  friend  and 
neighbor. 


Grar.drru  Hatbc  Watson  and  son  Stewart  Orr 
with  her  horses  and  buggy  she  used  to  deliver  babies 


317 


MELVD4  G.  HILL 

and 

GLADYS  ORR 


Gladys  Orr  and  Mclvin  Gunning  Hill  Wedding  picture  1916 

I  was  bom  in  Huntsvillc,  Utah,  January  14, 
1897  to  John  Orr  and  Harriet  Pcrsis  Tanner.  There 
were  seven  children.  My  oldest  brother  (my  mother's 
child  by  her  first  marriage)  was  Daniel  Henry  Gibson. 
My  sister  Persis  was  my  father's  (John  Orr)  first  child, 
and  then  came  John,  Jean,  Alta,  Stewart,  me,  and 
Geneva. 

We  came  up  into  Idaho  when  I  was  2-  2  1/2 
years  old.  When  we  were  children,  we  did  not  listen 
to  what  our  parents  told  us  and  I  didn't  stop  to  think 
how  important  it  was  for  them  to  come  to  Idaho. 
There  were  no  trains,  or  cars,  we  came  by  covered 
wagon,  with  our  cows  and  father  brought  a  sheep  or 
two. 

My  father  was  a  sheep  man  and  my  brother 
took  very  sick  in  Utah.  While  my  father  was  caring  for 
my  brother  the  rusders  and  diseases  in  the  sheep  herds 
took  most  of  his  sheep.  He  decided  to  come  up  into 
Idaho  to  homestead  and  he  and  my  brother,  Dan, 
came  up  just  five  miles  south  of  Ashton.  They  worked 
on  their  homestead  two  or  three  years  before  the 
family  came  in  1899,  and  setded  in  the  Famum  area. 

I  was  only  2  1/2  years  old.  I  remember 
them  saying  they  came  to  Eagle  Rock,  (that  is  Idaho 
Falls  now),  and  then  came  to  Mud  Lake,  that  was  near 
Roberts.  They  circled  around  through  Egin,  Parker 
and  St.  Anthony  area,  crossed  the  Fall  River  where 
Chester  is  and  went  on  up  to  Famum. 

In  1901  my  fethcr  died  and  left  mother,  with 
7  children,  away  from  her  family,  with  nothing  but  an 
undeveloped  homestead. 


318 


My  Mother  was  a  Doctor  of  Obstetrics  and 
went  out  delivering  babies.  She  had  a  little  nine  month 
old  baby,  my  youngest  sister  Geneva,  and  then  me  4 
1/2  years  old,  and  I  would  be  into  everything.  She 
couldn't  take  me  with  her  because  a  midwife  in  those 
days  went  and  stayed  10  days  before  the  delivery,  and 
then  stayed  until  after  the  mother  was  better.  She  had 
to  stay  away  fi-om  home  a  long  time.  My  older  sister, 
Persis,  was  married  with  no  children.  She  took  me  and 
I  lived  at  Rigby  with  her  and  went  to  school  12  years 
there.  I  didn't  quite  get  through  high  school  because  I 
was  a  'drop  out',  as  they  call  them  now. 

During  my  childhood,  what  a  peaceful  time  it 
was.  We  just  lived  a  good  peaceful  family  life,  enjoying 
each  other,  and  we  had  our  friends.  I  was  privileged  on 
Sundays  to  bring  a  friend  home  with  me  for  Sunday 
dinner,  whether  it  was  a  boy  friend  or  a  girl  friend.  We 
had  no  outside  recreation  as  the  young  people  have 
today.  We  had  no  cars,  we  walked  or  went  in  buggies 
or  sleighs.  We  just  had  a  nice  peaceful  life. 

When  I  started  school  at  age  6,  I  was  living 
with  my  sister,  Persis,  in  Rigby.  She  would  put  me  on 
the  train,  to  send  me  home  to  be  with  my  family  after 
school  let  out  for  the  summer.  The  conductor  would 
watch  Tttc  until  I  got  of!"  at  Chester  and  my  family 
would  meet  me  there  with  the  horse  and  buggy.  I  had 
one  special  friend  I  will  never  forget.  He  was  a  black 
man.  He  was  one  of  the  finest  men  I  have  ever  known. 
My  mother  could  trust  him.  His  name  was  Tommy 
Tanner.  He  delivered  mail  from  the  train  to  the  post 
office  which  was  in  the  Chester  store.  It  was  a  little 
store,  not  much  room  in  it.  I  would  stay  with  Tommy 
until  my  parents  came  for  me.  My  mother  delivered 
children  for  Tommy  Tanner  and  his  wife.  He  was  a 
very  good  friend  and  I  think  of  him  with  a  lot  of  love 
right  now. 

One  day  at  school  I  remember  the  school 
children  went  from  Rigby  to  Blackfbot  on  the  train  to 
see  our  first  aeroplane.  It  cost  us  25  cents  to  ride  on 
the  train.  The  aeroplane  was  like  a  little  cracker  box.  I 
will  never  forget  that  thing  taking  off  into  the  air.  I 
couldn't  understand  about  that! 

During  high  school  days  in  Rigby,  we  had 
school  dances.  They  let  out  at  12  o'clock  and  we 
rushed  home.  If  we  didn't,  our  parents  came  to  get  us! 
We  weren't  allowed  to  date  until  we  were  16  and  then 
only  as  a  group  together. 

We  had  a  nice  p>eaceful  life  until  1914,  when 
the  first  World  War  broke  out.  My  brother,  Stewart, 
went  to  war  and  served  in  Germany.  In  those  days  we 
didn't  have  radios.  The  only  way  we  could  keep  up 
with  what  was  going  on  in  the  world  was  our  weekly 
newspaper.  Our  news  and  everything  had  to  come  by 
ship  and  that  was  pretty  slow  in  those  days. 

We  didn't  enter  the  war  at  that  time,  but 
inasmuch  as  there  were  Americans  over  there,  they  all 
had  to  leave  Germany  and  were  sent  home. 

There  was  this  L.D.S.  missionary,  Melvin  Hill, 
the  son  of  Robert  Wimmer  Hill  and  Rachel  Luanda 
Elmer,  who  had  just  returned  from  Germany  at  this 


time.  He  put  in  his  3  1/2  years  on  his  mission  and 
then  stayed  afterward  to  study  music  in  Berlin.  It  was 
during  the  time  of  the  famous  opera  singer,  Caruso. 
In  order  for  Melvin  to  get  his  vocal  music  lessons  and 
his  training,  he  was  on  stage  with  Caruso.  Sometimes 
all  he  had  to  do  was  hold  a  book  or  some  page  or 
something.  But  he  did  that  at  all  of  Caruso's 
programs  so  he  could  listen  to  the  great  Caruso.  In 
1914  his  education  stopped  and  he  was  sent  home. 
His  parents  had  purchased  land  near  the  Rogers' 
homestead  and  farmed  there  for  years. 

At  that  time  I  was  17  years  old,  I  would 
spend  my  time  in  Rigby  in  school  and  2  1/2  months 
out  of  the  year  I  would  spend  the  time  in  Famum 
with  my  family.  This  is  a  very  regretfiil  thing  to  me 
right  now.  I  didn't  know  my  family  only  2  1/2 
months  out  of  a  year  so  I  didn't  get  much  acquainted 
with  my  brothers  and  sisters. 

I  was  home  on  vacation  and  we  heard  about 
this  missionary  who  had  come  from  Germany  and  had 
a  great  singing  voice.  We  went  over  to  ask  him  if  he 
would  come  to  our  church  to  sing  for  us  and  entertain 
us.  What  did  I  see  but  this  handsome  guy  coming 
into  the  tent  door.  For  the  first  time  in  my  life  my 
heart  gave  a  flip  flop.  This  was  in  July  1915.  My 
husband  courted  me  with  a  horse  and  buggy.  You 
know,  I  married  that  handsome  guy  November  10, 
1915,  just  75  years  ago  today,  November  10,  1990. 

When  Mel  and  I  married  it  was  during  the 
great  depression  times.  In  1917  we  had  our  first  baby, 
a  little  girl,  Percy  Patrida  (Pat).  It  was  then  we  went 
out  to  Dubois,  way  back  on  the  mountain  all  by 
ourselves  and  homesteaded — very,  very  lonely.  We 
were  20  miles  from  town  and  all  we  had  was  a  horse 
and  wagon.  So  we  never  went  to  town,  we  took  all 
our  provisions  with  us.  Can  you  imagine  going  out  on 
a  farm  with  $250.  You  know  $250.00  was  a  lot  of 
money.  We  bought  just  $50.00  worth  of  staples  and 
had  a  garden.  We  always  had  one  cow  and  a  few  little 
chickens  besides  our  6  head  of  horses  that  we  had  to 
farm  with. 

While  living  there  Melvin  was  the  ditch  rider 
and  we  had  an  eight  piece  dance  orchestra  consisting 
of  local  people  with  Melvin  playing  the  saxophone 
and  I  played  the  piano. 

We  used  to  come  to  St.  Anthony  for  the 
winter.  The  seasons  were  so  dry  on  the  farm  we 
couldn't  raise  much  of  a  crop  so  we  came  back  to  St. 
Anthony  to  live.  We  had  a  nice  orchestra  and  played 
for  dances.  Mel  could  play  the  piano,  slide  trombone 
and  saxophone.  He  loved  music.  The  only  time  he 
was  happy  was  when  it  had  something  to  do  with 
music.  He  had  a  beautiful  singing  voice. 

The  Depression  was  affecting  everyone.  The 
government  funded  the  WPA  and  the  CCC  and  the 
Welfare  Program  was  started  during  that  rime.  Wc 
had  $10.00  to  our  name  and  four  dances  to  play  for 
that  week.  Mel  died  suddenly  on  March  6,  1938. 

There  I  was  with  four  to  support,  my 
mother,  my  daughter  Pat,  and  her  baby  daughter, 
Francis.  I  had  to  make  some  decisions  in  a  hurry. 


319 


I  started  to  work  just  one  week  after  my 
husband  died.  A  friend  of  mine,  who  was  over  the 
Welfare  Program  (WPA)  asked  me  if  I  wanted  a  job.  I 
told  him  I  would  do  anything,  even  dig  ditches.  At 
the  WPA  I  was  over  the  sewing  room.  I  had  19 
women  working  and  sewing.  We  made  dresses,  men's 
pants,  and  quilts  from  the  scraps.  We  didn't  waste 
anything. 

When  I  had  worked  there  a  year  and  a  half,  all 
the  employees  at  that  time  had  to  take  a  month  oflf,  no 
pay.  I  took  my  month  lay  oflF.  I  had  a  friend  who  was 
working  for  Dr.  Ellison  here  in  town.  He  had  a 
private  hospital.  I  was  taking  a  correspondence  nursing 
course  at  this  time. 

His  advice  is  about  the  best  advice  that  I  can 
remember  receiving  at  that  time.  He  said,  "If  you  will 
come  and  work  for  me,  I  will  train  you  to  become  a 
professional  nurse  and  it  will  give  you  a  profession  for 
the  rest  of  your  life.  If  you  go  back  to  the  sewing 
room  and  it  doses,  then  you  are  going  to  be  right 
back  where  you  started."  I  could  see  where  his  advice 
was  something  I  needed  at  that  time.  I  owe  my  whole 
education  to  that  man.  He  was  a  fine,  fine  doctor. 

When  I  had  worked  there  about  3  1/2  years. 
Dr.  Ellison  drowned  in  Henry's  Lake.  Then  the 
hospital  dosed  for  a  while.  When  it  opened  up  again,  I 
went  back  to  work  for  the  dty  on  the  floor,  as  a  nurse. 
Later  I  was  business  manager  for  about  a  year  and 
then  asked  to  be  supcrintendant  of  the  hospital. 

I  have  so  much  admiration  for  doctors.  They 
are  wonderful  people.  We  had  the  first  practical 
nurses  training  course  in  the  State  of  Idaho.  We  had 
the  first  graduates  right  in  our  little  hospital  in  St. 
Anthony. 

During  all  this  time,  I  had  my  82  year  old 
mother,  my  sister  who  had  raised  me  and  who  had 
suffered  a  stroke,  my  granddaughter,  Frands,  and  a 
nephew  living  in  my  home. 

They  were  talking  about  dosing  this  hospital. 
I  quit  the  hospital  and  went  to  work  for  Dr.  Soule.  I 
worked  for  him  from  1951-1972. 

I  have  found,  if  you  have  a  desire  to  learn 
something,  you  have  to  put  forth  the  effort  to  do  so. 
If  you  cannot  finish  a  formal  education,  you  can  learn 
by  your  own  reading,  studying,  personal  experience, 
and  taking  every  advantage  that  comes  your  way.  You 
can  do  anything  you  want  to.  God  gave  us  our 
wonderful  brains  to  help  us  leam.  I  am  94  years  old, 
but  there  are  still  things  for  me  to  leam. 

By:  Gladys  Hill  November  10,  1990 

ALEX  OWEN 

and 
CORDELIA 

Alex  Owen  and  wife,  Cordelia,  and  Thomas 
Sheets  and  his  son  William  Luther  (called  Lute)  Sheets 
came  from  Nebraska  in  1901.  They  homesteaded  land 
in  the  northeast  area  of  Squirrel. 

William  L.  Sheets  married  Myrtle  Owen  in 


"J/:,. 


H 


October  1908  and  fermcd  in  Squirrel  for  many  years. 
Their  children  are:  Thelma,  Edith  and  son  William  C; 
two  sons,  Robert  and  Thomas  died  quite  young;  son 
William  died  at  age  17.  Thelma  remembers  riding 
horses  to  school  and  carrying  butter  and  eggs  to  the 
store  and  never  breaking  an  egg.  Thelma  knows  how 
it  is  done. 

Edith  married  John  Weertz  and  lives  west  of 
Ashton,  Their  daughter  is  Karen  Nygard. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  103 

ROWLAND  BLAINE  PETERSON 

and 

GENEVA  GOULDING 


b.r.  Willa,  Gene,  f.r.  Geneva  Goulding,  Nyal, 
and  Roland  Blaine  Peterson  1944 

On  March  5,  1895,  in  Gunnison,  Sanpete 
County,  Utah,  a  son,  Rowland  Blaine  Peterson  was 
born  to  Swan  Oliver  and  Melissa  Emily  Robbins 
Peterson. 

This  family  migrated  to  Idaho  about  1901, 
settling  first  in  St.  Anthony  where  Swan  carpentered. 
In  1903,  Swan  went  to  Squirrel  to  build  the  store  for 
Henry  Burrell.  While  there  he  heard  of  a  place  on 
Conant  Creek  for  sale  and  went  to  look  at  it.  Blaine 
said  the  timothy  was  so  high  that  it  could  be  tied  over 
the  back  of  a  horse.  They  purchased  160  acres  on  the 
creek  bottom  and  homesteaded  240  acres  south  of  it. 

Blaine  rode  a  horse  about  4  1/2  miles  to 
grade  school  in  Squirrel  and  then  went  to  Drummond 
High  School.  He  received  some  technical  training  in 
mechanics  at  Pocatello.  He  enjoyed  playing  basketball 
arovmd  the  area. 

At  the  time  of  the  First  World  War,  he  was  in 
the  260th  Aerial  Squadron  stationed  in  Ohio,  Texas, 
and  finally  in  England.  The  armistice  was  signed  while 
he  was  in  England.  Afi:er  this  he  remmed  to  the  dry 
farm  with  his  folks. 


320 


In  the  little  town  of  Hcnricvillc,  by  Bryccs 
Canyon  in  Southern  Utah,  a  girl,  Geneva,  was  bom  on 
November  7,  1899,  to  Samuel  and  Barbara  Ellen 
(Nellie)  Thompson  Goulding. 

In  1901  the  small  family  migrated  to  Idaho 
settling  first  in  the  W^illow  Creek  (now  Ucon)  area. 
They  then  headed  for  Star  Valley,  Wyoming,  but 
settled  instead  first  in  Wilford,  then  in  the  Twin 
Groves  area.  It  was  here  that  five  brothers  were  added 
to  the  family. 

Geneva  grew  up  in  this  area  going  to  school 
in  Twin  Groves  and  St.  Anthony.  She  then  went  to 
work  at  the  Fogg  and  Jacobs  Dry  Goods  store  and 
later  at  J.  C.  Penneys.  After  working  for  a  while,  she 
quit  and  went  back  to  school  to  receive  a  teaching 
certificate.  She  taught  first  at  the  Moody  school, 
southeast  of  Sugar  City  and  next  year  she  taught  at 
the  Swapin  Center  school  on  Fall  River  east  of 
Chester. 

While  Geneva  was  chaperoning  a  mutual 
friend,  she  met  Blaine  Peterson  and  they  were  married 
November  12,  1925  at  Rcxburg.  They  settled  on  the 
dry  farm  east  of  Drummond.  Their  oldest  son.  Gene, 
was  born  December  28,  1926  in  Idaho  Falls  and 
about  two  years  later,  their  daughter,  Willa,  was  bom 
on  October  14, 1928  at  Twin  Groves. 

With  the  help  of  neighbors  and  friends,  Blaine 
was  converted  to  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints.  Blaine  served  in  the  supcrintcndency  of 
the  Sunday  School  for  a  while  and  then  he  served  as 
Second  Counselor  in  the  Bishopric  with  Percy  Hawkcs 
and  Stillman  Whittle.  When  Whittles  moved,  Blaine 
was  moved  to  First  Counselor  and  Kurt  Marsden  was 
chosen  as  the  new  Second  Counselor. 

They  had  the  usual  hardships  on  a  dry  farm 
such  as  drought,  hail  storms,  and  the  depression  of  the 
thirties  took  their  toll.  They  managed  to  make  a  go  of 
it  with  a  lot  of  hard  work.  Nyal,  their  third  child,  was 
bom  May  1,  1938  in  St.  Anthony. 

In  1942,  the  family  moved  to  St.  Anthony 
and  ran  the  dry  farm  from  there  for  a  couple  of  years. 
As  Gene  entered  in  the  service  of  his  country  and 
Blaine's  health  was  not  so  good  anymore,  the  dry  farm 
and  the  St.  Anthony  place  were  sold.  They  moved  to 
the  Salem  area,  north  of  Rexburg,  where  they 
continued  to  farm. 

Geneva  started  teaching  school  again  because 
of  the  shortage  of  teachers  during  the  war.  She  really 
enjoyed  teaching  school.  She  taught  until  she  retired 
in  1968,  and  then  substitute  taught  almost  full  time 
for  two  more  years. 

Geneva  served  for  many  years  in  various 
callings  in  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints.  She  passed  away  July  12,  1972. 

After  Gene  and  Nyal  both  retumed  from  the 
service,  they  took  over  the  farm,  adding  more  dry  farm 
in  the  White  Owl  and  Spring  Creek  area  southeast  of 
Rcxburg.  Blaine  still  enjoyed  helping  out  on  the  farm 
with  carpenter  work  or  tractor  driving  or  wherever  he 
was  needed.    In  the  fell  of  1974,  he  became  sick  and 


was  unable  to  help  any  more  on  the  farm.  He  passed 
away  on  August  4, 1977. 

Their  children  all  reside  in  the  Salem  area. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  RcUwin  Gene  b-  1926 
md-  Lynette  Bateman 

(2)  WUla  Verlee  b-  1928 
md-  Vivan  J.  Bagley 

(3)  Nyal  Lynn  b-  1938 

md-  Yvonne  Smith 

By:  ^^^la  Peterson  Bagley 

ERASTUS  P.  PETERSON 

and 

DAISY  ADELL  RICHARDS 


b.r.  Daisy  AdcU,  Erastus  Peterson 
Eloisc,  Thomas,  Keith,  Maxinc  Peterson 


Erastus  Parley  Peterson  was  bom  September 
6,  1893  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Utah.  He  married  Daisy 
Adell  Richards  October  1,  1915  in  the  Salt  Lake 
Temple.  They  had  four  children:  Eloise,  Thomas 
Richard,  Keith  Erastus,  and  Maxine. 

My  father  came  to  Idaho  from  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Utah  March  15,  1912.  In  1913  he  homesteaded  and 
began  farming  on  the  North  ridge  of  Hog  Hollow 
south  of  Famum.  He  loved  horses  and  raised  them. 
He  helped  break  much  of  that  area  out  of  sod.  When 
the  depression  came  he  sold  some  matched  teams 
which  helped  him  avoid  bankruptcy. 

As  crawler  tractors  began  to  replace  the  horses 
my  father  found  it  difficult  to  cope  with  this  and  never 
plowed  a  furrow.  I  began  helping  with  the  fiirming  at 
that  time  and  have  operated  the  ranch  until  the 
present. 

He  didn't  have  very  good  health  in  his  later 
years.  He  suffered  a  stroke  December  17,  1964  and 
passed  away  January  15,  1965  at  the  Ashton  Memorial 
Hospital. 

He  left  behind  a  great  legacy,  having  lived  at  a 
time  when  large  hitches  of  horses  were  used.  He  took 
pride  in  driving  them  and  farming  that  large  dryland 
area. 


Memories  of  him  and  that  era  he  lived  will 
always  be  cherished. 

By:  Keith  Peterson 

KEITH  ERASTUS  PETERSON 


321 


Kym,  Barbara,  Keith,  Pamela  Peterson 

Keith  Erastus  Peterson  was  born  July  13, 
1925  at  Twin  Groves,  Fremont  County,  Idaho,  to 
Erastus  Parley  Peterson  and  Daisy  Adell  Richards.  I 
am  the  third  child  in  a  family  of  four  children.  I  have 
one  brother  Thomas  Richard  bom  July  10,  1920  and 
two  sisters,  Eloise  born  September  11,  1916  and 
Maxine  bom  April  22, 1928. 

In  my  early  childhood  I  herded  cows  and 
horses.  I  loved  to  ride  horses.  I  liked  to  play  baseball 
but  didn't  do  it  much,  it  seemed  like  wc  worked  a  lot. 
Dad  contracted  a  lot  of  hay.  At  harvest  time  I 
followed  the  threshing  machine  and  hauled  bundles 
on  the  bundle  wagon  with  a  team  of  horses. 

I  went  to  school  in  Twin  Groves  in  a  two- 
room  school  house.  Four  grades  were  taught  in  each 
room.  When  I  graduated  from  the  eighth  grade  in  the 
spring  of  1939  I  moved  up  on  the  dry  farm  Southwest 
in  the  Famum-HoghoUow  area.  I  helped  Dad  farm 
until  his  retirement.  I  then  assumed  the  operation  of 
the  farm  and  have  lived  there  ever  since. 

On  May  9,  1954  I  married  Barbara  M.  Virgin 
at  Idaho  Falls.  On  May  9,  1955  our  son,  Kym  V. 
Peterson,  was  born.  He  is  married  to  Christine 
Hendricks.  They  live  on  the  ranch  and  he  works  for 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad. 

On  April  19,  1958  our  daughter  Pamela 
Peterson  was  bom.  She  is  married  to  David  Howard 
Cannon  and  they  are  living  in  Albuquerque,  New 
Mexico. 

When  wc  were  married  there  was  no  Famum 
Ward,  it  had  been  put  in  with  Marysvillc  Ward,  so  wc 
have  attended  church  at  Marysvillc  all  our  married  life. 

Wmtcrs  have  made  it  hard  to  get  out  of  where 
we  live.  Before  I  got  married  all  I  had  to  get  out  with 
when  winter  came  was  a  pair  of  webs.  The  trip  took 
two  days,  one  day  getring  out  and  one  day  gctring 
back  in.  After  I  got  married  I  bought  a  snowplane. 
We  would  go  out  about  once  a  month  for  groceries 


Mjjje?' 


.il 


0'-  ': 


I- 


and  mail.  Wc  also  had  a  four  wheel  drive  pickup  which 
we  went  through  the  fields  with  until  the  snow  got 
too  deep  and  then  we  parked  it  on  the  highway  and 
snowplaned  to  it.  We  had  no  telephone  and  we 
picked  up  all  our  mail  up  at  Rogers  garage  on  the 
highway  in  the  wintertime  and  got  our  mail  from  a 
box  west  of  Whitdcs  where  John  Mcfarlin  delivered  it 
until  the  snow  got  too  deep. 

When  our  children  got  old  enough  to  go  to 
school  we  built  a  house  on  the  highway  where  Kay 
and  Bill  BischofF  have  their  new  home  now.  We 
would  drive  out  to  that  home  when  the  snow  got  to 
deep  to  travel  in.  The  county  started  keeping  the 
county  road  open  so  we  sold  our  home  on  the 
highway.  We  snow-mobiled  out  to  the  county  road 
where  wc  left  our  pickup.  The  children  would  catch 
the  bus  at  the  highway  on  the  road  west  of  Francis 
Bratt's. 

We  have  enjoyed  our  assodarion  with  all  the 
good  people  in  the  Famum  area.  We  thank  them  all 
for  all  the  help  they  have  given  us.  Wc  especially  want 
to  thank  Francis  and  Ruth  Bratt  for  hieing  so  good  to 
our  children  and  letting  them  catch  the  bus  at  their 
place.  Also  to  Jay  and  Zelda  Hill  for  the  times  we 
have  rode  to  church  with  them  and  all  the  others,  too 
many  to  mention,  we  give  a  big  thanks.  It's  so  good 
to  live  among  such  good  people,  in  such  a  beautiful 
area,  where  we  can  enjoy  such  a  great  heritage. 

By:  Keith  Peterson 

EDWARD  JAMES  PLUME 
and 

MURIEL  dcwrrr 

Edward  James  Plume  came  from  England  and 
landed  in  New  York.  He  went  to  Denver  where  he 
worked  for  awhile.  He  then  went  to  Nevada  and 
worked  as  a  bookkeeper.  While  in  Nevada,  he  became 
acquainted  with  a  man  who  was  homesteading  in 
Squirrel.  Ed  bought  out  this  fellow's  homesteading 
rights.  With  a  team  of  horses  and  an  axe,  he  cleared 
his  land  of  aspen  to  enlarge  his  cropland  farm  which 
gave  him,  at  best,  a  rather  frugal  living. 

Ed's  wife  was  Muriel  deWitt.  She  was  bom 
10  January  1891,  probably  in  Australia.  Ed  met  her 
when  she  was  visiting  his  cousin's  home.  They  were 
married  in  Salt  Lake  City.  A  daughter,  Frances  Mary, 
was  bom  to  them  on  15  October  1915.  Six  months 
later,  on  29  April  1916,  their  baby  died  and  on  6 
August  of  the  same  year,  Muriel  passed  away.  For  the 
rest  of  his  days,  Ed  lived  with  the  memories  of  his  wife 
and  child.  It  was  almost  as  though  they  were  at  his 
side,  sharing  in  all  he  did  and  all  he  thought.  And 
strange  though  it  may  be,  anyone  who  was  with  him 
very  long  was  aware  of  their  presence. 

Ed  spent  part  of  the  winter  of  1933-34  with 
me  at  the  farm  when  Allie  and  Lill  Burkhalter  went 
back  to  Kansas  where  his  brother,  Charles,  was  soon 
to  die.  We  had  a  fine  rime  together.  1  still  make 
bread  pudding  he  taught  me  to  make.    Ed  loved 


322 


music  and  had  a  little  crystal  radio  with  earphones 
which  brought  him  music  from  Denver  and  Los 
Angeles.  He  also  played  chess  by  mail  and  read  a  lot 
in  the  evenings.  His  family  published  an  architectural 
journal  in  Great  Britain  called  the  "British  Builder." 

Ed's  British  accent  and  diction  set  him  apart 
from  the  rest  of  the  residents  of  Squirrel.  One  winter 
day  when  he  was  staying  with  me,  we  were  faced  with 
the  task  of  butchering  a  pig.  We  got  a  drum  of  water 
heated  to  the  proper  temperature,  killed  the  animal, 
and  was  ready  to  scald  the  carcass  when  the  tank 
began  to  tip  over  as  the  iron  rods  supporting  it 
softened  and  sagged  from  the  heat.  I  was  standing, 
dumbfounded,  knowing  we  were  about  to  lose  the 
scalding  water,  when  Ed  exclaimed,  "What  can  we  do 
in  view  of  this  impending  disaster?"  After  I  had  told 
the  story  to  Cliff  and  others  around  Squirrel,  the 
words  "impending  disaster"  remained  in  our 
vocabularies  for  a  long  time. 

A  few  years  later,  when  Allie  got  a  new 
Chevrolet  sedan,  Ed  bought  Allic's  old  1924  Dodge 
coupe.  It  was  the  only  car  he  ever  owned  and 
perhaps  his  greatest  luxury. 

Edward  James  Plume  died  21  July  1965,  and 
was  buried  beside  Muriel  and  near  their  daughter, 
Frances  Mary,  in  the  cemetery  at  Squirrel.  Perhaps  it 
was  the  presence  of  Muriel  and  Frances  Mary  that 
kept  him  there  at  Squirrel  all  those  many  years. 

By:  Jack  Reveal 

WILLLAM  JARED  PRATT 

and 

ALICE  FLEET  SMART 

We  present  a  short  history  of  William  Jared 
Pratt,  and  his  wife  Alice  Fleet  Smart,  in  honor  of  their 
efforts  to  colonize  the  Farnum  area.  As  we  have 
already  noted  in  an  earlier  chapter,  it  was  through  the 
efforts  of  William  Pratt,  that  the  earliest  settlers  came 
into  this  area. 

On  his  many  trips  from  his  home  in  Wilford, 
Idaho,  to  the  forest  to  get  timber,  he  saw  an 
opportunity  for  many  homesteaders  to  come  and 
make  their  homes  here.  He  envisioned  the  Conant 
Creek  Canal  watering  farms  in  the  Farnum 
Drummond  area. 

By  1896,  his  son,  Thomas  H.  Pratt,  was 
living  on  Conant  Creek  a  little  west  of  Nyborg's 
present  home.  He  induced  other  relatives  and  friends 
to  come  in  about  that  time  to  settle  the  Horseshoe 
Flat  area.  Although  he  never  lived  here,  as  such, 
himself,  the  records  show  he  influenced  others  to 
come  in,  take  up  homesteads,  and  dig  the  canal. 

Now  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life  and  who  he 
was. 

William  Jared  Pratt  was  a  son  of  William 
Dickinson  Pratt  who  was  one  of  the  famous  Pratt 
Brothers,  namely,  Anson,  William  Dickinson,  Parley 
Parker,  Orson,  and  Nelson.  His  mother  was  Wealthy 
Eddy. 


William  Dickinson  Pratt  and  his  wife, 
Wealthy,  were  with  the  Saints  at  Kirkland,  and  then 
moved  west  to  Nauvoo,  where  William  Jared  was 
bom  June  22,  1844.  He  was  taught  the  principles  of 
the  Gospel  in  his  early  life.  He  was  seven  years  old 
when  he  crossed  the  plains  with  his  parents.  They 
arrived  in  Salt  Lake  with  the  Parley  P.  Pratt  Company 
in  1851.  He  was  the  only  surviving  child  in  a  family 
of  five.  His  parents  buried  two  children  on  the  plains. 
He  was  baptized  in  the  year  1853,  at  the  age  of  nine 
years. 

In  the  year  1860,  he  moved  with  his  parents 
to  Payson,  Utah,  then  to  American  Fork  and  Provo. 
Later  they  moved  to  Franklin,  Idaho.  He  was  sixteen 
at  that  time.  In  Franklin  he  met  Alice  Fleet  Smart  and 
they  were  married  on  December  1,  1863,  and 
endowed  December  27,  1864,  in  the  Salt  Lake 
Temple. 

Alice  Fleet  Smart  was  the  daughter  of  Harry 
Fleet  and  Ann  Hayter.  She  was  born  in  Pontlash, 
France,  January  1,  1844.  Her  parents  went  to  France 
fi-om  England  just  before  she  was  bom.  Her  mother 
separated  from  Harry  Fleet  and  afterward  married 
Thomas  Sharratt  Smart.  Alice,  with  her  two  sisters, 
Mary  Ann  Fleet  and  Louisa  Fleet,  were  legally  adopted 
and  later  sealed  to  Thomas  Sharratt  Smart.  The  family 
emigrated  to  America  fi-om  France  and  setded  at  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  and  were  converted  to  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  Thomas  Sharratt 
and  Ann  were  baptized  in  the  year  1851  and  crossed 
the  plains  to  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  April  8,  1852, 
locating  in  American  Fork  and  Provo,  Utah,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  tannery  business.  He  later  was  called  to 
go  to  Franklin,  Idaho,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers 
in  that  town.  He  shared  in  the  Indian  trouble,  and 
was  in  the  Walker  Indian  War.  Alice  was  baptized  in 
Franklin  in  the  year  1862. 

To  this  union  was  bom  nine  children  -  five 
sons  and  four  daughters,  namely:  William  Orson,  Ann 
Eliza,  Thomas  Henry,  Parley  Parker,  Alice  Malona, 
Jared  Orlando,  Wealthy  Melissa,  Katie  Lousia,  and 
Lconidas  Moroni  Pratt. 

A  few  years  after  their  marriage,  William  and 
Alice  Pratt  in  response  to  a  call  from  the  Church 
Presidency  moved  to  Clifton,  Idaho,  where  as  the  first 
Bishop  of  Clifton,  he  served  for  a  period  of  seven 
years.  Alice  was  also  very  active  in  church  work  and 
was  one  of  the  first  presidents  of  the  Relief  Society  in 
Clifton,  Idaho.  Then  they  moved  back  to  Franklin, 
Idaho,  where  William  married  a  plural  wife,  Charlotte 
Arbella  Chandler  Parkinson,  April  18,  1873.  To  this 
union  was  born  three  children,  one  son  and  two 
daughters,  namely:  Florence  Arbella,  William  Franklin, 
and  Clarissa  Parkinson  Pratt. 

In  1883,  William  moved  with  his  first  wife 
and  some  of  his  neighbors,  the  Blacks,  the  Browers, 
and  Burrells,  from  Oxford,  Idaho,  to  the  Snake  River 
Coimtry.  His  second  wife  and  children  remained  at 
Preston,  Idaho.  He  took  up  land  in  the  Snake  River 
Valley  and  helped  establish  the  first  town  in  that 


section,  the  town  of  Wilfbrd,  Idaho,  which  is  located 
about  10  miles  north  of  Rexburg,  Idaho.  They 
arrived  in  Wilfbrd  on  November  7,  1883.  After  several 
years,  his  second  family  moved  to  Wilfbrd,  but  did  not 
remain  long  and  moved  back  to  Preston. 

William  Jared  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and 
besides  pioneering  and  farming,  he  would  go  to  the 
dififcrent  canyons  and  chop  down  logs  and  hew  them 
into  shape,  help  build  homes,  church  houses,  and 
school  building,  besides  building  caskets  for  the 
people  who  died  in  that  country  in  the  early  days.  He 
also  served  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School  in 
the  Wilford  Ward  for  several  years.  He  served  as  a 
scout  in  the  Jackson  Hole  Country  at  the  time  of  the 
Indian  trouble  there.  He  built  and  operated  a  small 
store  in  the  southwest  comer  of  his  lots  on  the  main 
road  that  ran  through  Wilford.  The  store  stood  where 
Warren  Black  lives.  The  house  to  the  east  of  Warren's 
which  is  owned  by  Blacks,  was  built  by  William  and 
was  his  home. 

Alice  shared  the  trials  and  hardships  with  her 
husband  in  pioneering  the  Snake  River  Country.  She 
was  active  in  church  work  serving  as  president  of  the 
Relief  Society  in  Wilford  for  many  years.  She  was 
known  as  an  angel  of  mercy  as  she  went  among  the 
homes  caring  fbr  the  sick,  laying  out  the  bodies  of  the 
dead,  and  carrying  food  to  those  in  need.  She  was 
very  expert  at  sewing  and  made  all  kinds  of  men's  and 
women's  clothing,  and  excelled  in  fancy  work  of  all 
kinds.  Their  home  was  always  open  to  travelers  who 
needed  to  stop  for  fbod  and  lodging  on  a  long  trip 
between  widely  separated  destinations. 

In  1904,  William  and  Alice  moved  from 
Wilford  with  their  married  sons  to  Albion,  Idaho, 
where  they  again  were  among  the  first  to  settle  the 
Burley  country.  They  helped  build  canals  and  develop 
new  farm  land. 

He  passed  away  June  16,  1909,  at  the  age  of 
65.  He  was  always  a  valiant,  hard  worker,  and  helped 
blaze  many  new  trails  for  the  generarions  to  come. 
He  was  a  kind,  loving  husband  and  father,  and  was 
honest,  generous  and  charitable;  and  was  devoted  to 
his  faith  in  the  Gospel.  He  was  courageous,  and 
endured  many  trials  and  hardships  without  complaint. 
He  was  indeed  a  true  pioneer. 

Alice  Pratt  died  at  Burley,  Idaho,  on  February 
17,  1920.  She  likewise  was  a  faithful  Latter-day  Saint 
and  a  noble  pioneer. 

By:  Alice  Malona  Pratt  Bartlett 

and  Katie  Louisa  Pratt  Gamer,  their  daughters 

SAMMIE  TRIE  REECE 

and 
CLARA  MAE  ADAMS 

They  had  a  little  log  house,  with  a  very  big  yard, 
One  could  tell  at  a  glance  they  worked  very  hard. 
There  was  a  hedge  of  lilacs,  and  a  big  pansy  bed 
There  were  dahlias,  gladiolus,  and  roses  of  red. 


323 


gjjp,^ 


Inside  the  house  was  a  sight  quite  rare. 

There  were  rooms  with  shinny  windows,  but  the 

floors,  oh,  yes  they  were  bare 

The  curtains  hung  clean  and  always  starched  stifl?" 

And  the  smell  of  clorox  would  knock  you  flat  with  one 

whifP. 


Those  days  are  gone,  yet  you'll  find  them  fi-esh  in  the 

mind 

Of  the  girls  who  loved  them  and  left  them  behind 

But  the  parents  who  made  the  memories  dear 

Are  still  here  with  us  and  I  must  make  it  clear 


■I  I 


ll 

.1 


C: 


The  family  who  lived  there  were  really  all  right. 
There  was  a  father  and  mother,  they'd  never  fight. 
There  were  three  small  gjrls,  and  occasionally  a  dog, 
There  was  an  old  gray  cat  in  the  comer  on  some  logs. 

About  this  time  another  baby  came  along. 

But  the  Doctor  said,  "I'm  sorry,  by  noon  she'll  be 

gone. 

Wrapped  in  a  blanket,  he  laid  her  on  the  oven  door  of 

the  stove. 

Then  got  in  his  car,  and  away  he  drove. 

That  mother  so  weary  cried,  "Bring  me  my  child." 
So  that  father  bathed  her  and  dressed  her  and  smiled 
Then  laid  her  in  the  arms  of  a  mother  so  dear 
And  gave  silent  thanks  that  at  last  she  was  here. 

Each  day  they  watched  her  grow  into  their  life, 
She  ran  and  played,  never  thinking  of  strife. 
The  sisters  loved  her,  of  course,  she  loved  them  back. 
And  when  tired  of  walking,  she'd  lift  her  arms  and  say 
"please  pack". 

The  mother  used  to  send  them  with  a  wagon  to  the 

store, 

Five  dollars  would  load  it  up,  but  so  it  wouldn't  be  a 

bore, 

Thcre'd  always  be  left  over  an  extra  penny  or  two. 

For  jawbreakers  or  lollipops  or  things  that  they  could 

chew. 

They  romped  and  played  with  the  neighbor  kids 
They'd  play  monopoly  and  string  up  old  worn  out  lids. 
And  on  special  occasions  they'd  go  up  the  street 
And  eat  salad  dressing  on  bread,  man,  that  was  neat ! 

Then  came  a  day  the  father  said,  "let's  move". 

To  a  farm  in  the  country  and  they  were  all  in  the 

groove 

To  enjoy  a  new  home  and  wide  open  spaces 

They  packed  up  and  left  as  if  off  to  the  races. 

The  place  in  the  country,  they  like  so  much. 
With  machinery,  acres,  pig  pens  and  such. 
Two  horses  they  rode,  until  they  dropped  over. 
And  a  dog  of  their  own,  his  name  ?  what  else-Rover. 

They  joined  in  the  fun  of  that  commimity  spree. 

And  the  tales  that  could  be  told,  will  never  be. 

They  were  known  for  their  singing,  they  were  known 

for  their  dancing 

From  Drummond  to  Judkins  you  heard  of  their 

prancing. 


324 


That  I'm  the  baby  that  cold  winter  mom 

Who  didn't  want  to  leave  them  and  wouldn't  be  tom 

From  the  love  and  affection  I've  always  cherished 

For  without  these  two  people,  I'm  sure  I'd  have 

perished. 

They've  had  understanding:  you  could  tell  them  any 

trouble 

And  after  discussion -it  would  burst  like  a  bubble. 

Their  teachings  were  the  greatest,  their  love  the  very 

best. 

So  I'll  take  my  parents  -  and  the  world  can  have  the 

rest !! 

By:Lcna  Mac  (Toi  Lee)  Fowler,  written  as  a  tribute 

before  our  parents  passed  away.    She  too,  loved  the 

Famum  ward,  the  Dmmmond  School,  where  Glenn 

Baird  set  her  on  top  of  the  piano,  to  sing,  while  he 

played  for  the  school  dances.    Toi  now  lives  in  Salt 

Lake  City,  her  husband  Gregg,  is  the  president  of 

Peerless  Beauty  Supply  Company. 

Delia  Rcece  Hayes  lives  in  Salt  Lake  City,  and 
works  for  the  Salt  Lake  County  Aging  Services. 

TREASURED  MOMENTS  WE  REMEMBER 

Dear  Mom  and  Dad  —  I  would  like  to  share  with  you 
a  few  of  the  treasured  moments  that  I  can  recall  when 
I  was  with  you  in  our  home. 

First  of  all  let  me  tell  you  both  how  very  much 
I  love  you,  for  the  love  that  you  have  given  to  me, 
without  this  love  instilled  in  my  heart,  >\^en  I  was  very 
young,  I  am  sure  that  I  wouldn't  be  the  person  I  am 
today.  I  thank  you  both  for  the  gospel  that  you  taught 
me,  for  the  strong  testimony  that  I  have  for  this  gospel. 
For  the  desire  to  serve  my  Heavenly  Father.  For  all  the 
teachings,  not  only  just  the  gospel,  but  to  learn  to 
understand  people,  to  get  along  with  people,  to  accept 
them  for  what  they  are,  not  for  what  I  would  want 
them  to  be.  For  the  desire  to  have  a  family,  as  you 
both  know,  my  family  is  most  predous  to  me.  I  love 
each  one  so  very  dearly,  and  it  has  been  the  both  of 
you  that  has  done  this  for  me,  the  lessons  on  love  in 
your  home  was  always  on  my  mind.  To  have  a  home 
that  was  fiill  of  love  was  what  I  worked  for  the  most.  I 
thank  you  both,  those  words  are  never  enough  to  tell  a 
parent,  but  until  they  come  up  with  something  better, 
my  many  thanks  to  both  of  you,  for  being  my  parents 
and  for  the  love  you  have  given  to  me. 

I  remember  the  times  when  all  of  us  girls, 
Lola,  Delia,  and  Lena  would  go  down  to  the  pasture 
to  get  the  old  cow,  we  were  living  in  Ashton  at  that 
time,  and  once  in  a  while.  Mom,  you  would  walk 
along  with  us,  and  we  would  see  who  could  kick  the 


rock  the  farthest,  and  you  would  say,  "that  is  enough, 
you  are  getting  your  shoes  and  sox  dirty",  and  we 
would  go  along  the  road  and  stop  to  pick  a  blue- bell 
or  some  daisies  that  were  growing  along  the  road. 

I  remember  going  to  the  Post-Office  to  get 
the  mail,  and  to  the  old  Burrell  store  at  Drummond, 
to  get  a  can  of  tomatoes  and  minced  ham  for  lunch. 
Remember  the  time  that  Lola  picked  up  the  wrong 
sack  of  tomatoes  and  we  had  to  walk  back  to  the  store, 
and  exchange  them,  and  that  old  dog  of  Ivan  Owens 
who  lived  around  the  corner  would  just  about  take 
our  leg  oflF! 

I  remember  the  times  that  it  would  snow,  and 
Mr.  Johnson  would  have  to  come  over  and  shovel  the 
snow  away  from  the  door  so  that  we  could  get  the 
door  open,  and  get  outside.  I  remember  the  times 
that  Daddy  would  be  away  on  Construction  for  such  a 
long  time,  and  then  one  day  the  door  would  open, 
and  he  would  throw  his  hat  in  on  the  floor,  to  let  us 
know  he  was  home.  What  a  joyful  day  that  was  for  all 
of  us. 

Then  the  day  came  when  Dad  came  home 
and  ask  us  if  we  would  like  to  move  to  the  country. 
We  all  went  to  Drummond  to  see  the  farm,  and  Mr. 
Ben  Deisel  had  those  Httlc  pigs  and  we  gjrls  just  about 
had  a  fit  because  they  were  all  getting  their  dinner! 
We  had  never  seen  anything  like  that  and  it  was  quite 
an  experience. 

I  remember  the  time  we  would  get  in  the  old 
sled  to  ride  to  the  Famum  church  house  and  the  old 
sled  that  Bill  Miller  drove  us  to  school  in  and  the 
times  we  would  tip  over  and  we  all  would  get  out  and 
push  the  sled  back  up  and  go  on  our  merry  way. 
Young  and  carefree  we  were. 

Remember  the  time  that  Daddy  got  sick  that 
summer  and  we  had  to  go  to  the  field  to  water  the 
hay,  you  and  I  put  on  the  old  rubber  boots  and  down 
to  the  field  we  would  go,  and  as  we  would  bank  up 
the  holes  the  mice  and  gophers  would  run  and  then 
we  would  have  to  start  all  over  again.  Moving  all  the 
hay  so  it  could  dry  and  the  time  that  Dad  got  the  pea 
rollers,  and  Mr.  Timmons  didn't  give  him  all  the 
rollers,  and  we  would  have  to  walk  around  that  pea 
field  and  move  all  the  peas  so  Daddy  could  come 
around  and  pick  them  up  the  next  turn  around  the 
field.> 

I  remember  what  a  new  life  we  started  when 
Daddy  became  a  member  of  the  church.  What  a 
difference  it  was,  to  have  him  go  with  us  and  to  go  to 
all  the  parries  that  were  held  in  the  Mutual  and  all  the 
fiin  we  had.  Remember  the  old  ski  hill  that  Daddy 
and  Woodard  Sloss  made  for  all  of  us.  And  how,  after 
every  one  was  exhausted  from  going  up  and  down  the 
ski  hill,  they  would  come  to  our  house  for  some  of 
your  good  home  made  chili,  and  to  play  the  player 
piano. 

I  remember  how  Daddy  helped  all  the  farmers 
to  get  their  crops  in  and  it  seemed  that  we  would 
always  be  last,  but  we  always  got  it  done,  and  the 
good  meals  mother  cooked. 


325 


The  years  we  lived  at  Farnum,  were  the 
"special"  years  of  our  lives,  true,  they  were  the 
formative  years  for  all  of  us,  but  the  friends  we  made 
will  ever  be  dear  to  me. 

Thank  you  for  bveing  the  wonderful  parents 
you  were! 

By:  Edna  Reece  Gerard  26  February  1972 

Memories  of  Lola: 

It  was  the  end  of  September  1940,  Dad  had 
been  working  for  Robert  Timmons  in  the  Tractor 
repair  shop.  He  spent  his  summer  on  construction. 
Mom  cared  for  we  four  girls,  did  the  gardening  (with 
a  littie  help  from  us),  canned  the  vegetables  for  winter, 
and  saw  that  things  ran  smoothly  in  our  home. 

One  day  when  Dad  came  home,  he  casually 
said,  "How  would  you  girls  like  to  live  on  a  farm.*" 
What  a  question!  When  we  went  past  the  Famum 
Church,  going  to  look  the  farm  over.  Dad  said,  "That 
is  where  you  girls  will  go  to  Church".  We  loved  the 
house,  it  was  so  much  larger  than  our  home  in 
Ashton,  we  were  really  excited  about  the  idea  of 
moving. 

The  papers  were  signed  in  due  time,  and  we 
moved  in  the  first  of  Oaobcr,  I  was  a  Sophomore  in 
Ashton  High  School.  What  a  drastic  change!  To  ride 
the  school  bus,  new  acquaintances,  new  ward,  I  had 
been  baptized  and  attended  the  "Old  Ashton  Ward" 
since  I  moved  to  Ashton  when  I  was  five  years  old! 

I  immediately  learned  there  would  be  no  MIA 
till  school  was  out  the  following  spring. 

But  the  wait  was  worth  it  for  it  was  here  I  met 
Clarice  Oberhansley,  the  (Bee  Keeper).  What  a 
wonderful  teacher  and  friend  she  became.  I  loved  her 
dearly  and  that  love  has  only  grown  deeper  as  I  have 
grown  older. 

The  next  spring,  Ida  Hawkcs  asked  me  to 
teach  the  Bee  Hive  girls,  all  three  classes!  It  was  a 
wonderful  experience  for  one  so  young.  (Clarice  had 
moved  to  St.  Anthony).  I  loved  "Aunt  Ida"  as  we 
affectionately  called  her.  She  was  a  jewel  because  I 
was  at  a  rime  in  my  life,  when  I  needed  to  talk  to 
someone  who  would  listen  to  me.  (Does  THAT 
sound  familiar  to  any  of  you*)  She  was  a  blessing  in 
my  life. 

In  time  I  was  asked  to  lead  the  singing  for  the 
Sunday  School  and  Sacrament  Meetings.  I  had  never 
done  this  before,  and  I  turned  to  Helen  Young  the 
music  teacher  at  Ashton,  for  help.  She  was  a  dear  and 
really  helped  me  to  learn  "what  to  do".  Would  you 
believe  after  all  the  years  in  between,  she  has  lived  in 
the  same  ward  in  Idaho  Falls  where  we  live.* 

I  worked  in  Ashton  for  Tom  Murdoch  and 
stayed  with  them  during  the  work  week,  Dad  and 
mom  would  come  to  pick  mc  up  for  the  week  end. 

My  deepest  prayer  through  many  years  had 
been  and  still  was,  that  Dad  would  one  day  accept  the 
Gospel  and  be  baptized. 

On  the  Sunday  Lena  was  baptized,  we  rode 
home  with  the  Brown  family  who  lived  south  of  us. 


^i ::: 


I 

If 

\ 

•^  y-  ''ii 


As  wc  were  getting  our  lunch  ready,  Delia  and  Edna 
were  so  foolish  and  giggly  that  I  could  not  believe  my 
ears.  We  finally  finished  the  dishes,  and  went  to  the 
player  piano  to  sing  together,  but  Delia  and  Edna 
made  up  crazy  words  to  the  song  we  were  playing, 
then  they  would  run  to  the  window  to  see  if  the  folks 
were  coming  home. 

When  we  finally  saw  the  pick-up  coming 
down  the  lane  they  were  beyond  control!  When 
Mom,  Dad,  and  Lena  entered  the  fi-ont  door,  Lena 
came  first  we  hugged  her,  we  were  really  thrilled  that 
she  was  a  member  now,  then  Dad  came  through  the 
fi-ont  room.  I  rumpled  his  hair  and  said  "Looks  like 
you  got  baptized  too".  He  said  "Yup",  and  went  on 
to  the  kitchen.  No  words  will  ever  describe  the  joy, 
the  heart  ache,  for  the  many  long  years  I  had  waited 
for  this  day. 

I  look  back  on  those  days,  and  will  ever  be 
thankful  to  Walter  Clark,  Chester  French,  and  other's 
who  were  the  good  examples,  the  kind  fiiends,  the 
ones  with  love  for  one  on  the  "outside".  To  them  my 
heart  will  ever  be  grateful. 

During  the  following  months,  and  through 
the  MIA  Program,  Dad  enjoyed  a  learning  experience. 
I've  heard  him  bear  his  testimony  and  express  heart 
ache,  that  he  did  not  have  the  privilege  of  being  in 
Primary  to  learn  the  wonderful  stories  that  the  young 
people  learn,  that  he  had  not  come  up  through  the 
Priesthood,  and  enjoyed  and  partaken  of  the  special 
blessings  that  come  as  a  result  of  that  activity.  Famum 
Ward,  and  it's  people  will  ever  be  in  my  heart.  They 
were  wonderful  to  us.  Thanks  to  each  of  you  for 
helping  Dad  to  reach  this  height  of  understanding  the 
need  to  be  baptized,  it  has  brought  many  blessings  to 
each  of  us  in  our  family. 

Dad,  Sammie  Irie  Reece,  passed  away  at  his 
home  in  Idaho  Falls,  28  October  1978,  at  the  age  of 
77  years. 

Mother,  Clara  Mae  Adams  Reece  passed  away 
14  December  1985,  age  82  years. 

If  they  were  here  to  share  this  day  with  you, 
they  would  say  a  heartfelt,  THANK  YOU  TO  EACH 
OF  YOU  FOR  ALL  YOU  WERE  TO  THEM  AND 
THEIR  DAUGHTERS,  Lola  Reece  Hendricks,  Delia 
Reece  Hayes,  Edna  Reece  Gerard,  Lena  Mac  (Toi 
Lee)  Fowler. 

By:  Lola  R.  (Jack)  Hendricks  (daughter.) 

Jack  and  I  arc  serving  a  Mission  at  the  Family 
History  Library  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  (1988) 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Lola 

md-  Jack  Hendricks 

(2)  Delia 

md-       Hays 

(3)  Edna 

md-       Gerard 

(4)  Lena  Mae  (Toi  Lee) 

md-  Gregg  Fowler 


HISTORy-ROGERS  RANCH 
FARNUM,  FREMONT  COUNTY,  IDAHO 


326 


Charles  and  Louisa  Rogers  on  their  Golden  Wedding  Day 

Family  history  of  Charles  Lock  Rogers  and 
Louisa  Mears  Rogers  of  their  rime  in  Idaho.  The 
Charles  Lock  Rogers  family  moved  fi-om  Mill  Creek, 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  to  the  Ashton  area  in  Idaho  in 
1905.  There  was  Charles  Lock,  his  wife  Louisa  Mears 
Rogers,  three  sons,  Gib,  Rollo  Stanley,  David  William 
and  a  daughter,  the  youngest  child,  Ella.  The  other 
children  staying  in  Utah. 

Charles  Lock  Rogers  and  Louisa  Mears  came 
to  America  at  different  times  and  later  met  in  Utah. 
Charles  Lock  Rogers  worked  his  way  across  America. 
One  time  he  worked  at  one  of  the  Pony  Express 
stations.  Charles  had  health  problems  in  England 
because  of  the  dampness  so  he  came  to  America.  He 
did  carpenter  work  in  Salt  Lake  City.  The  family  was 
running  a  truck  garden  in  the  early  1900.  One  of  the 
sons  was  delivering  the  garden  produce  when  he  told 
his  father  he  was  ready  to  go  north  and  look  for 
something  different.  Two  of  them  went  into  the  Twin 
Falls  area  and  looked  at  land  and  decided  against  this 
area.  Then  they  came  to  the  upper  Snake  River  Valley 
area.  This  was  in  1904  that  David  and  Rollo  came  on 
the  train  to  St.  Anthony.  This  was  as  far  as  the 
railroad  came  at  this  time.  They  made  their  way  to 
Marysville  a  small  settlement,  a  mile  east  of  where 
Ashton  is  now.  There  was  no  Ashton  then.  They 
stayed  at  a  boarding  house  run  by  Emily  Reynolds. 
They  rented  horses  and  rode  out  all  over  the  country 
side  looking  for  a  suitable  site  to  homestead.  Today 
this  is  the  site  decided  on. 

Rollo  made  a  homestead  south  and  a  little 
west  of  Ashton  just  cast  of  where  the  Lynn  Looslic 
potato  cellars  arc  now.  At  a  later  date  Rollo  sold  this 
land  and  farmed  with  his  two  brothers  and  fethcr  in 
Famum.  Three  quarter  sections  were  homestcaded, 
one  by  their  father,  Charles  Lock  Rogers,  one  by  Gib, 


and  the  other  by  David.  David  wasn't  quite  old 
enough,  so  they  fibbed  about  his  age.  They  moved  to 
Idaho  in  1905  by  loading  furniture,  equipment  and 
animals  in  a  freight  car.  One  person  had  to  ride  in  the 
freight  car  with  all  their  belongings  to  St.  Anthony 
where  they  imloaded  everything. 

These  three  quarter  sections  are  located  five- 
six  miles  south  of  Fall  River  and  about  two  and  a  half 
miles  north  of  the  Teton  River  straight  south  of 
Ashton,  Idaho.  There  was  a  store  at  Fall  River  on  the 
Ashton  to  Drummond  road.  To  homestead  a  quarter 
section  (160  acres)  of  ground,  one  had  to  have  a 
building  (or  shack)  or  house  on  it  and  live  so  many 
months  a  year  on  it  and  so  many  years  and  then  they 
had  a  dear  deed  to  it.  One  quarter  section  had  a  two 
room  log  home  on  it.  All  three  quarter  sections 
joined. 

This  land  was  all  sage  brush.  The  ground  had 
to  be  cleared  and  planted.  Water  was  hauled  from  Fall 
River  for  domestic  use  which  was  over  five  miles.  The 
Teton  River  was  south,  but  it  ran  in  a  deep  canyon. 
The  land  was  cleared  by  plowing  with  horses  and  then 
hand  piling  the  sage  brush  to  be  burned.  The  main 
crops  were  wheat,  barley,  and  oats.  This  is  dry  farm 
land,  that  is,  you  depended  on  the  natural  rainfall  to 
water  the  crops.  The  crops  were  initially  harvested  by 
a  binder  which  cut  the  rijK:  grain  in  bundles.  The 
bundles  were  then  stacked  in  small  piles  or  shocks.  A 
short  period  later  these  shocks  of  grain  were  hauled  in 
with  a  rack  pulled  by  a  team  of  horses  and  loaded  by 
hand  and  then,  fed  by  hand  into  the  threshing 
machine.  The  threshing  machine  separated  the  grain 
and  blew  the  straw  into  a  pile. 

The  Rogers  Brothers  Farm  was  a  progressive 
farm.  They  had  to  borrow  money  in  the  spring  from  a 
St.  Anthony  bank  at  25%  interest.  The  money  was 
paid  back  as  soon  as  the  harvest  was  done  in  the  fall. 

Not  long  after  they  arrived,  a  well  was  dug 
which  was  415  feet  deep,  and  a  pump  installed.  This 
pump  was  run  for  awhile  with  a  one  cylinder  water 
cooled  engine  and  later  a  windmill  50  ft.  high  was 
erected.  A  cistern  was  built  on  a  small  hill  so  the 
wacer  was  plumped  into  it  during  windy  spells.  This 
afforded  a  convenience  of  running  cold  water  into  the 
home.  In  1914  a  large  three  story  brick  home  was 
built.  It  still  stands  today.  The  sand  for  the  brick 
came  from  the  sand  dunes  north  of  St.  Anthony. 

Along  about  1920  the  Rogers  Brothers 
bought  a  ground  driven  combine  which  had  to  be 
pulled  by  16  to  24  head  of  horses.  A  few  years  later 
they  purchased  a  Holt  45  crawler  tractor  with  a  big 
wheel  out  front  to  steer  it,  this  trartor  was  used  to  pull 
the  combine  and  to  plow  with.  In  the  early  thirties 
they  purchased  a  combine  that  was  nm  by  a  gasoline 
engine  and  still  pulled  with  16  to  24  horses,  and  later 
they  purchased  an  Allis  Chalmers  crawler  tractor  to 
pull  the  combine  with.  This  tractor  also  served  to  do 
the  plowing,  drilling,  etc. 

In  December  of  1921  David  William  Rogers 
married  Rosebud  Lilian  Henry  of  Marysvillc,  Ida. 


Dave  W.  and  Rose  Henry  Rogers 

They  lived  in  a  small  white  frame  home  across  the 
street  from  the  large  brick  home.  The  country  road 
run  north  and  south  through  here.  To  this  union  was 
born  five  children,  Cathern  Louisa,  Willard  and 
William  (twins),  Ardella  and  Charles  Abe.  In  the 
1930's  a  32  volt  wind  charger  was  put  up  and  this  was 
used  until  the  power  company.  The  Fall  River  Co-op 
ran  the  power  lines  in  the  year  1941. 

Cooking  all  the  time  was  done  on  a  wood  and 
coal  range  which  had  a  warming  oven  and  an  oven  to 
bake  in.  This  range  or  stove  was  used  to  heat  the 
home  also.  In  1940  Rollo  sold  out  to  Dave.  In  1941 
the  Rogers  bought  the  first  self-propelled  combine  in 
the  upper  valley.  This  was  a  Massey- Harris  combine. 
In  1939  the  Rogers  bought  160  acres,  and  a  few  years 
earlier  they  had  bought  another  quarter  section,  this 
now  made  an  800  acre  dry  farm.  For  a  few  years  the 
land  was  cropped  every  year.  During  the  thirties  the 
weather  was  dry,  then  came  the  practice  of  summer 
following,  which  was  to  crop  half  the  land  and 
summer  follow  the  other  half.  Summer  follow  is  to 
dean  cultivate  the  land,  keep  anything  from  growing 
on  it.  This  was  to  conserve  the  moisture  for  a  better 
crop  the  next  year.  This  rotation  was  carried  on  for 
some  time. 

At  one  time  there  were  thirteen  miles  of  a 
three  wire  barb  wire  fence  plus  several  small  pieces  of 
land  fenced  for  sheep  and  pigs.  Some  cattle  was  also 
raised  and  some  milk  cows  for  awhile.  Besides  small 
grains  raised,  hay  and  some  alfalfa  and  yellow  blossom 
sweet  clover  seed  was  grown.  A  cream  separator  was 
used  for  a  period  of  time. 

The  Rogers  ranch  buildings  are  located  in  a 
small  draw,  besides  the  brick  home  and  the  white 
fiame  home  are  other  buildings.    A  large  horse  bam 


327 


\ 

C  V,  '■, 
i  V  ^1 


'II ' 

,11; 


was  built,  24  x  50  foot,  a  large  shed,  two  granaries  was 
built  to  store  the  grain.  And  several  other  smaller 
buildings  was  constructed.  The  grain  in  these 
granaries,  some  of  this  was  dumped  bulk  into  storage 
bins.  Team  and  horses  was  used  for  this.  Now  large 
self-propelled  combines  handle  it  then  dumped  by 
truck  into  an  elevator.  The  elevator  was  built  in  1941. 
Trees  were  planted  soon  after  they  homesteaded  and 
more  were  planted  later,  some  serve  as  a  wind  break. 
The  prevailing  wind  is  from  the  southwest.  Several 
hundred  trees  serve  as  wind  break  and  for  beauty. 

All  of  David  and  Rose  Rogers  children 
attended  the  two  room  country  school  at  Farnum. 
The  rogers  ranch  is  located  three  miles  south  of  the 
Famum  Grade  School.  In  1943  Willard  and  Cathem 
went  into  World  War  II  service.  William  was  turned 
down.  From  1945  to  1966  Dave  and  Rose  spent  the 
winters  in  Arizona  and  California.  Rose  passed  away 
August  1966,  then  Dave  spent  the  winters  in  Ariz. 
with  his  son  Willard  and  the  summers  with  his  son  in 
Rexburg,  Idaho  and  daughter  Ardella  in  Livingston, 
Mont.  Dave  passed  away  in  September  1972. 

As  of  1990  Abe  and  his  two  sons,  Kent  and 
Dennis  have  the  home  place  plus  more.  Gib  passed 
away  in  1924,  Rollo  lived  in  Oregon  and  the  last  while 
with  Ardella  at  Livingston,  Mont.  In  1969  he  passed 
away  a  lonely  and  unhappy  man.  He  never  married. 
Ella  Rogers  married  Jess  F.  Roberts.  Ella  lived  to  be 
over  a  hundred  years  old,  passing  away  in  Milton 
Freewater,  Ore.  in  May  1989.  Charles  Lock  Rogers 
passed  away  in  1932  on  the  ranch,  and  his  wife  Louisa 
Mears  in  1934  on  the  ranch. 

By:  Cathem  Rogers  Sargent. 

ROGERS  HOMESTEAD  HISTORY 
FARNUM,  IDAHO  1905-1990 


Charles  Abe,  Ardella,  David  VTillard, 
Cathem,  William  Henry  Rogers 

Charles  and  Louisa  Rogers  homesteaded  in 
Famum  in  1905,  along  with  seven  living  children,  out 
of  a  family  of  nine.  They  built  the  house  that  still 
stands  today.  The  seven  children's  names  were: 
David,  Rollo,  Gib,  Ella,  Phyllis,  Lyle  and  Sarah. 
January  17,  1930  Charles,  age  90,  and  his  wife, 


Louisa,  age  83,  observed  their  60th  wedding 
anniversary  with  six  children,  nineteen  grandchildren 
and  one  great-grandchild.  The  last  survivors  of  their 
six  children  was  Ella,  who  died  in  1989  at  the  age  of 
100. 

David  Rogers  married  Rose  Henry  in  1921 
and  built  a  house  near  his  father,  Charles.  The  dry 
farming  expanded  to  include  grains,  alfelfa  and  hay; 
also  horses,  catde,  sheep,  pigs  and  chickens.  There 
were  huge  gardens  and  berry  patches.  A  well  was  dug 
and  a  windmill  installed.  A  six  volt  generator  replaced 
the  kerosene  and  coleman  lamps. 

David  and  Rose  Rogers  had  five  children: 
Cathem,  William,  Willard  (twins),  Ardella  and  Abe. 
David  and  his  family  carried  on  at  the  farm  after  his 
parents  died.  There  was  no  end  of  chores  for 
everyone  and  as  the  farm  expanded,  extra  help  was 
needed,  some  summers. 

Abe  Rogers  and  his  wife  have  carried  on  at 
the  farm.  Now  their  sons,  wives  and  children  live  and 
work  on  the  farm.  These  children  are  the  fifth 
generation  to  be  living  on  their  grcat-grcat- 
grandparent's  homestead  of  1905. 

By:  Cathem  Rogers  Sargent,  (daughter) 

ROGERS  FARM  AND  FARNUM  MEMORIES 


Rogers  Homestead 

As  a  child,  I  remember  Grandma  and  Grandpa 
Rogers  only  in  their  later  years.  He  was  known  as  a 
master  craftsman  in  Salt  Lake  City,  as  well  as  for  the 
home  he  built  for  his  family  in  Famum.  Many  of  the 
furnishings  in  the  home  were  crafted  by  him.  I 
remember  them  both  as  being  very  devoted  to  their 
home,  family  and  church. 

The  two  room  school  house  was  three  miles 
from  where  we  lived.  The  first  eight  grades  were 
taught  there  by  husband  and  wife  teachers,  who  lived 
in  a  cottage  on  the  grounds.  There  was  also  a  small 
bam  for  a  cow  and  some  chickens  and  an  outhouse. 
The  teachers  had  gardens  and  there  was  a  playgnDund 
for  the  children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bean,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ed  Smith,  gave  me  a  basic  education  that  I  will  always 
be  very  grateful  for.  One  winter  in  the  1930's  there 
was  such  a  bad  blizzard  with  deep  and  blowing  snow, 
that  the  Smiths  had  to  keep  the  children  overnight  at 


328 


their  cottage.  I  remember  that  they  gave  us  firsh  milk 
and  hot  biscuits,  with  a  warm  place  to  sleep.  The 
distance  to  and  fix)m  school,  we  would  walk  or  ski, 
sometimes  ride.  During  the  worst  of  winters,  we 
would  ride  in  a  horse  drawn  covered  sleigh,  with  an  oil 
drum  stove  and  straw  on  the  floor  to  keep  us  warm. 

According  to  the  season,  we  might  see 
squirrels,  gophers,  rabbits,  rattlesnakes,  coyotes, 
weasels,  porcupines,  badgers  or  a  deer.  In  the  1930's 
the  area  had  many  beautiful  wild  flowers  scattered 
about.  There  were  buttercups,  sego  lilies,  rooster 
heads,  shooting  stars,  and  an  occasional  cactus 
blossom.  There  was  also  a  spring  wild  flower  we  called 
Indian  Potato,  that  had  a  root  bulb  good  to  eat. 

During  the  1930's  when  we  had  the  chance, 
we  would  explore  an  area  south  of  the  farm,  known  as 
Hog  Hollow,  rocky  formations  of  little  cliflfe,  ledges 
and  caves.  The  wind  caves  seemed  imique.  Had  to 
really  watch  out  for  rattlesnakes  but  that  area  had  the 
prettiest  cactus  blossoms.  We  found  a  formation  of 
white  "chalk"  and  took  chipped  off  pieces  home  to  use 
on  our  blackboard.  We  returned  several  times  to 
explore  and  replenish  our  "chalk"  supply. 

There  was  always  a  large  garden  and  things 
would  be  harvested  by  the  bushel.  Root  vegetables 
would  be  put  in  a  root  cellar  in  the  ground.  The  cellar 
sod  roof  grew  our  mushrooms.  A  lot  of  canning  and 
pickling  was  done.  There  was  a  huge  berry  and  current 
patch.  The  fruit  was  canned  or  made  into  jam,  jelly, 
syrup  or  juice.  Sometimes  y/hcrc  the  fruit  harvest  was 
too  much  for  my  mother  to  handle,  there  would  be  a 
distant  neighbor  lady  or  two,  come  to  "pick  or  share." 
We  had  our  own  chickens  and  eggs.  Some  of  the 
animals  furnished  our  meat,  which  was  cured  in  barrels 
or  canned.  The  whole  milk  used  fresh  or  soured  and 
churned  into  butter;  also  giving  us  buttermilk  and  our 
own  homemade  cottage  cheese.  I  remember  sitting, 
for  what  seemed  like  hours,  turning  the  handles  of  a 
large  floor  chum,  which  eventually  gave  us  butter  and 
buttermilk. 

We  grew  our  own  wheat,  grains,  alfalfa  and 
hay  to  feed  the  animals  and  chickens;  and  provide  seeds 
for  another  seasons  crop.  Wheat  was  also  sold  by  the 
truckload.  Some  wheat  would  be  made  into  flour, 
bran  and  grits;  to  be  used  in  cooking  and  baking. 
Garden  leftovers  went  to  the  pigs.  Straw  was  used  for 
animal  bedding  and  nests. 

My  mother  was  a  wonderful  homemaker, 
cook,  quilter,  and  seamstress.  Among  her  many 
talents,  I  think  one  of  her  specialties  was  bread  making, 
which  she  did  very  often  all  her  life.  The  bigger  the 
family,  the  more  she  baked.  Many  times,  us  kids 
would  smell  the  aroma  of  fresh  bread  out  of  the  oven; 
slip  into  the  pantry;  pull  a  roll  apart;  dip  it  in  the  sugar 
bin;  and  dash  out  the  back  door  to  enjoy  the  best  treat 
there  ever  was.  I  think  our  mother  didn't  want  us  to 
see  her  smiling  from  another  room;  at  our  actions; 
because  we  were  never  scolded. 

In  between  the  chores  and  all  we  had  to  do; 
we  would  ski,  snowshoc  or  go  sliding  in  the  winter. 
During  simimer,  we  had  our  own  softball  team,  rode 


horseback  or  had  water  fights  from  the  horse  trough. 
We  had  our  own  little  band  of  piano,  violin,  guitar  and 
banjo,  and  played  at  school  and  church  functions. 

From  the  late  1920's  to  the  early  1940's,  I  saw 
and  experienced  many  changes  on  the  farm.  The  horse 
that  pulled  the  sleigh,  wagon,  plow,  disc  and  harrow 
was  replaced  by  the  tractor  and  other  mechanical 
machinery.  The  cold  water  pump  was  replaced  with 
hot  and  cold  running  water.  The  outhouse  and 
chambers  under  the  beds  were  replaced  by  a  bathroom, 
inside  and  convenient.  The  Saturday  night  bath  in  a 
wash  tub,  in  front  of  the  kitchen  stove,  was  replaced  by 
the  tub  in  the  bathroom,  with  hot  and  cold  running 
water.  The  wood  stove  was  replaced  with  an  electric 
stove,  and  a  fiimace  to  keep  the  house  warm  in  winter. 
The  kerosene  and  coleman  lamps,  and  the  six  volt 
generator  were  replaced  by  electricity  and  light  bulbs. 
The  crystal  and  battery  radio  was  replaced  with  an 
electric  radio  and  then  a  television. 


b.r.  Linda  Sue,  Mary  Ann,  and  Cathcm  Rogers  Sargent 

Yes,  many  memories  were  created  those  years 
growing  up  on  the  farm  will  never  be  forgotten.  I  left 
the  farm  in  the  1940's  to  proceed  with  my  own  life. 
Since,  then,  memories  and  changes  are  still  being 
created  at  the  Rogers  homestead;  by  the  third,  fourth 
and  fifth  generations  of  Rogers  going  into  the  1990's. 
By:  Cathem  Rogers  Sargent,  (daughter) 

DAVm  WILLARD  ROGERS 

and 

EVELYN  CLARK 

David  WiUard  Rogers,  son  of  Dave  and  Rose 
Rogers,  was  bom  September  26,  1924,  on  the  dry 
ferm.  The  dry  farm  is  three  miles  south  of  the  two- 
room  Famum  schoolhouse.  District  #  94.  The  farm  is 
ten  miles  south  of  Ash  ton,  Idaho. 

I  have  a  twin  brother  William,  an  older  sister 
Cathem,  a  younger  sister  Ardclla,  and  a  younger 
brother  Abe. 

I  graduated  from  this  two -room  schoolhouse 
in  1938  with  my  twin  brother  William,  and  Vcrla 
Benson.  I  graduated  from  Ashton  High  School  with 
my  twin  brother  and  25  others  in  1942. 

I  joined  the  U.S.  Navy  in  August  of  1943, 
and  served  in  the  submarine  service.  I  was  discharged 
in  April  1946. 


329 


b.r.  Clarree,  Ann,  Janet,  Meria  f.r.  Fcm,  Evelyn,  Willard,  Rosemary  Rogers 


I  Started  college  in  September  1946,  and  met 
my  wife,  Evelyn  Clark,  in  January  1947.  We  were 
married  June  9,  1948,  in  the  Idaho  Falls  Temple.  We 
lived  on  the  dry  farm  for  two  months  and  then  got 
kdcked  off  for  not  working  on  Sunday. 

We  had  five  children  (girls)  in  Idaho.  Moved 
to  Mesa,  Arizona,  in  1963,  and  had  another  daughter. 
We  now  have  18  grandchildren. 

I  am  retired  for  1  1/2  years  now  (January 
1991)  after  working  21  years  for  the  Salt  River  Projea 
as  an  electrical  engineer.  This  is  an  electrical  utility 
company  in  the  Phoenix,  Arizona  area. 

I  went  to  Arizona  State  University  at  age  39 
and  received  my  Electrical  Engineering  degree  before 
working  for  the  Salt  River  Project. 

WILLIAM  HENRY  ROGERS 

and 

MARVA  ROMRELL 


William  Henry  Rogers  was  born  September 
26,  1924,  the  son  of  David  W.  Rogers  and  Rose 
Henry  Rogers.  William  had  a  twin  brother,  WiUard 
bom  the  same  day. 

These  boys  grew  up  together  graduating  fi-om 
the  8th  grade  in  Famum  school  in  1938  and  Ashton 
High  School  in  1942. 

William  went  on  to  farm  with  his  father  on 
their  ranch  3  miles  south  of  the  Famum  school.  In 
1943  William  was  turned  down  from  military  service 
for  13  years. 

On  June  30,  1950,  he  was  married  to  Marva 
Romrell  from  Wilford.  This  was  just  south  of  St. 
Anthony.  They  had  three  children  by  the  time  they 
moved  off  the  farm  in  1955  to  pursue  an  education. 

By  1966  William  was  teaching  High  School  at 
Missoula,  MT.  In  1969  he  accepted  a  position 
teaching  automotive  classes  in  the  Industrial  Science 


b.r.  Lila  Rcnae,  Jerry  Evan,  Alba  Marie,  Jcanine,  Joy  Louise,  f.r.  Daniel  Lamar,  William,  Marva,  Henry  Lynn,  Stephen  W.  Rogers 

330 


Dcpt.  of  Ricks  College.    He  has  continued  his  teach- 
ing at  Ricks  until  the  present  time. 

William  and  Marva  are  the  parents  of  nine 
children:  Donald  William  (passed  away  at  2  yrs  of 
age),  Henry  Lynn,  Joy  Louise,  Alba  Marie,  Jeanine, 
Jerry  Evan,  Lilla  Rcnae,  Stephen  William,  and  Daniel 
Lamar.  The  family  has  lived  in  Rexburg  from  1969  to 
the  present  time. 


b.r.  Frank,  Emma,  Randy,  Ella, 
f.r.  Ardclla  Rogers,  David,  Gene  Fields 


ALBERT  SCAPE 

and 

HELEN  BERGMAN 

Albert  Scafc  was  born  May  15,  1917,  in 
Bangor,  Wisconsin.    He  worked  on  the  farm  and 


logging  with  his  dad,  Ray  Scafc.  In  1936  he  worked 
in  a  fectory  for  $.24  an  hour. 

In  1940  he  came  to  Idaho  and  worked  for 
Laurence  Orme  on  his  farm  near  Ashton.  In  1941  he 
started  to  work  for  Walter  Bergman.  When  World 
War  II  started,  he  joined  the  Air  Force  and  went  to 
radio  operator  school. 

He  married  Helen  Bergman,  December  25, 
1944  in  Tacoma,  Washington. 

Albert  went  overseas  in  1945  to  the  Philip- 
pines, Okinawa,  and  while  in  Japan,  the  war  stopped. 
He  came  home  Feb.  8,  1946. 

Helen  and  Albert  lived  in  the  Bergman  house 
and  farmed  with  Walter  and  Charles  till  he  got  on  his 
own. 

Albert  has  retired  and  is  fixing  on  machinery 
and  ideas. 

Helen  and  Albert  have  5  children  and  10 
grandchildren: 

(1)  Walter  married  Shirley  Peterson  from  Leadorc, 

Idaho.  He  is  farming  his  and  our  land  (Bergman 
farm). 

(2)  Mary  married  Walter  Gustav  from  Pordand 
Oregon.  He  is  Pastor  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in 
Lebanon,  Oregon. 

(3)  Doris  married  Chris  Bemis  from  Seattle, 
Washington.  He  works  for  the  City  of  Seattle. 

(4)  Ruth  Married  James  Parlier  who  works  for  General 
Dynamics  in  San  Diego,  California. 

(5)  John  is  not  married  and  works  for  Stones  Town 
and  Country  in  St.  Anthony. 


b.r.  John,  Ruth,  Doris,  Mary,  Walter,  f.r.  Albert  and  Helen  Bergman  Scafc 

331 


HENRY  SCHAEFER 

and 

ANNA  LIPPERT 

Henry  Schacfer  came  to  America  March  13, 
1914,  on  the  same  German  boat  (Kaiserina  Augusta 
Victoria)  that  his  Aunt  (Mrs.  Chris  Harrigfeld)  and 
cousin  Elsa  were  returning  on.  They  went  to 
Germany  to  visit  relatives.  After  they  told  the  family 
about  life  in  Squirrel,  Idaho,  Henry  decided  to  come 
back  with  them.  His  previous  plan  had  been  to  work 
in  a  railroad  office  there. 

After  he  arrived  in  this  country,  he  worked  ft)r 
his  Uncle  Chris  until  1917.  At  that  time  he  rented 
some  ground  from  him  and  went  into  farming  ftjr 
himself.  He  enjoyed  the  farming  and  was  satisfied 
with  the  country,  but  he  wanted  a  German  wife.  He 
wrote  to  his  father  and  told  him. 

Henry  said,  "My  father  and  my  wife's  father 
met  there  in  Germany  and  talked.  Mr.  Lippert  said  his 
daughter  (the  oldest)  Anna  had  mentioned  she  would 
like  to  go  to  America  someday."  He  took  the  news 
home  to  her.  Times  were  hard  then.  When  Anna 
declared  she  was  going  to  go,  her  father  said,  "No, 
you're  not;  you're  crazy." 

She  thought  she  would  look  into  it  anyway 
and  she  and  her  mother  went  to  talk  to  the  Schaefers. 
She  asked  directions  from  a  woman  in  the  street. 

"There  are  many  people  of  the  William 
Schacfer  name  around  here,"  she  was  told. 

"But  I'm  interested  in  the  one  whose  son 
went  to  America,"  Anna  told  her. 

"Oh,  that  is  my  brother,"  the  woman  said. 
The  next  Sunday,  Henry's  parents  invited  the  Lipperts 
to  dinner. 

Anna  started  to  write  to  Henry  and  sent  a 
picture  of  herself  He  was  delighted  with  it  and  they 
corresponded  for  a  year.  By  the  time  she  got  a  visa  to 
come,  things  had  improved  economically  in  Germany 
and  she  began  to  have  second  thoughts.  Her  father 
reminded  her  that  she  had  started  the  relationship  and 
should  finish  it. 

In  December  of  1924,  she  traveled  with  her 
father  to  Bremen,  Germany  and  left  on  the  luxury 
liner,  Columbus. 

"The  sight  of  my  father  standing  on  shore 
waving  goodbye  was  a  sad  feeling,"  Anna  says. 

She  arrived  in  New  York  on  Christmas  Eve, 
and  sent  a  telegram  to  Henry.  She  came  on  to  Ashton 
December  27,  1924  by  train.  The  snow  was  deep  and 
Henry  says,  "It  was  the  coldest  winter  we  have  ever 
had  here." 

Henry,  along  with  Mcta  Harrigfeld  and  Claud 
Waugh,  greeted  Anna  when  the  train  arrived.  Many 
curious  folks  of  Ashton  gathered  at  the  depot  to  see 
Henry's  new  bride.  She  was  stunned  by  the  looks  of 
the  whiskered  men,  their  sheep  skin  coats  and  the 
snow,  "I  could  hardly  speak,  and  I  was  homesick 
immediately.  If  I  had  the  money  I  would  have  turned 
around  and  boarded  the  train  again  quickly.    My 


332 


stunned  feeling  didn't  leave  for  awhile  either,"  Anna 
says. 

Anna  Lippert  was  a  guest  of  the  Harrigfclds 
for  three  weeks;  then  the  couple  were  married  January 
18,  1925. 

They  farmed  in  Squirrel  for  one  year  and  then 
rented  a  farm  from  Dr.  E.  L.  Hargis  located  two  miles 
south  of  Ashton.  In  1939,  they  bought  the  Glover 
place  two  miles  south  of  Marysville.  They  farmed  there 
thirty-three  years.  During  this  time  they  purchased 
more  land  from  Walter  Bergman,  "We  worked  hard 
on  that  form.  We  raised  good  crops  and  catde  and 
many  hogs  and  chickens.  The  house  we  made  nice 
from  a  shell  with  a  chimney  on  top." 

Anna  drove  horses  and  helped  Henry  mow 
hay.  She  learned  to  milk  cows  and  her  experiences  of 
learning  were  hard,  such  as  the  time  horses  broke  the 
tongue  on  the  machinery  she  was  using. 

Henry  and  Anna  were  concerned  for  their 
families  during  World  War  II.  Anna's  brother  was  a 
lieutenant  for  the  German  army.  He  disappeared  and 
never  returned  to  his  home.  Anna  tried  several  ways 
through  the  Red  Cross  to  find  him,  but  couldn't. 
They  sent  many  packages  overseas  to  their  hungry 
relatives  after  the  war  ended  in  August  of  1945.  They 
sent  boxes  of  blankets  and  clothes  and  food.  Henry 
told  of  fattening  a  large  hog  and  having  the  lard 
rendered  to  put  in  tin  cans  for  sending.  The  box  took 
two  men  to  lift  it.  One  was  broken  some  in  shipping 
and  some  lard  got  onto  the  paper  wrapping.  The 
German  postman  asked  if  he  could  have  the  paper  off 
the  box,  he  was  so  hungry  for  fresh  lard. 

In  1948,  the  Schaefers  returned  to  Germany 
for  a  visit  on  the  occasion  of  the  Golden  Anniversary 
of  Anna's  parents.  Some  of  the  packages  arrived  while 
they  were  visiting. 

Anna  was  very  upset  when  she  saw  post-war 
Germany.  It  was  devastated.  They  landed  at  Bremen 
and  were  told  they  could  not  stay  there;  there  were 
too  many  refugees,  not  enough  food  and  danger  of 
their  luggage  being  stolen.  During  the  journey  to 
Boffzcn  on  the  train,  they  became  separated  from  the 
luggage  and  Henry  wanted  to  go  find  it.  The  train 
official  locked  Anna  in  the  caboose  for  her  own  safety. 
She  objected  saying  he  might  get  lost  and  they  would 
leave  him.  The  man  said,  "No,  your  husband  looks 
different.  He's  well  fed  and  has  good  clothes." 

Anna's  family  recognized  them  for  the 
same  reasons  but  Anna  did  not  recognize  the  German 
people  of  her  own  relation.  The  war  had  taken  such  a 
toll  on  everyone. 

Her  family  had  questioned  her  father's 
judgment  for  having  let  his  daughter  come  to  America 
or  the  United  States  until  the  boxes  of  good  ham, 
pork  chops,  etc.  began  to  come.  Then  their  tune 
changed. 

Toward  the  dose  of  the  war,  Anna's  folks  had 
housed  American  soldiers  from  no  choice  of  their  own 
at  first  but  when  it  was  made  known  they  had 
American  relatives  the  soldiers  saw  they  had  things  to 


cat  such  as  beans  from  their  own  army  supplies. 

Another  trip  back  to  Germany  was  made  by 
the  Schaefers  in  1970.  This  time  Anna  says,  "It  was 
beautiful." 

Henry  and  Anna  retired  in  1962  and  rented 
his  farm  to  his  grandson,  Ronald  Thomson.  They 
bought  a  home  in  Ashton  and  are  living  there. 

Children: 

(1)  Lorenz 

(2)  Vera 

(3)  Betty  Ann 

(4)  One  child  stillborn 

WILLIAM  RILEY  SCHOFIELD 

and 

AMANDA  MELVINA  HOWARD  or  FISK 


William  Henry  and  Amanda  Howard  Schoficid 

William  Henry  Schofield  was  the  first  child  of  a 
family  of  five  children  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth 
HinchclifF  Schofield.  He  was  bom  18  April  1846  at 
Calico  Bridge,  Lancashire,  England.  His  parents  were 
married  in  England,  2  May  1845.  His  parents  and 
three  children  came  to  America  before  1854.  All  his 
bothers  and  sisters  were  born  at  Calico  Bridge 
Lancashire,  England  except  his  youngest  sister,  Ann 
Sariah,  born  2  July  1854,  at  Valatie,  Columbia 
County,  New  Jersey.  His  father  Joseph  fought  in  the 
Civil  War.  He  died  from  scurvy,  the  15  September, 
1864,  in  the  Andersonville,  Sumter  County  Georgia, 
military  prison  the  Confederate  States  maintained 
during  the  American  civil  war.  It  was  notorious  for 
the  high  mortality  rate  among  its  inmates.  There  were 
about  13,000  out  of  a  total  of  49,485  prisoners  died 
and  were  buried  in  the  adjoining  prison  cemetery.  His 
mother,  Elizabeth,  died  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  12 
October  1862. 


William  Henry's  brothers  and  sisters 

(1)  WiUiam  Henry  b-  1846 
Md-  Amanda  Howard  or  Fiske 

(2)  John  Edward  b-  1848        d 
md-  Hannah  Elizabeth  Huntimg 


d-  1929 


1930 


(3)  Walter 
md-  Eliza  Jane  Fife 

(4)  Elijah  b-  1854 
md-  Mary  Ann  Holbrook 

(5)  Ann  Sariah  b-  1854 
md-  Samuel  Alma  Blair 


b-  1849        d-  1889 


d-  1933 


d-  1905 


According  to  family  records  William  Henry 
was  16  years  old  when  his  mother  died  and  18  when 
his  father  died. 

William  married  Amanda  Melvina  Howard  or 
Fiske,  20  July  1879,  at  Hooper,  Weber  County,  Utah. 
All  their  children  were  born  at  Hooper,    Weber 
County,  Utah.  They  moved  to  Famum  probably 
around  1912. 

Children: 


(1)  Elizabeth                   b-  1878 

d-  1906 

(2)  William  Riley              b-  1880 

d-  1942 

md-  Louisa  Matilda  Suiter 

(3)  Edna  Melvina             b-  1881 

d- 

md-  James  Jordine  Simpson 

(4)  Joseph                       b-  1884 

d-  1942 

md-  Ellison  Simpson 

(5)  Don  Carlos                 b-  1886 

d-  1961 

md-  Florence  Edna  Cazier 

(6)  Leo  Oriando              b-  1889 

d-  1961 

md-  Hazel  Richman 

(7)  Tirza  Permila              b-  1892 

d-  1970 

md-  never  married 

(8)  Hattie  Stella               b-  1894 

d-  1957 

md-  Walter  Wavem  VanSikle 

(9)  Ethel  May                  b-  1898 

d-  1898  chUd 

WILLIAM  RILEY  SCHOFIEI,D 

and 

LOUISA  MA'llLDA  SUITER 

William  Riley  and  wife  Louisa  Matilda 
arrived  in  Famum  in  early  June  1912,  with  their  first 
two  children,  Vema  and  Earl.  They  bought  land  from 
Loyd  Mc  Arther. 

Dr  Hargis  delivered  the  five  children  bom  in 
Farnum  in  their  home.  There  were  no  hospitals  or 
nursing  homes  at  that  time. 

There  was  no  power  or  electricity  in  the 
Schoficid  home.  They  had  a  telephone.  All  the 
children  attended  school  in  Famum.  The  school  had 
two  rooms  with  four  grades  in  each  room.  At  one 
time  there  were  67  students  in  the  two  rooms.  Later 
there  were  only  five. 

Their  family  bought  their  first  car  in  1917,  a 
model  T  Ford. 


333 


^ 


b.r.  Vcma,  Wayne,  Rcva,  Earl,  Myrtle,  Gene,  Bessie,  f.r.  William  Riley  and  Louisa  Matilda  Suiter  Schofickl 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Vcma  Louisa  b- 1908 
md-  Nelson  John  Hill 

(2)  WilHam  Earl  b-  1909 
md-  (1)  Merle  Strong 

(2)  Ruby  Hammond  Hoge 

(3)  Floyd  Wayne  b- 1912 
md-  Bonita  Harrison 

(4)  Rcva  Grace  b-  1913 
md-  James  Albert  Whitmore 

(5)  Eugene  Suiter  b- 1916 
md-  Virginia  Worrell 


d-  1944 


s  Jt    rt^fTwm  ti- 


d- 1965 


'  "        «  F     T     ■•      1 


(6)  Myrtle  b-  1917 
md-  Phillip  Harold  Borresen 

(7)  Bessie  b-  1923 
md-  Donald  Reed  Bell 

Vema  raised  4  children  and  lives  in  Modesto, 
California,  her  husband,  Nelson  Hill  passed  away 
some  years  ago. 

Earl  lives  in  Sugar  City.  He  also  raised  4 
children.  His  wife  Ruby  passed  away  4  April  1980  and 
is  buried  at  Sugar  City  Cemetery. 


b.r.  Mclvin  &  Bonnie  Hammond,  Bill  &  Marilyn  Schofield,  Monty  Schofield, 
seated,  Eddie  &  Gcraldinc  Jermack,  Earl  &  Ruby  Schofield,  Kathy  Schofield 

334 


b.r.  Scott,  Judy,  Sandy,  Chloc,  Phil,  f.r.  Harold  Phillip  and  Myrtle  S.  Borrcson 


Wayne  died  Nov  1944,  he  was  32  years  old. 
He  is  survived  by  his  wife  Bonita  Harrison  and  two 
children. 

Reva  lives  in  Ashton,  her  husband  Albert 
Whitmore  died  quite  a  few  years  ago. 

Gene  died  2  Oct  1965,  he  left  his  wife, 
Virginia  Worrell  and  three  children.  A  son  preceded 
Gene  in  death. 

Myrtle  and  her  husband  Harold  Borresen  live 
in  Sugar  City,  Idaho.  They  have  raised  five  children. 

Bessie  and  her  husband  Reed  Bell  Hve  in 
Kennewick,  Washington.  They  have  raised  four 
children. 

Sources: 

(1)  Earl  Schofield  Book  of  Remembrance. 

(2)  Universal  Standard  Encyclopedia,  pg  258. 

(3)  Family  history  from  Myrde  Schofield  Borresen. 

OSCAR  SELLERS 

and 
CLARA  PAISLEY 

Oscar  and  Clara  Paisley  Sellers  came  from 
Lcwellyn,  Nebraska  in  1914.  Dave  Clousc,  their  good 
fiiend,  persuaded  them  to  come  to  Squirrel.  They 
purchased  the  Carl  Sheetz  farm.  They  had  four 
daughters,  Mildred,  Alta,  Ada  and  Ruby.  Mildred 
married  August  Lenz,  Jr.,  Alta  married  Victor 
Dickison,  Ada  married  Johnnie  Carlson  and  Ruby 
married  John  Carlson. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  102 


335 


HENRY  S.  SERMON 

and 

CARRIE  ALICE  BROWN 

My  father  Henry  S.  Sermon  was  born  in 
London,  England  in  1850.  He  crossed  the  plains  with 
the  Edward  Martin  Hand  Cart  Company  at  the  tender 
age  of  6  years.  He  walked  1400  miles,  from  Iowa 
City,  Iowa  to  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 

My  Grandmother  Elizabeth  Whitear  Sermon 
joined  the  Mormon  Church  in  England  and  came  to 
America  on  the  ship  Caravan  with  other  converts.  My 
Grandfather  never  joined  the  church  and  didn't  want 
to  come  as  he  had  a  good  job  as  overseer  of  a  large 
form  and  they  owned  two  houses,  rented  one.  They 
bought  their  furniture  but  had  to  sell  it,  the  furniture 
was  bought  by  Elders  and  brought  to  Salt  Lake. 

They  left  Iowa  City,  Iowa  too  late  in  the 
season,  the  Hand  Carts  were  made  of  green  lumber 
and  kept  falling  apart.  They  left  July  26,  1856. 
Wmter  came  early  and  there  was  much  suffering. 
John  Sermon  born  20  January  1848  lost  his  leg. 
Robert  Sermon  born  1853  froze  both  feet  and  they 
had  to  be  cut  off.  Marion  bom  May  1854,  all  bom  in 
London,  Baltcrsen,  England.  The  people  that  were 
sent  to  find  them  from  Salt  Lake,  found  the  Edward 
Martin  Company.  They  were  camped  between  Red 
Buttes  and  the  Sweet  Water  river  in  Central  Wyoming. 
My  grandfather  Joseph  Sermon  died  of  starvarion. 
The  two  youngest  had  to  ride  in  the  hand  cart  all  the 
way.  My  grandfather  was  buried  at  Devils  Gate, 
Wyoming  with  several  other  people.  The  wolves  dug 
into  the  graves  as  soon  as  the  people  started  on. 


11""' 


"'is; 


C 


Oc';: 


My  grandmother  and  her  children  stayed  with 
her  brother  Eli  Whitear  who  had  come  to  Am.erica  a 
few  years  before,  later  marrying  Robert  Camm,  they 
lived  in  Logan,  Utah  and  finally  moved  to  San 
Francisco,  died  and  was  buried  there.  Henry  married 
Ann  Nelson  of  Logan  and  they  had  four  children. 
Elizabeth  lived  in  Clark  Ward  east  of  Rigby,  Edward 
died  in  1918  in  the  flue  epidemic,  Henry  Jr.  lived  at 
Shelton  and  Darwin  lived  in  Portiand,  Oregon.  They 
were  my  half  brothers  and  sister.  They  are  all  deceased. 

In  1885  Henry  Sermon  married  my  mother 
Carrie  Alice  Brown  of  Jersey  Shore,  Pa.  She  was  22 
years  younger  than  dad  and  was  a  young  widow.  Dad 
homestcaded  a  farm  cast  of  Idaho  Falls  on  Willow 
Creek.  My  oldest  sister  Charlotte  was  born  there 
January  14,  1897.  When  she  was  still  a  baby  they  sold 
the  ranch  and  moved  to  Pioneer,  Washington.  They 
didn't  like  it  there  as  it  rained  most  of  the  time. 
Pioneer  is  dose  to  the  Ocean.  Dad  bought  a  place  in 
Fremont  County  on  Conant  Creek,  had  land  on  each 
side  of  the  canyon.  He  built  a  log  house  in  the  canyon 
on  the  North  side.  They  did  their  trading  in  Marysville 
and  the  kids  went  to  school  at  Lillian.  Some  of  their 
neighbors  were:  Ed  Southern,  Fenens,  Ncwby.  When 
their  second  child  was  born,  Dad  moved  to  Salem, 
west  of  Sugar  City.  He  had  cattle  so  he  stayed  on 
Conant  Creek.  Pauline  was  bom  November  24,  1900. 
Little  Joe  was  born  12  August  1902  and  died  in 
January  1903.  He  was  buried  there,  on  top  of  the 
canyon  and  south  of  the  house.  The  place  is  owned  by 
a  Zundell.  We  cannot  find  the  grave  now  as  the 
railroad  is  there  and  the  land  has  changed.  I  remember 
going  there  when  I  was  small  but  can't  find  it  now. 

Mrs.  Grandma  Looslie  was  on  the  way  to 
deliver  the  baby  when  she  was  killed  in  an  accident  so 
dad  had  to  deliver  the  baby. 

Gladys  was  born  27  February  1904,  and 
Altona  was  bom  27  August  1908. 

Dad  was  a  stock  holder  in  the  Conant  Creek 
Canal  Company.  Dad  traded  that  place,  mother  had 
homesteaded  the  place  (found  that  in  the  Fremont 
County  Court  House  records)  for  a  place  in  Old 
Mexico,  down  by  Tampico  on  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  She 
didn't  like  the  winters  in  that  canyon  and  used  to  cry  a 
lot.  The  girls  went  to  school  in  the  Lillian  School.  I 
don't  know  how  they  got  there  unless  dad  took  them. 
Dad  couldn't  take  the  hot  weather  in  Mexico  and  he 
was  sick  most  of  the  time,  so  they  left  there  by  train  to 
Califomia  18  days  before  I  was  bom.  They  stayed  in 
San  Bernardino  until  mother  and  I  was  able  to  travel  to 
Rigby,  Idaho.  Dad  built  a  nice  fiame  house  about  3 
miles  east  of  Rigby  on  a  small  farm.  My  dad  died  of  a 
stroke  in  1920.  And  my  mother  stayed  there  until 
1926  when  we  moved  to  Rigby.  She  died  in  1927  of 
heart  failure. 

My  two  older  sisters  lived  around  Mountain 
Home  several  years  and  both  arc  buried  there. 

Gladys  and  Altona  are  both  widows  and  live 
in  Rigby.  I  have  lived  around  St.  Anthony  for  53 
years.  We  sometimes  go  to  Drummond  to  see  the  old    335 


place,  but  Charlie  Bergman  has  his  cattle  in  the 
canyon  so  we  don't  go  too  far. 

By:  Beulah  Nyborg  (daughter) 

CHILDREN: 


(1)  Charolett 

b-  1887 

(2)  Pauline 

b-  1900 

md-       Mc  Murty 

(3)  Joe 

b-  1902 

d-  1903  Child  5 
months  old. 

(4)  Gladys 

b-1904 

md-  Grant  Briggs 

(5)  Altona 

b-  1908 

md-       Kinghom 

(6)  Beubh 

b-  1909 

md-  Floyd  Nyborg 

WILLIAM  I , AVATOR  SHARP 

and 

JULIA  SHARP 

William  Lavator  Sharp  was  born  August  26, 
1880.  He  grew  up  in  Sevier  County,  Tennessee.  His 
education  was  thru  the  third  grade,  then  to  Normal 
School  to  become  a  teacher.  He  must  have  had  a  lot 
of  natural  ability,  because  he  was  a  good 
mathematician  and  could  out-figure  any  of  his 
children.  He  wrote  a  beautiful  palmer  method 
penmanship.  He  raught  boys  bigger  than  he  was. 

He  wasn't  very  tall,  but  was  well  propor- 
tioned. He  was  the  fastest  foot-racer  in  the  Sevier 
County. 

He  married  Jolia  Sharp  September  1,  1900,  in 
Sevier  County,  Tennessee,  she  was  barely  sixteen. 
Jolia  was  one  fourth  Cherokee  and  Dutch.  Lavator 
folks  were  Pennsylvania  Dutch. 

It  was  hot  in  East  Tennessee.  Teaching 
school,  and  working  in  the  hot  sun  for  his  brothers, 
finally  convinced  him  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  West. 
About  1902,  leaving  his  wife  and  children,  he  left  for 
California  riding  freight  trains.  Everyone  said  he 
would  be  back.  He  then  went  to  Washington  and 
Oregon  working,  when  work  was  available.  He  came 
to  Idaho  and  bought  rights  to  a  160  acre  homestead. 
In  the  spring  of  1905  he  sent  for  his  wife  and  two 
small  children.  He  did  go  back,  as  his  family  srated 
but  it  was  43  years  later,  Gerry  my  wife  and  I  coaxed 
him  into  going.  It  was  a  wonderful  home  coming, 
people  came  from  far  and  near  to  see  "litde  Lavator". 
That  was  his  nickname  as  a  boy. 

Dad  was  one  of  the  hardest  workers  I've  ever 
known,  and  expected  his  family  to  be  good  workers. 
"Early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise"  was  his  way  of  life. 

Jolia  Sharp  was  born  on  a  farm  near 
Sevierville,  Tennessee  on  March  14,  1884.  She 
married  W.L.  Sharp  in  1900.  She  was  barely  16  years 
old.  There  were  two  children,  Dixie  and  Doyle, 
bom  near  Sevierville. 

In  1905  Jolia  and  their  two  children,  Dixie, 
and  Doyle  came  by  train  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho.    St. 


Anthony  was  the  end  of  the  railroad.  Ashton  was  yet 
to  be  bom.  It  was  named  for  a  railroad  man,  who's 
name  was  Ashton  in  1906.  They  moved  to 
Greentimber,  six  miles  east  of  Ashton,  where  I  (Glan) 
and  Alden  was  bom,  and  we  lived  there  until  1916, 
when  Dad  bought  property  in  the  Squirrel  area  and 
moved  there  in  1917. 

My  folks  had  to  drive  a  team  and  lumber 
wagon  to  St.  Anthony  every  fall  to  purchase  the 
groceries  for  the  long  winter.  There  were  small  stores 
at  Marysville,  but  not  heavily  stocked.  When  driving 
to  St.  Anthony  each  stream  had  to  be  forded.  One 
trip  while  crossing  Fall  River,  Dad  had  unhooked  the 
bridle  reins  from  the  horses  to  enable  the  horses  to 
reach  down  to  drink,  this  time  the  neck  yoke  \^diich  is 
made  to  hold  the  wagon  up,  slipped  off  the  end  of  the 
tongue.  Dad  had  to  wade  to  the  front  of  the  team  to 
replace  the  ring  of  the  neck  yoke  over  the  end  of  the 
tongue.  The  distance  from  home  to  St.  Anthony  was 
about  24  miles,  so  an  early  start  was  necessary  to  get 
home  by  dark.  living  conditions  were  primitive  but 
we  all  thrived  in  Fremont  County. 

The  land  in  Squirrel  was  coverd  with  quaking 
aspen  v/hich  had  to  be  pulled  one  at  a  time  by  a  team 
of  three  horses.  The  ground  then  had  to  be  broken 
out  with  a  sulky  plow,  pulled  by  three  horses.  Jolia 
drove  the  three  horses.  She  also  harnessed  the  half 
broken  cayuse's  and  hitched  them  to  the  single 
bottom  sulky  plow,  to  plow  the  virgin  sod.  She  would 
quit  plowing  early  to  prepare  dinner. 

Dad  would  plant  the  spring  crop,  then  find 
employment  in  summertime  to  help  feed  his  wife  and 
four  children.  He  drove  horses  one  summer  on  a 
stage  coach  from  West  Yellowstone  through  the 
Yellowstone  Park.  His  was  one  of  the  coaches  that 
missed  being  held  up  on  the  divide  east  of  Old 
Faithful.  Dad  also  helped  to  build  Hebgen  Lake  dam 
in  Montana,  and  both  the  Marysville  and  Yellowstone 
canals  near  Ashton. 

This  left  Mother  alone  with  the  children. 
Mom  had  never  stayed  alone  before.  The  coyotes  at 
night  would  howl  and  chase  the  dogs  against  the  log 
house.  She  was  frightened,  but  finally  grew 
accustomed  to  it,  and  with  years  learned  to  enjoy  the 
moumfiil  howling.  She  never  did  approve  of  working 
on  Sundays.  It  wasn't  allowed  in  Tennessee.  She  was 
a  faithful  Methodist,  our  family  attended  Sunday 
School  and  church  at  the  Greentimber  school,  a  three 
mile  drive  by  buggy  from  home. 

We  carried  water  from  nearby  Squirrel  Creek 
which  was  about  55  feet  down  from  the  house.  In 
1913  we  dug  a  well. 

In  late  July,  Mom,  Alden  and  I  would  ride 
three  horses  bareback  cast  to  squirrel  dugway  to  pick 
huckleberries.  Mom  had  a  woodsman  instinct  for 
finding  her  way  in  the  forest.  One  year  she  canned  60 
quarts  besides  what  we  had  for  table  use. 

1918,  was  a  wet  fall,  our  small  crop  was  hailed 
out.  Dad  helped  neighbors  thresh  grain  bundles 


337 


covered  with  snow.  The  thresher  was  a  steam 
powered  engine  requiring  an  engineer,  a  separator 
man,  a  fireman,  ten  bundle  haulers,  and  three  grain 
haulers.  Mom  did  the  cooking  for  the  crew.  Alden 
and  I  stayed  home  to  do  the  chores.  I  was  12  years 
old.  It  was  3/4  mile  east  of  home  to  Olaf  Larsen's 
place  where  Mom  cooked. 

Alden  trapped  weasels  on  our  time  off  from 
school.  They  brought  $1.50  each. 

There  was  no  ceiling  in  our  kitchen.  It  was 
cold  all  the  time,  in  cold  weather,  even  with  the  cook 
stove  going,  burning  wood. 

In  1918  a  flu  epidemic  caused  so  many  local 
deaths.  Many  people  wore  asafetida  around  their 
necks,  to  ward  off  the  flu. 

Our  neighbor  Olaf  Larsen's  father  was  a 
typical  Norwegian,  with  a  goatee.  Mom  had  two 
kinds  of  pie  for  dinner.  He  ate  a  piece  of  one  kind, 
then  noticed  the  other  kind.  He  said  I  like  'dat  kind 
too,  and  proceeded  to  eat  the  second  piece. 

U.S.  Mail  came  by  train  to  Dmmmond,  then 
to  Squirrel  by  Star  Route.  Axel  Johnson  was 
postmaster  at  Squirrel,  which  was  the  oldest  voting 
precinct,  which  reached  to  St.  Anthony,  had  around 
700  voters.  We  managed  to  get  our  mail  once  a  week 
or  so.  There  was  less  mail  in  those  days. 

Dad  and  Alden  were  very  close.  Dad  called 
him  babe  until  he  was  out  of  high  school.  The  two  of 
them  were  making  fence  repairs.  Dad  stretched  a 
1/4  mile  strand  of  barb  wire,  Alden  hurried  to  a  rise 
to  lift  the  wire  for  tension.  As  he  raised  the  wire,  the 
added  tension  caused  it  to  break.  Both  his  hands 
were  mutilated.  Dad  was  horrified  and  heartbroken, 
but  surprisingly  in  time  Aldens  hand  heal  so  well  he 
went  to  school  and  became  a  pharmacist.  This  was 
during  the  1929  depression.  We  were  receiving  40- 
50  cents  for  a  hundred  pounds  of  wheat.  We 
managed  to  keep  him  in  school  to  finish  his 
education.  Then  he  and  Venita  Calonge  eloped  and 
were  married.  Alden  and  a  parmer  finally  bought  and 
paid  for  a  pharmacy  in  Las  Vegas,  Nevada.  He  finely 
retired.  On  a  trip  to  Alaska  he  had  a  fatal  heart 
attack. 

From  1917  -1920,  Alden  and  I  spent  many 
happy  hours  on  Squirrel  Creek,  fishing  with  our 
willow  poles,  and  eating  ham  sandwiches  Mom  made 
for  us.  Alden  and  I  made  a  foot  bridge  across 
Squirrel  Creek  with  the  lumber  that  was  bought  to 
build  the  bam.  We  lost  the  bridge  the  next  spring  in 
the  high  water. 

We  attended  Highland  School,  1st  grade 
thm  eighth,  located  4  1/4  mile  east  of  Squirrel  store. 
It  had  one  teacher  9  month  term,  coal  stove  for  heat, 
horse  bara.  Several  students  came  on  horse  back. 
Teachers  boarded  with  a  family  who  had  students  in 
school.  Number  of  students  was  as  many  as  42  in  all 
the  grades  thm  eighth.  ALden  and  I  rode  horses  in 
the  winter,  fed  our  horses  grain  at  noon.  Frank 
House  family  lived  across  the  creek  north  of  our 


2    ay 

y:  aJ  I; 

I  J. 

/  0 1.11  ..I 


place,  six  of  them  would  cross  the  creek  with  5  House 
children,  then  we  joined  forces  to  walk  two  miles 
South  to  Highland,  13  strong.  Many  mornings  we 
would  count  8  or  9  coyotes.  We  formed  friendships 
that  lasted  thru  High  School. 

Alden  and  I  graduated  from  the  eighth  grade 
at  Highland  School  house  at  Squirrel.  Three 
generations  of  our  family  have  graduated  from 
Ash  ton  High  School.  Dixie  became  a  teacher,  getting 
her  certificate  from  Albion  Normal.  She  taught 
school  at  Warm  River,  Highland,  Lamont  and 
Hugginsville.  She  was  a  very  kind,  loving  person. 
She  died  before  reaching  50.  Dad  died  in  1961,  just 
three  days  after  their  sixty  first  wedding  anniversary. 
Alden  the  youngest  became  a  pharmacist  at  Pocatello, 
Idaho.  He  was  in  pharmacist  school  during  the 
1929-1935  depression.  It  was  a  struggle  to  deep  him 
in  school.  Dad,  Doyle,  and  I  operated  the  farms.  It 
was  the  period  between  horse  farming  and  tractors. 

Maynard  and  Dixie  moved  to  Drummond  in 
1933  to  live  on  the  Hummel  place.  Dixie  died 
December  21,  1948.  Gcraldine  Butler  and  I  were 
married  in  St.  Anthony  on  January  10,  1935.  We 
lived  in  a  log  house  on  the  Phillip  Moore  place  until 
the  fall  of  1937  when  we  moved  into  a  new  house  on 
the  Roy  Moore  place  which  we  rented  until  we 
bought  it. 

This  is  February  10,  1991  and  we  still  live 
here. 

By  Glan  Sharp 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Dixie  b-  d-  1948 
md-  Maynard  Bowersox 

(2)  Doyle  b- 
md-  Venita  Calonge 

(3)  Glan  b- 

md-  Geraldine  (Gerry)  Butler 

(4)  Alden  b-  1910        d- 
md- 

HENRY  SHIELDS 

and 

MINNIE  HOUSE  JESSON 

Henry  Shields  came  from  Tooele,  Utah  to 
work  for  Curtis  Marsden.  Henry's  uncle,  George 
Shields  was  working  on  the  Highland  Ranch  as  a 
blacksmith  and  repairman.  Henry  married  Minnie 
House  Jesson,  the  widow  of  Jim  Jesson.  Henry  and 
Minnie  lived  many  years  on  their  farm  near  the  timber 
line.  They  later  moved  to  a  home  in  Marysville. 

The  area  next  to  the  timber,  south  and  east 
of  Squirrel  was  named  Brownsville  after  some  relatives 
of  Joe  Brown  who  had  previously  lived  in  Chester, 
Idaho.  Others  ^o  lived  in  Brownsville  were  Arzetta, 
Kate,  Ottis,  Tom  and  Bill  Brown;  Charles  Hulse,  son 
of  Clyde  Hulse;  Veda  Atkinson;  the  Lawders;  and  the 
Bells,  Tom,  Dick,  Ellen  and  Buster. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  104    333 


ROY  SLOSS 

and 

RUBY  SMITH 

Roy  Sloss  son  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Sloss 
came  to  Idaho  in  1904.  They  worked  for  an  uncle  of 
Ruby's,  a  Mr  Silky  of  Chester  for  one  year.  Then  in 
1906,  they  filed  on  a  homestead  consisting  of  160 
acres.  Dad  worked  for  Alma  Blanchard  building  fence 
to  get  enough  money  to  fence  his  homestead. 

The  first  year  he  broke  up  50  acres  of  land. 
He  had  a  pretty  good  crop.  The  grain  had  to  be 
hauled  to  St.  Anthony  to  market.  They  would  load  up 
a  sleigh  one  day  and  take  it  to  St.  Anthony  the  next. 
Stay  over  night  and  home  the  next  day  in  time  to  load 
more  grain,  then  back  to  St.  Anthony.  I  think  they 
hauled  about  75  to  100  bushels  at  a  time. 

The  first  year  they  lived  in  a  tent  and  Dad 
spent  the  winter  getting  out  house  logs.  They  had  to 
haul  water  from  Jim  and  John  Brown's  well,  which 
was  one  mile  as  the  crow  flies.  The  next  winter  Dad 
built  a  cover  and  would  drag  2  house  logs  in  the 
shelter  and  would  work  all  day  hewing  the  logs  to  fit 
in  the  building.  They  were  able  to  dig  a  well  in  1908 
or  1910.  After  getting  settled  in  their  new  home,  life 
became  easier  as  they  had  water  as  well  as  a  lot  of 
good  neighbors.  Among  them  were  the  Jacobs,  Jim 
and  John  Brown  (always  referred  to  as  the  Brown 
brothers),  W.G.  Baird,  Asa  Hawkes,  Harry  Niefert, 
Garvcrs,  Nicndorfe,  Ncwbys,  and  many  others  which 
at  present,  I  cannot  recall. 

During  the  summer  people  would  visit  each 
other  almost  every  Sunday.  During  the  winter  they 
would  get  together  and  play  cards.  Charlie  and  Earl 
Garver  used  to  ski  over  to  our  pbce  and  they  would 
play  cards  most  of  the  night,  then  ski  back  home  the 
next  day. 

It  was  necessary  for  people  to  get  wood  out 
for  their  winter  use.  They  would  get  together  and  go 
to  the  timber  and  cut  and  pile  enough  for  their  year's 
wood.  When  the  snows  came  and  a  road  could  be 
packed  for  sleighs,  several  would  go  haul  the  wood  on 
the  snow  roads.  One  time  they  got  caught  in  the 
forest  by  a  storm.  They  ran  out  of  food  and  hay  for 
the  horses.  They  doubled  up  the  teams  and  started 
home.  At  noon  the  day  they  came  out,  they  had  a  loaf 
of  bread  and  some  lard,  which  they  fried.  I  guess  it 
was  better  than  nothing,  but  doesn't  sound  like  a 
banquet  for  me. 

Another  time  several  got  together  and  went 
hunting  to  try  to  get  some  meat  for  the  winter.  The 
game  was  very  scarce  and  they  were  about  ready  to 
give  up  and  come  home,  when  Dad  ran  across  a  bull 
moose.  It  is  the  only  time  that  I  heard  of  that  he 
poached  game. 

In  1908  Mother's  brother,  Warren  Smith  and 
family  homesteaded  on  an  adjoining  80  acres  to 
Slosses.  As  &r  as  I  know  that  was  the  last  land  open 
for  homesteading  in  that  area.  They  stayed  and 
formed  for  two  years,  then  were  wanting  to  sell  out,  so 
Dad  bought  their  rights. 


During  the  year  of  1918  the  flu  was  rampant 
and  the  folks  were  sick  with  it.  A  nurse  stayed  with 
them  until  they  were  improved.  Dr.  Hargjs  would 
drive  out  to  the  ranch  every  day  or  two.  I  think  he 
hired  Bob  Birch  to  drive  for  him  so  he  could  get  some 
rest,  as  he  was  going  day  and  night. 

Roy  Sloss  was  elected  Ckjunty  Commissioner 
in  1928  or  1930.  He  was  re-elected  to  four  terms. 

In  1936  Mother  passed  away  and  Dad  lived 
with  us  until  the  time  of  his  death  in  1966.  He  was  a 
true  pioneer. 

The  original  homesteads  are  at  the  present 
time  being  rented  by  Francis  and  Roger  Bratt,  >^o  I 
believe  are  farming  some  of  their  folks  homestead. 
There  arc  a  few  of  the  original  homesteads  that  are  still 
in  the  femily.  There  is  ours,  Asa  Hawkes  family,  Bratts, 
Niendorfe,  Harshbargers,  Rogers  and  the  Bairds. 

When  harvest  rime  came  it  was  a  time  for 
everyone  to  help  each  other.  It  was  always  a  thrill  to 
see  the  threshers  turning  into  our  lane.  Lloyd 
Niendorf  had  a  thresher  with  a  steam  engine  for  power. 
I  used  to  work  shoveling  coal  for  the  engineer.  So  I 
could  have  the  fun  of  pulling  the  whistle  for  noon, 
night  or  water,  etc. 

It  seemed  like  it  always  rained  when  we  got 
the  thrashers.  I  have  always  missed  the  whisties  of  the 
steamers.  There  was  always  danger  of  fire  from  the 
steam  engine.  One  that  was  working  for  Jacobs  caught 
fire  and  they  tried  to  drag  the  separator  out  by  the 
drive  belt,  but  the  belt  broke  and  they  lost  the 
separator. 

When  I  was  10  years  old,  I  was  assigned  the 
job  of  keeping  the  grain  shoveled  back  in  a  wagon  box 
on  a  crib  of  logs,  so  a  truck  (a  model  T  Ford)  could  be 
backed  under  and  the  grain  shoveled  into  the  truck. 
The  fellow  Dad  had  hired  to  drive  the  truck  was  not  a 
very  good  driver.  He  would  get  stuck  and  Dad  would 
send  me  to  get  him  up  on  the  road.  The  next  year 
Dad  said  if  I  had  to  go  get  a  driver  up  the  hills,  I  might 
as  well  drive  altogether.  I  got  along  pretty  good  until 
one  day  the  fan  belt  broke.  I  stopped  at  Ormc's 
Implement  Store  to  get  a  new  belt.  I  left  the  engine 
running,  for  I  had  heard  you  shouldn't  shut  down  a 
hot  motor.  I  had  only  told  Mrs.  Orme  what  my 
trouble  was  and  she  said,  "there  goes  your  truck."  I 
took  off  and  caught  on  to  the  running  board  just 
before  it  hit  a  telephone  pole  dead  center.  I  just  had 
time  to  give  the  steering  wheel  a  twist,  when  the  truck 
hit  the  pole.  I  had  moved  it  over  to  where  it  went 
between  the  radiator  and  the  fender.  However  it 
tipped  the  truck  over  on  its  side  and  spilled  my  load  of 
grain.  I  had  quite  a  ride  because  I  went  over  the  truck 
as  it  turned.  The  next  year.  Dad  started  me  out 
running  the  separator  doing  cuistom  threshing  while  he 
was  doing  the  fell  plowing.  I  was  12  at  the  time. 

One  day  while  threshing  at  Jim  Whitmorc's, 
George  Kidd  came  down  the  field  with  his  team  on  a 
dead  run.  We  couldn't  imagine  what  was  wrong  until 
he  slowed  to  a  stop  and  said  there  was  a  bear  up  in  the 
field.   Jim  Whitmore  went  on  a  run  to  the  house  and 


339 


got  his  gun  and  a  saddle  horse.  In  all  the  excitement,  I 
left  the  thrasher  running  and  went  bear  hunting.  Jim 
killed  the  bear,  which  was  a  yearling.  After  butchering 
it  out,  I  was  given  part  of  a  hind  quarter.  Mother  fried 
some  up,  but  none  of  us  could  eat  but  a  bite  or  two. 
She  threw  it  out  to  the  dog.  He  just  bristied  up  and 
growled  and  would  not  touch  it.  So  ended  the  bear 
hunt. 

As  anyone  knows,  who  knew  Roy  Sloss, 
remembers  he  was  never  very  far  from  his  pipe  and 
Velvet  tobacco.  I  had  an  old  horse  about  20  years  old, 
which  was  used  to  round  up  the  other  horses  firom  the 
field  to  be  put  to  work  plowing.  This  one  morning, 
Dad  was  on  old  Jim  driving  the  others  into  the  corral. 
Old  Jim  was  loping  along  and  came  to  a  weed  and 
jumped  sideways,  piling  Dad  up.  The  first  thing  that 
hit  the  ground  was  his  pipe.  He  bit  the  stem  out  of  his 
pipe  as  he  hit  the  groimd  head  first.  I  needn't  say  that 
old  Jim  got  a  pretty  good  working  over. 

We  got  rid  of  the  horses  in  1937  and  got  a 
John  Deere  Model  D  tractor.  Dad  traded  Bob 
Timmons  some  wheat  and  horses  as  down  payment.  I 
think  Bob  finally  got  30  cents  a  bushel  for  the  wheat. 
We,  along  with  everyone  else,  went  with  the  new  con- 
traption called  a  combine.  The  first  one  I  can 
rem.ember  seeing  was  a  Holt,  belonging  to  Harry 
Nicfert  and  Ben  McCuUock.  They  had  about  18  or  20 
head  of  horses  to  pull  it. 

In  those  days  the  grain  was  sacked  and  then 
dumped  in  rows.  It  was  quite  a  job  picking  the  sacks 
up  and  loading  them  on  a  wagon  and  finally  on  a 
truck. 

Back  when  Dad  was  still  cutting  the  grain  with 
a  binder.  Uncle  Joe  Hendricks  was  shocking  the 
bundles  and  I  was  helping  him.  We  were  quite  a  way 
from  the  water  bag  and  I  said  I  was  sure  thirsty.  Uncle 
Joe  chewed  an  old  hard  twist  tobacco  and  told  me  a 
chew  of  that  would  stop  me  from  being  thirsty,  it 
surely  did.  I  sj>ent  the  rest  of  the  afternoon  in  the 
shade  of  a  shock  as  ack  as  one  small  boy  can  get. 

Times  have  really  changed.  There  used  to  be  a 
family  on  every  80  or  160  acres.  Now,  only  three  or 
four  farm  the  entire  area. 

I  have  really  enjoyed  the  reunions.  It  is  really 
nice  to  visit  old  friends.  I  hope  we  have  many  more. 

A  special  thanks  should  go  to  Trcssa  Murdoch 
Garrett  and  Blaine  Hawkes  for  their  efforts  in  putting 
things  together  for  the  reunions  and  Blaine  for  the 
wonderful  place  overlooking  Horseshoe  Flat,  the  site 
of  our  old  homestead.  May  we  be  permitted  to  meet 
again  and  renew  old  friendships. 

By:  Woodard  and  Ruby  Sloss 

SMITH  HISTORY  NEAR  FARNUM,  IDAHO 

1910-1935 

About  1910  Silas  S.  Green,  along  with  his 
wife  Laura  and  three  youngest  children  (Chester, 
Naomi,  and  Ruth)  moved  from  Wilford,  Idaho  to 
Famum  to  start  a  general  store  and  post  office.  The 
building  was  made  of  finished  lumber  with  a  tall, 


^w^ 


Kt 


U 


square  front  painted  white  with  a  big  sign  GENERAL 
STORE  on  the  front. 

The  store  was  of  the  general  kind  on  the 
frontier  and  sold  a  wide  selection  of  articles  needed  by 
the  residents  in  the  rural  area.  Silas  was  known  as 
helpful  and  honest  and  gave  credit  to  many  of  those 
who  needed  it  for  lean  times  on  the  farms. 

The  post  office  was  a  fourth  class  post  office 
which  meant  that  payment  came  from  the  value  of 
stamps  "canceled**  with  the  Farnum  seal.  With 
"penny  post  cards"  and  two-cent  letter  stamps,  plus 
accepting  money  for  "Postal  savings"  (paying  2%  per 
year  to  the  owner),  and  sorting  the  mail  this  furnished 
a  small  but  steady  income.  Naomi  and  Ruth  did  most 
of  the  post  office  work  and  helped  in  the  store.  They 
both  finished  eighth  grade  in  the  Farnum  school. 
Ruth  moved  from  Farnum  about  1914  when  her 
father  died  and  later  married  Max  Marotz  of 
Greentimber  where  they  raised  a  family  of  two  girls, 
Claudia  (Virgin)  and  Margo  (Smith). 

Silas'  son,  William  "Willie"  Green  also 
received  the  R-F.D.  route  carrying  mail  to  Drummond 
and  Squirrel  six  days  a  week.  This  occupied  5  to  10 
hours  per  day,  depending  on  the  weather.  He  also 
carried  "informal  messages"  from  farmer  to  farmer 
and  acted  as  a  travelling  newsman  as  well.  This  route 
was  later  run  by  Naomi's  husband.  Earl  Smith,  for  a 
short  time  until  his  family  tried  a  year  of  homesteading 
60  miles  away  in  Camas  before  moving  to  Lamont 
where  they  farmed  until  1935.  Earl's  father,  "Jake" 
and  two  older  brothers  tried  homesteading  near 
Lamont  until  the  two  brothers,  Wayne  and  Vem,  died 
with  the  "Flu  of  1918"  and  Jake's  family  moved  to 
Los  Angeles  with  their  youngest  children  Floyd,  La 
Verda  (Allen),  and  Elden  in  1923. 

The  Earl  and  Naomi  (Green)  Smith  family 
lived  a  mile  North  of  Lamont  and  the  three  children: 
Merlin  (b.  1915),  Elon  (b.  1917),  and  Cleo  Mae  (b. 
1920)  attended  eight  grades  of  school  at  the  two- 
room  Lamont  School.  Merlin  later  filled  a  LDS 
mission  to  the  Western  States,  married  Mildred  Wood 
and  had  four  sons.  He  now  lives  in  Ogden  with  some 
of  his  sons  nearby.  Elon  also  filled  a  mission  and 
married  Eileen  Palmer,  a  daughter  of  Maydell  (Cazier) 
Palmer  who  is  related  to  the  Caziers  and  Schofields  of 
Famiun  and  Newdale.  Elon  and  his  family  of  four  live 
just  north  of  Los  Angeles  in  Santa  Clarita.  Cleo  Mae 
(Smith)  Gledhill  lives  near  their  four  children  in  Mesa, 
Ariz.  She  is  married  to  Dr.  Vernal  H.  Gledhill,  a 
retiree  of  New  Mexico  State  University. 

Earl  and  his  two  sons  "supported  the  dry  farm 
at  Lamont"  by  working  as  stone  masons,  plasterers 
and  carpenters  from  Ashton  to  the  Driggs  area  and,  in 
1938,  moved  to  the  Los  Angeles  area  where  Elon  and 
his  wife  have  recendy  retired  from  the  LA.  Schools  as 
teachers.  Every  three  years  there  is  a  "Jake  and  Annie 
Smith"  reunion  in  the  Los  Angeles  Area  where  most 
of  Floyd's,  La  Verda's  and  Elon's  descendants  now 
live. 


LEO  EARL  SMITH 

and 

NAOMI  GREEN 

Leo  Earl  Smith  and  Naomi  Green  (Smith)  as 
remembered  by  their  children:  Merlin  E.  Smith  (bom 
1915),  Elon  V.  Smith  (bom  1917)  and  Cleo  M.  Smith 
GledhUl  (bom  1920). 

Earl  was  the  son  of  Jacob  J.  Smith  and  Annie 
May  Stratton.  Jacob  (Jake)  was  the  son  of  Albert  Smith 
and  Anne  Marie  Larsen.  Jake  and  Annie  homesteaded 
near  Lamont  until  two  of  their  sons,  Wayne  and  Vem, 
died  in  the  flu  epidemic  of  1918.  Jake  and  Annie  and 
their  younger  children,  Floyd,  La  Verda  (Allen),  and 
Elden  moved  to  Los  Angeles  in  1923. 

Earl  married  Naomi  Green  (born  1895, 
Wilford,  Idaho)  on  4  December  1913  at  Farnum. 
Naomi  was  the  daughter  of  Silas  Sprague  Green  and 
Laura  Caroline  Gibbons.  After  a  short  stay  in 
Califomia  for  health  reasons,  Silas  returned  to  Farnum 
and  started  the  first  store.  While  tracing  the  Green 
genealogy,  Cleo  Mae  Gledhill  found  a  published 
record  that  Silas'  wife's  father  was  the  first  postmaster 
in  Preston,  Idaho.  No  doubt,  as  was  the  habit  in  those 
days,  he  probably  also  had  a  store  with  the  post  office. 
But  when  Silas  set  up  the  store  in  Farnum,  he  was 
afraid  Lhat  due  to  health  reasons  from  a  severe  stroke 
he  could  not  pass  the  postmaster  exam.  He  made 
application  to  see  if  his  daughter,  Naomi  Green,  could 
take  the  test  for  postmistress.  She  took  the  test  and  at 
about  the  age  of  16  years  became  the  youngest 
postmistress  in  the  United  States  at  that  time.  She 
would  help  her  father  open  the  store  at  a  very  early 
hour  to  accommodate  the  farmers  in  the  area.  Naomi 
graduated  from  high  school,  probably  in  Ashton  or  St. 
Anthony. 

Jake  Smith  and  Annie  May  Stratton  Smith 
moved  into  a  littie  house  in  back  of  the  school  house  at 
Farnum.  The  children  would  jump  over  the  back  fence 
to  be  at  school.  At  a  dance  in  Farnum,  Earl  met 
Naomi  and  immediately  announced  that  she  would  be 
his  wife.  They  were  married  on  4  December  1913,  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  marriage  of  Jacob  and 
Annie,  Earl's  mother  and  father. 

Grandpa,  Silas  Green,  had  moved  to  Ashton 
soon  after  Naomi  married  as  he  felt  the  store  was  too 
much  for  him  to  handle  alone.  Silas  had  a  long  white 
beard  and  Naomi  used  to  tell  of  sitting  on  his  knee  and 
combing  his  beard.  Silas  died  5  November  1914  on 
his  trip  to  visit  Naomi  in  Camas,  but  was  buried  in 
Farnum.  Laura  Caroline  died  1  April  1941  at  Ashton, 
Idaho. 

Earl  assisted  his  brother-in-law,  William 
"Willie"  Green  to  run  the  R  F  D  route  from  Famum 
to  Drummond  and  Squirrel.  Earl  homesteaded  at 
Camas  for  a  short  rime  then  moved  to  Lamont  and 
took  over  the  homestead  of  his  fether,  Jake. 

Merlin,  Elon  and  Cleo  Mae  (Pat)  all  went  to 
school  at  Lamont  under  a  succession  of  teachers  (it  is 
not  known  for  svu-e  if  they  were  responsible  for  the 


340 


turn  over  of  teachers).  School  teachers'  names 
remembered  were:  Helen  Mills,  Opal  Jackson,  Agnes 
Carpenter,  Ila  Orme  and  Mrs.  Snowberger.  The 
school  occupied  part  of  the  post  office  building  and 
there  was  also  an  apartment  for  the  school  teacher  in 
the  building.  The  students  numbered  from  about  9  to 
20  in  grades  from  1  to  8.  Often  there  was  only  one 
student  in  a  grade.  The  original  school  house  burned 
and  the  schoolhouse  from  Highland  was  moved  to 
replace  it.  All  three  children.  Merlin,  Elon  and  Cleo 
Mae  (Pat)  graduated  from  Ashton  High  School. 
Merlin  graduated  with  the  class  of  1933/34,  Elon 
1935,  and  Cleo  in  1938. 

Naomi  was  very  ill  with  measles  in  1924  and 
never  fully  recovered  her  health.  She  was  postmistress 
at  Lamont  and  took  the  mail  from  the  post  office 
building  to  the  train  with  a  wagon.  One  day  she  was 
unable  to  catch  the  horses  so  she  ran  on  foot  to  meet 
the  train.  From  then  on  her  health  deteriorated. 

Earl  and  Naomi  had  a  fourth  child  that  died  at 
birth,  (Francis  Garth).  He  was  wrapped  in  a  beautifril 
blanket  and  placed  in  a  glass  box  and  buried  on  top  of 
the  hill  near  the  trees  on  the  west  side  of  the  dirt  road 
that  went  down  to  the  cabin  on  the  form  at  Lamont. 

The  Earl  Smith  family  moved  to  Los  Angeles 
in  1929  for  a  year.  They  drove  a  Whippet  car.  Cleo 
was  in  the  third  grade  and  learned  to  play  the 
harmonica  and  play  in  the  Marine  Band.  She  still  plays 
the  harmonica  today  (1990). 

They  returned  to  Lamont  in  1930  and 
continued  to  farm  until  abut  1935.  They  moved  to 
Ashton  in  1933  and  commuted  for  siunmer  farming. 
In  Ashton,  they  lived  in  the  Rankin  cabins  for  awhile 
and  then  moved  to  3  rooms  on  the  second  floor  of  the 
Ashton  Hotel.  They  moved  to  the  McGavin  house 
west  of  town  and  from  there  to  the  white  house  two 
blocks  south  of  the  Ashton  Herald  building.  Cleo 
went  to  one  grade  in  the  "new"  junior  high  school 
addition  before  going  to  Ashton  high  school. 

Earl  spent  several  summers  in  Yellowstone 
Park  building  rock  and  flagstone  walls  for  bridges.  He 
also  worked  on  the  crew  that  built  the  Marysville 
bridge  that  was  recendy  torn  down. 

While  in  the  Ashton  Hotel,  Eari  built  some  of 
the  rooms  into  apartments  for  rent.  Then  he  painted 
the  "show  house''  for  free  tickets  for  his  family.  Elon 
"the  entrepreneur"  used  to  bet  the  boys  that  he  could 
just  go  down  and  walk  into  the  show  without  paying; 
and  when  he  did,  the  boys  were  amazed  and  Elon  had 
ten  cents  for  popcorn. 

Merlin  went  on  a  mission  for  his  church  in 
1935  and  returned  December  10,  1937.  He  reported 
at  Conference  on  December  13,  and  Elon  gave  his 
farewell  talk  the  same  day  for  his  mission.  That  night 
the  family  had  a  special  "family  home  evening"  with 
love,  closeness  and  fun.  Later  that  night.  Earl  called 
the  children  down  from  their  beds.  Naomi  had 
suffered  a  stroke  and  as  the  family  watched,  she  slowly 
slipped  into  eternity  in  Earl's  arms.  Thus  fulfilling  a 
promise  from  the  Lord  that  she  would  live  to  see  both 
sons  called  to  a  mission.  3^2^ 


Earl  then  moved  to  Los  Angeles  to  work 
with  his  ftimily  in  the  plastering  business.  Cleo 
remained  in  Ashton  alone  to  graduate  from  high 
school.  Her  father  returned  to  bring  her  a  beautiful 
navy  blue  net  formal  trimmed  with  blue  taflfcta  and  a 
flashing  deep  pink  sash  which  she  remembers  as  "the 
most  beautifril  dress  1  have  ever  seen."  It  was  for  her 
crowning  as  "Queen  of  the  Gold  and  Green  Ball". 
Earl  returned  again  to  attend  her  high  school 
graduation  and  to  move  her  to  Los  Angeles  where  he 
continued  to  work  with  his  fadier  and  brothers.  What 
a  sad  day  to  leave  their  home  so  dear!  Space  was  at  a 
premium  and  each  child  was  allowed  one  box  about  12 
X  14  X  16  inches  to  take  their  precious  memories  of 
their  lives.  Cleo  remembers  the  sadness  of  being 
separated  from  her  family  and  her  boyfriend,  Glen 
Meyers,  had  gone  on  a  mission  at  the  same  time  as 
Elon.  She  says  that  there  were  lonely  hours,  but  there 
were  also  many  happy  hours  with  all  the  good,  good 
friends  that  she  had  in  Ashton  and  the  surrounding 
area.  There  were  girl  friends  to  be  with  and  many, 
many  fun  dates  with  boy  acquaintances.  She  carries 
very  pleasant  memories  and  often  signs  "I  Love  Those 
Dear  Hearts  and  Gcntie  People  That  Live  in  My  Home 
Town"  when  she  is  reminiscing  about  her  childhood 
and  Ashton. 

Cleo  was  the  first  child  married.  She  married 
Vernal  Gledhill  in  1941  in  California  and  they  have 
four  children  and  live  in  Mesa,  Arizona.  Merlin 
married  Mildred  Wood  in  1941  in  Mesa,  Arizona. 
They  had  four  boys  and  now  live  in  Ogden,  Utah. 
Elon  married  Eileen  Palmer  in  1942  in  Cardston, 
Alberta,  Canada.  They  have  four  children  and  live  in 
Valencia,  California. 

These  are  friends  and  neighbors  as  best 
remembered  by  Merlin,  Elon  and  Cleo: 

Earl  Smith  was  about  as  dose  to  Axel  Johnson 
as  anyone  in  the  whole  neighborhood.  Axel  and  his 
wife  ran  the  store  at  Squirrel.  Earl  and  Axel  would  go 
fishing  and  Earl  taught  Axel  a  lot  about  fishing  and  he 
really  enjoyed  that,  thus  becoming  fast  friends.  He 
thought  Earl  could  do  about  anything,  and  he  could, 
as  he  was  pretty  handy.  When  Axel  built  on  to  the 
store.  Earl  helped  him  build  it.  That  old  store  had 
everything  a  farmer  would  need:  tubs  to  boilers,  to 
overalls,  to  boots  and  shoes  and  overshoes,  bolts  of 
material  for  dresses,  nuts  and  bolts  and  nails,  and 
candy.  Everyone  loved  the  Ucorice.  The  licorice  was 
about  five  or  six  inches  long  and  about  a  half  an  inch 
around.  Merlin  found  a  cigarette  case,  a  nice  silver 
case,  and  used  it  to  carry  licorice.  Axel  was  a  friend,  it 
seemed,  to  everyone  around. 

Samuel  Orme  lived  between  Highland 
schoolhouse  and  Axel's  store  at  Squirrel.  He  had  a  big 
windmill  and  a  beautiful  home  and  buildings.  A  great 
contrast  as  to  the  way  many  had  to  live  at  that  time. 
Their  children  went  to  the  Highland  school  instead  of 
Lamont.  That  schoolhouse  was  later  moved  to 
Lamont  across  the  road  from  the  site  where  the 
Lamont  schoolhouse  was  before  it  burned  down.  In 
the  summer,  church  was  held  in  the  Highland 


(J 

1  ■ 

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schoolhousc.  Elias  Gardner,  who  lived  just  West  of 
our  place,  and  Curtis  Marsden,  who  lived  just  East  of 
the  Highland  schoolhouse,  were  the  two  principal 
officers  of  the  Sunday  School. 

We  might  mention  there  was  an  old 
swimming  hole  down  on  Conant  Creek  between 
Lamont  and  Highland.  When  the  girls  came  around, 
they  used  to  have  to  "holler"  to  give  the  boys  time  to 
get  their  cut-off  jeans  on,  because  most  of  the  time, 
they  swam  in  their  "birthday  suits".  The  girls  very 
seldom  tried  this. 

Across  the  street  and  a  little  closer  to  the 
Smith  farm  was  the  Albertson  home.  Thclma 
Albertson  was  the  same  age  as  Merlin  and  she  was  in 
the  same  grade  along  with  Ben  Lamont  from  "Day 
One"  until  the  seventh  grade.  Thelma's  brother, 
Eugene,  was  a  little  older  than  Elon,  and  her  younger 
brother,  Spencer,  was  in  the  same  class  with  Cleo. 
They  lived  on  a  farm  near  the  top  of  the  hill  just  north 
of  Conant  Creek. 

There  were  two  famlies  that  lived  down  by 
Conant  Creek.  One  on  each  side  of  the  road.  The  Joe 
Cook  family  lived  on  one  side  in  a  log  cabin.  In  1987 
the  cabin  was  still  standing.  It  was  close  to  the  old 
swimmin'  hole  and  you  had  to  go  through  their  place 
to  swim.  Later  the  Cook  home  was  East  of  Boonie 
Jessen's  place.  They  had  a  log  cabin  up  close  to 
Littons.  Joe  Cook  had  two  or  three  children.  Phyllis 
Cook  was  a  little  girl  and  Wilbur  was  a  little  yoimger 
than  Elon.  There  may  have  been  other  children. 
Spencer  Albertson's  wife  now  lives  just  across  the  road 
from  the  old  Cook  pbce.  Spencer  had  passed  away  in 
the  mid-1980's.  Eugene  Albertson  was  in  World  War 
II  and  became  a  bomber  pilot.  His  plane  was  shot 
down  and  he  was  injured. 

As  you  cross  Conant  Creek  and  head  south, 
the  first  place  sits  a  ways  back  from  the  road,  the  Paul 
Neindorf  place.  Paul  Neindorf  had  a  windmill  on  his 
place.  Earl  Smith  leased  their  place  while  they  were 
gone  for  a  year.  He  will  always  remember  the  good 
hill  for  tobogganing  in  the  winter,  just  south  of  their 
home.  There  were  several  Neindorfs  who  had  lived 
there.  Harry  and  Don  Neinforf  s  mother  lived  just  to 
the  west  on  the  hill.  They  did  an  unusual  thing  for 
that  day.  They  put  all  the  outbuildings,  barns, 
granaries,  etc.  quite  a  ways  from  the  house.  Farmers 
didn't  often  do  that.  They  made  them  convenient  to 
the  house  so  they  didn't  have  to  go  so  far  in  the  winter 
cold.  The  wind  in  the  winter  used  to  make  a  huge  drift 
around  the  house  and  we  used  to  build  tunnels 
through  the  snow  and  "igloos"  for  our  homes.  What 
fun  to  play  in  them! 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  in  that  same 
section  was  \\diere  Harry  Neindorf  had  his  home.  He 
built  his  home  up  on  top  of  a  hill  because  they  all  had 
windmills.  While  we  were  living  on  the  Smith  farm, 
each  evening  just  before  dark,  the  reflections  of  the 
setting  sun  would  shine  through  the  windows  making 
it  appear  that  lights  were  on  in  the  vacant  house  and 
we  all  thought  it  to  be  "haunted".  Of  course,  it  wasn't 
but  sometimes  we  went  closer  during  daylight  and  our 


342 


hearts  would  tremble  as  we  ventured  through  its  halls. 

To  the  west  of  the  Smith's,  just  beyond 
mother  Neindorfs  home  was  the  old  Elias  Gardner 
home.  He  and  his  wife  lived  there.  They  were  an 
older  couple  and  shordy  moved  away. 

The  farm  to  the  east  of  the  Smith's  belonged 
to  Boone  Jesscn.  Boone  Jessen's  wife  had  a  nephew, 
Donald  Snowberger,  that  would  come  and  stay  with 
Jack  Jessen.  Those  two  boys  would  come  to  our  farm 
to  play  or  we  would  go  to  theirs.  Elon  used  to  play 
with  them  more  than  Meriin  because  he  was  younger 
and  knew  both  of  them. 

In  about  1936,  Earl  and  Naomi  donated  a  lot 
for  the  building  of  a  chapel  for  the  Ashton  Ward  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  which  has 
now  been  torn  down. 

Up  the  road  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  the 
Smith  farm  to  the  left  is  where  Jasper  Litton  had  his 
home.  Jasper  was  an  older  man  and  most  of  his 
children  were  gone.  Elon  and  Merlin  both  worked  for 
Jasper  quite  a  lot.  Earl  and  his  family  stayed  in  Litton's 
home  for  a  winter  while  they  were  gone.  When  the 
littons  came  back,  Earl  moved  just  across  the  street  to 
the  old  Southwick  cabin.  The  Southwicks  had  moved 
just  south.of  the  tracks  at  the  Lamont  crossing. 

Just  east  of  Earl's  farm,  lived  his  oldest 
brother,  Wayne  Smith,  who  had  lost  his  right  arm  in  a 
shooting  accident  when  he  was  about  13  or  14  years 
old.  He  hadn't  married  yet  because  of  his  handicap. 
Wayne  farmed  that  land  and  did  everything  with  his 
left  hand  and  arm.  He  married  Ivy  in  the  simimer  of 
1918.  Then  in  December  1918,  he  died  of  the  flu. 
Wayne  influenced  Earl  to  homestead  that  piece  of 
ground.  After  Wayne  passed  away,  Grandma  and 
Grandpa  Jake  Smith  moved  up  to  the  farm  for  a  couple 
of  years.  They  had  real  problems  up  there  and  they 
sold  it  to  "Old  Tobacco  George"  (real  name 
unknown).  He  took  his  farm  profits  by  the  gallon 
rather  than  by  the  bushel.  He  was  an  old 
"moonshiner".  Old  Tobacco  George  went  to  jail. 
That's  what  happened  to  the  Wayne  Smith  farm. 

On  a  littie  fiirther  east  was  the  Gibson  farm. 
They  weren't  up  there  too  long.  He  was  an  older  man 
and  he  didn't  stay  too  long. 

South  of  the  Gibsons  and  a  littie  bit  west  was  a 
fox  farmer  by  the  name  of  Seth  Moody.  Merlin  went 
to  work  for  Seth  Moody  on  the  farm  in  1929  when  he 
was  14  years  old  for  $60  per  month  and  room  and 
board.  When  he  was  about  18,  in  about  1931-32-33, 
his  pay  was  one  measly  dime  for  every  hour  worked. 
Mr.  Moody  had  inherited  quite  a  fortune  in  those  days 
and  he  had  two  or  three-hundred  thousand  dollars. 
He  bought  10  or  12  pair  of  foxes  and  paid  about 
$25,000  a  piece  for  them  and  that  took  about  all  of  his 
money.  He  bought  this  house  and  raised  foxes.  When 
Merlin  worked  there,  he  had  about  300  pair  of  foxes 
and  every  year  he  would  pelt  them  and  sell  the  pelts. 
When  it  got  down  into  the  depression,  he  couldn't  sell 
enough  or  obtain  the  right  price.  He  lost  his  fortune 
soon  after  even  though  he  worked  15  or  16  hours  per 
day.    He  milked  his  cows  at  12  noon  and  midnight 


which  seemed  strange  and  funny,  but  it  permitted  him 
more  time  to  devote  to  his  foxes. 

George  Femey  built  a  store  in  Lamont.  It  was 
a  store  similar  to  the  one  over  in  Squirrel.  One 
morning  as  Earl  and  Merlin  went  to  Lamont  they 
could  see  smoke  rising  from  the  store  area.  When  they 
arrived  they  stood  and  watched  the  store  burn  as 
nothing  could  be  done  to  stop  it  in  those  days. 
George  used  to  have  gallon  cans  of  fruits,  vegetables 
and  other  commodities.  They  got  so  hot  that  they 
blew  sky-high  throwing  catsup,  beans,  or  something 
else  all  over  the  Jirea. 

On  down  a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  is  where  the 
Southwicks  lived.  The  father  died  and  Harold  married 
a  girl  from  down  near  Drummond  who  played  the 
mandolin.  They  would  come  to  the  Smith  house  and 
Naomi  would  play  the  piano  and  she  the  mandolin  to 
the  enjoyment  of  all.  They  didn't  live  in  Lamont  too 
long. 

Next  were  the  Morrisons.  Doug  was  two 
grades  ahead  of  Merlin  and  he  farmed  that  land  until 
he  died. 

P.  B.  Lcrwill  lived  on  the  north  side  of  the 
road  to  Famum.  Merlin  worked  for  them  a  couple  of 
summers.  They  had  two  sons,  one  a  very  big, 
strapping  son  named  Hubert,  and  another  son, 
Harold,  in  the  same  grade  as  Cleo.  Hubert  came 
down  with  a  stomach  ache.  Since  you  had  to  take  the 
train  to  get  anywhere  and  times  were  pretty  hard 
during  the  depression,  they  delayed  taking  him  to  the 
hospital.  They  finally  took  him  on  the  train  to  Idaho 
Falls  and  his  appendix  had  ruptured.  He  died  a  few 
days  later  with  peritonitis.  P.  B.  hired  Elon  and  Merlin 
to  come  over  and  cut  potatoes  for  him  at  five  cents  per 
sack.  The  first  day  they  cut  about  300  or  400  sacks,  so 
he  cut  the  rate  per  sack. 

Alex  Hill  had  only  one  son,  Ralph.  Ralph  was 
in  the  same  class  as  Doug  Morrison.  He  was  a  little 
older  than  Merlin. 


Almost  to  the  Franz  siding,  is  where  Lee 
Homing  lived.  When  the  Smiths  moved  to  Ashton,  it 
became  necessary  to  sell  their  livestock  including 
"Sally",  Cleo's  pony  that  she  broke  to  ride,  rode  to 
school  and  she  claims  could  outrun  any  horse  in  the 
county! 

Elmo  Lamont  and  his  wife,  Nellie,  and  two 
sons,  Ben  and  Dean,  lived  to  the  east  of  Lamont  on  the 
south  side  of  the  road  to  Tetonia,  and  Clyde  Lamont 
and  his  wife,  Emma,  and  their  daughter,  Maxine 
farmed  on  the  north  side  of  that  road.  Dean  may  still 
be  the  owner  of  his  father's  farm. 

Following  the  road  east,  vAiich  was  not  on  a 
section  line  because  it  followed  a  little  canyon,  and  off 
to  the  south  were  the  Schultz  pastures  above  the  path 
to  Bitch  Creek.  There  was  a  big,  strapping  son  named 
Emmett.  Mr.  Schultz  passed  away  before  Earl  Smith 
moved  up  to  Lamont.  Emmett  was  out  in  the  bam 
taking  care  of  horses,  and  they  don't  know  just  how  it 
happened,  but  one  of  the  horses  kicked  him  to  the  side 
of  the  head  and  killed  him.  The  daughter,  Dency, 
married  Glen  Dickinson.  She  had  a  baby  while  there 
on  the  farm  and  then  they  moved  to  Oregon. 

On  east,  on  that  same  road  on  the  north  side, 
George  Kim-brough  and  Charlotte  "Aunt  Lottie"  had 
their  home.  At  that  comer  you  tumed  south  to  Bitch 
Creek  and  on  to  Felt  and  Driggs.  The  Kimbroughs 
lived  there  for  years.  He  was  a  little  older  and  had  no 
children  of  his  own.  They  moved  to  Idaho  Falls  and 
died  years  ago. 

Earl  used  to  say  that  fly  fishing  on  Bitch  Creek 
was  about  the  best  fishing  in  the  country  and  many  a 
fish  fiy  for  family  and  friends  attested  to  that  fact! 

There  were  many  other  fHends  that  we  have 
not  mentioned  because  we  anticipate  that  they  will 
participate  in  this  history. 

By:  Chleo  Mae  (Pat)  Smith  Gledhill 


Vernal  &  CIco  May  Smith  Gledhill  Family  Cleo  is  a  daughter  of  L.  Earl  Smith 

343 


< 

C  a:  \. 


ARTHUR  GALE  SMITH 

and 

ILAORME 

I,  Arthur  Gale  Smith  was  bom  November  24, 
1914,  in  a  back  room  of  a  general  store  on  the  banks 
of  Fall  River,  at  a  place  called  Famum,  Idaho.  My 
father  was  Vem  Overton  Smith  and  my  mother  was 
Mary  Rosemine  Peterson.  My  father's  parents  were 
Jacob  Joseph  Smith  and  Anna  May  Stratton. 

My  earliest  recollection  is  living  in  a  log  cabin 
on  a  homestead  that  my  father  had  taken  up  in  the 
Lamont  country.  Father  was  busy  breaking  the  sod, 
and  getting  the  land  ready  to  plant  wheat.  Later  in 
my  life,  I  formed  that  same  piece  of  ground. 

Father,  and  my  Uncle  Wayne,  passed  away  in 
1918  in  the  influenza  epidemic  that  went  through  the 
country.  My  mother  remarried  a  man  named  Jack 
Schultz,  a  mechanic  and  bricklayer,  and  we  moved  to 
Rexburg. 

We  moved  to  California  where  I  learned  the 
plastering  trade  from  my  grandfather,  who  had  also 
moved  there,  and  had  a  construction  business. 

Later,  Grandfather  received  an  opportunity  to 
rent  a  farm  in  Lamont  from  Jasper  IJtton,  who  had 
bought  the  land  that  my  grandparents  and  my  father 
had  originally  homesteaded.  I  was  asked  to  go  along 
with  my  uncle  Eldon  (Bud),  to  help  them  on  the  farm. 
My  Uncle  Earl  was  farming  in  the  same  area,  he  had 
two  sons.  Merlin  and  Elon,  and  a  daughter,  Cleo  May 
(Patricia). 

We  planted  a  good  crop  that  year  and  in  the 
fall  after  harvest,  my  grandparents  and  Bud  went  back 
to  California.  I  stayed  with  Boone  and  Dolly  Jessen 
and  helped  through  the  winter,  milking  cows  and 
doing  chores. 

The  big  thing  to  do  was  take  the  team  and 
bobsled  to  Lamont  and  meet  the  train,  get  the  mail, 
and  talk  with  the  neighbors.  In  order  to  break  up  the 
boredom  of  winter,  somebody  decided  to  organize 
and  put  on  a  stage  play.  They  asked  me  to  play  one  of 
the  parts.  Opposite  me  was  the  leading  lady,  named 
Ila  Orme.  Ila  was  the  school  teacher  at  the  Lamont. 
We  put  the  play  on  in  the  grain  warehouse.  Ila  and  I 
became  very  good  friends. 

The  next  spring,  because  of  the  depression,  I 
went  away  to  work  in  the  C.C.C.  camps  in  Island  Park 
and  Yellowstone  Park.  In  December,  I  went  to 
California,  staying  with  my  grandparents,  and  working 
at  various  jobs. 

In  the  summer  of  1935,  Ila  and  her  folks 
came  to  California  on  a  vacation.  They  picked  me  up 
for  a  sight  seeing  trip  to  Los  Angeles  and  San  Diego. 

We  were  married  October  31,  1935,  in  the 
Salt  Lake  Temple.  In  the  spring  of  1936,  we  moved 
back  to  St.  Anthony.  Our  first  son,  Vem  G.,  was  bom 
August  30,  1936,  while  Ila  was  visiting  her  folks  on 
their  farm  in  Squirrel,  Idaho. 

We  spent  the  winter  helping,  my  father-in- 
law,  Samuel  John  Orme,  feed  his  livestock,  and  also 


trapping  on  the  creeks  nearby.  I  remember  getting 
out  wood  and  helping  Cliff  Harshbarger  saw  it  up 
with  his  power  saw  driven  by  a  car  engine.  We  had  to 
haul  water  in  a  500  gallon  tank  from  the  creek,  on  a 
bob-sled,  and  dump  it  into  a  dstem  by  the  house. 

Occasionally,  Ed  Plume  skied  over  and  played 
a  game  of  chess.  Another  neighbor,  Art  Lenz, 
sometimes  played  pinochle  with  us.  We  went  to  the 
Squirrel  dances  2  or  3  times.  When  the  weather  was 
good,  we  went  in  the  sleigh  to  France  Siding  where 
Sunday  School  was  held  in  the  school  house  with 
several  families  attending.  It  was  a  long,  cold  trip. 

In  the  spring  I  worked  in  construction.  In 
September,  Ila  began  teaching  at  the  Highland  school 
with  15  students  in  grades  1-8.  We  lived  in  the 
teacherage  next  to  the  school.  I  did  the  janitor  work, 
shoveled  snow,  and  built  the  fires.  For  the  teaching 
and  janitor  work  we  received  $100.00  per  month. 

In  1936,  we  moved  to  Califomia  to  work  in 
construction  again.  I  did  sandblasting,  plastering,  and 
welding  during  some  of  the  World  War  II  years. 

The  time  came  when  my  father-in-law  became 
very  ill  with  a  heart  problem  and  asked  us  to  take  over 
the  farm  in  Squirrel.  We  began  farming  with  12  head 
of  horses,  working  300  acres  of  land.  We  had  about 
300  chickens,  8  milk  cows,  some  pigs,  and  a  few 
sheep.  We  cut  and  bound  the  grain,  then  joined  the 
threshing  ring  of  5  neighbors,  going  from  one  to 
another  with  teams  and  wagons.  We  hauled  the 
bundles  to  the  threshing  machine  working  till  all  were 
finished. 

During  our  first  year  of  farming,  my  step- 
father. Jack  Schultz,  was  very  ill  and  stayed  with  us 
some  of  the  time.  He  died  of  a  stroke  while  at  our 
farm  in  Squirrel,  leaving  us  with  my  half-sister,  Lois, 
age  12,  and  my  half-brother,  Floyd,  age  7,  to  raise. 
During  the  winter  (1942)  the  roads  were  impossible 
and  my  wife  taught  the  children  at  home.  Vem  was  in 
the  1st  grade,  Floyd  the  2nd,  and  Lois  the  6th.  The 
kids  thought  it  was  going  to  be  easy,  but  my  wife 
made  them  work  hard  on  their  studies. 

Our  second  year  of  farming,  we  sold  the 
horses  and  bought  an  Intemarional  tractor  with  iron 
wheels  and  traction  lugs.  This  allowed  us  to  increase 
our  acreage.  We  bought  160  acres  east  of  Lamont. 
This  farm  was  close  to  the  forest  and  at  a  higher 
altitude,  and  was  only  adaptable  to  raising  barley. 

After  farming  in  Idaho  for  10  years,  we  had 
an  opportunity  to  lease  a  dry-farm  at  Three  Forks, 
Montana,  near  our  former  Lamont  neighbor.  Earl 
Stohl.  We  farmed  there  for  several  years,  and  then 
sold  out  and  moved  to  San  Diego,  Califomia  where  I 
worked  as  a  plasterer. 

Ila  began  teaching  in  California  in  1964.  I 
became  an  Amway  distributor. 

Note:  this  was  taken  from  a  longer  personal 
history  written  in  August  1979  by  -  Arthur  Gale 
Smith. 


344 


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345 


CHILDREN  OF  JACOB  JOSEPH  and  ANNA  MAY 

STRATTON  SMITH 

(1866/7-1958)  md-1888  (1867-1962) 

(1)  Wayne  Elry  b-  1890        d-  1918 
md- 1  vie  La  von  Thompson 

(2)  Vem  Overton  b-  1892        d-  1919 
md-  Mary  R.  Peterson 

son- Arthur  Gale    b-1914         d- 1982 
md-  Ila  Orme 

dau-  Nyla  May  b-1918         d-  1941 

md-  Dean  Elmo  Flint 

(3)  Leo  Earl  b-  1894        d-  1976 
md-  Naomi  Green 

sons:  Merlin,  Elon,  and  daughter  Cleo  May 
(Patricia) 

(4)  Arthur  b-  1895        d-  1929 
md-  Frances  C.  Lunnen 

(5)  Art  Floyd  b-  1900        d- 
md-  Luanda  Davies 

(6)  LaVerda  b-  1905        d- 
md-  Waldsee  Hubert  Allen 

(7)  Josie  Eldon(Bud)       b-  1907        d-  1941 
md-  Cleone  Windlcy 

CHILDREN  OF  ARTHUR  GALE  and  ILA  ORME 

SMITH 
(1914-1982) (1914-1988) 


(1)  Vem  G.Smith 

(2)  Samuel  Milton 

(3)  Mary  Kathryn 

(4)  Robert  Blair 

(5)  Richard  Brent 

(6)  Larry  Orme 


b-  1936 
b-  1939 
b-  1943 
b-  1945\  twins 
b-  1945/ 


b-  1952 

Also  these  step-children  lived  with  Arthur  Gale  &  Ila 
Smith: 

Lois  Schultz  b-  1930 

md-  Del  Ray  Fielding 
Floyd  Schultz    b-  1935 
md-  Carol 

(Jack  Shultz,  Jr.  was  an  older  brother  b.-  1923, 
married  Doris  Peterson,  but  didn't  live  with  the 
Smiths) 

HENRY  WATKINS  SMITH 

and 

AURILLA  JANE  RICHARDSON 

Henry  Watkins  Smith  was  bom  in  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah,  27  June  1877.  He  was  the  son  of  Henry 
Smith  Jr.  and  Lydia  Eliza  Kershaw,  the  second  of 
thirteen  children.  His  father's  first  wdfe  was  Ellen 
Snow  and  they  had  three  children.  This  made  a  very 
large  family  and  it  was  difficult  to  take  care  of  all  of 
them  so  it  was  necessary  for  the  older  children  to 
help.  William,  the  oldest  of  the  first  family,  told 
about  going  along  the  railroad  tracks  picking  up  coal 
that  had  fallen  from  the  railroad  cars.  This  was  often 
the  only  fuel  they  had  to  keep  them  warm  in  the 
winter.    The  oldest  sons  in  the  femily,  William  and    34^ 


Henry  Watkins  and  Aurilla  Jane  Smith  and  family 

Henry,  began  working  at  an  early  age  to  help  support 
the  family. 

Henry's  brothers  and  sister's  were  (1) 
Gertrude  Lydia,  (2)  Harriet  Lillian,  (3)  Annie  Jane, 
(4)  Lula  May,  (5)  Ellen  Louise,  (6)  Eva  Olive,  (7) 
Rosa  Lenora,  (8)  Susan,  (9)  Joseph  Steven, 
(lO)George  Francis,  (11)  Charles  Edmund,  (12)  and 
(13)Algina  Mildred.  The  first  seven  children  bom  in 
Salt  Lake  City. 

The  next  four  were  bom  in  Woodland,  Summit,  Utah 
and  the  last  two  were  born  in  Chester,  Fremont, 
Idaho. 

Their  Father,  Henry  Jr.  was  born  in 
Humansdorp,  Cape  Province,  South  Africa  31  March 
1841.  Their  Mother,  Lydia  Eliza  Kershaw  was  bom 
13  September  1857,  at  Uitenage,  Cape  Province, 
South  AfHca.  Henry  Jr.  came  to  America  in  1864 
and  Lydia  came  in  1865.  They  were  married  3 
August  1874. 

Henry  was  a  very  studious  person.  He  loved 
to  read  books  every  spare  moment  that  he  had.  It 
was  said  of  him  that  he  could  read  a  long  book  in  an 
afternoon  and  tell  everything  that  was  in  it.  In  the 
school  spelling  bees  he  was  the  last  one  standing  at 
the  end  of  the  competition. 

He  attended  school  in  Salt  Lake  until  the 
family  moved  to  Woodland,  Summit  County,  Utah 
where  he  again  attended  school.  It  was  here  that  he 
met  Aurilla  Jane  Richardson  who  became  his 
childhood  sweetheart  and  later  became  his  wife. 

The  Smith  family  moved  to  Chester, 
Fremont  County,  Idaho.  When  the  opportunity  came 
to  homestead  groimd  in  Famum,  he  left  the  family  to 
obtain  land  of  his  own.  As  it  was  necessary  to  live  on 


the  land  in  order  to  claim  ownership,  he  lived  in  a 
wagon  box  with  a  cover  over  it. 

Aurilla  Jane  Richardson  was  the  first  of  nine 
children  bom  to  John  Wcarmouth  Richardson  and 
Marie  Dorthy  Anderson.  She  was  bom  November 
15,  1879  in  Woodland,  Summit  County,  Utah. 
Their  home  was  on  the  Provo  River,  fifteen  miles 
fi-om  the  head  of  the  river. 

Aurilla's  father  was  born  in  England  30  June, 
1852  and  emigrated  to  Utah,  arriving  in  Salt  Lake 
City  20,  September,  1864.  Her  mother  was  bom  in 
Salt  Lake  City  April  17,  1858,  the  daughter  of  Danish 
emigrant  parents. 

Aurilla  learned  to  work  very  early.  When  she 
was  a  baby  her  mother  carried  her  to  town  along  with 
the  butter  she  had  made  to  trade  for  other  needed 
items.  As  she  grew  older,  she  helped  her  mother  care 
for  the  milk  and  helped  make  butter  and  cheese.  She 
learned  to  make  candles  and  to  card  wool  to  use  in 
making  clothes  and  quilts.  She  herded  the  cows  and 
learned  to  milk  them.  From  then  on  the  milking  was 
her  responsibility. 

Aurilla's  brothers  and  sisters  were,  (1) 
Nicholas,(2)  Gilbert  Wearmouth,  (3)  Ovey  Albert, 
(4)  Milton  John,  (5)  Claudious  Ray,  (6)  Drilla 
Dorothy,  (7)  Rufus  Dee  and  (8)  Veta  Ann. 

She  worked  in  the  church  Organizations, 
sang  in  the  choir,  and  participated  in  dramatic 
productions  which  were  so  much  a  part  of  the  social 
life  in  those  days. 

Henry  returned  to  Utah  and  married  Aurilla 
on  the  20  December  1905  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple. 
Soon  after  they  left  for  their  home  in  Famum.  Henry 
bought  a  train  ticket  for  Aurilla,  telling  her  that  he 
would  follow.  She  didn't  know  why  she  must  go 
alone  but  found  out  later  that  he  only  had  enough 
money  for  one  ticket  and  he  rode  in  the  baggage  car. 
Their  first  home  was  a  lean-to  which  they  built 
themselves.  It  consisted  of  two  crooked  aspen  poles 
put  in  the  ground  at  the  comers.  Two- by- fours  were 
placed  across  the  top  and  bottom  and  "winny"  edged 
slabs  were  placed  against  the  two- by- fours.  The  floor 
was  packed  down  dirt.  Their  furniture  consisted  of  a 
two  hole  cook-stove,  cupboards  made  of  boxes,  and  a 
bed  made  by  putting  four  posts  in  the  ground  with 
boards  laid  across  it  and  a  straw  tick  pile  high  with 
straw  to  make  it  soft  to  sleep  on.  This  served  as  their 
home  that  first  winter.  In  the  spring  they  began  to 
bring  down  logs  from  the  hills  to  build  a  two-room 
log  cabin  with  a  dirt  roof,  but  this  time  with  a  wooden 
floor.  The  cracks  between  the  logs  were  filled  with 
mud  to  keep  out  the  cold.  The  roof  often  leaked 
when  it  stormed  and  more  mud  had  to  be  added  to  it. 
During  the  storm  they  often  placed  pans  in  strategic 
places  to  catch  the  water. 

They  had  no  close  neighbors  as  everyone  in 
the  area  was  living  on  large  farms  which  they  were 
proving  on.  They  became  very  caring  and  dependent 
on  each  other,  and  took  time  to  visit  one  another, 
often  spending  the  entire  day  together.    All  holidays 


were  celebrated  as  a  Ward  together  and  often  on 
Sunday  they  met  after  church  meetings  at  someone's 
home.  There  were  many  happy  times  as  they  enjoyed 
each  other's  company.  They  became  like  one  big 
family  and  were  especially  helpful  to  each  other  in 
time  of  trouble. 

Farming  was  very  hard.  Besides  the  difficulty 
of  preparing  the  ground  for  planting,  the  squirrels 
became  a  great  nuisance. 

They  destroyed  the  crops  and  often  came  in  and  out 
of  the  houses  as  they  chose.  The  families  worked 
together  to  trap  and  try  to  get  rid  of  the  pests,  but  it 
wasn't  until,  quite  by  accident,  they  found  a  formula 
that  would  kill  the  squirrels.  In  1907  they  were  able 
to  raise  beautiful  crops  for  the  first  time.  This  was  a 
great  blessing  to  the  grateful  people  in  the  area. 
Before  this  time  it  was  necessary  for  the  men  to  find 
work  away  from  home.  Henry  would  be  away  fi-om 
home  for  two  or  three  weeks  at  a  time.  The  women 
were  left  to  take  care  of  the  chores  at  home.  Aurilla 
milked  the  cows,  made  the  butter  and  drove  to  town 
in  a  wagon  to  sell  the  butter  for  ten  cents  a  pound. 
This  money  was  used  to  buy  things  they  needed. 

Henry  was  a  spiritual  man.  He  had  a 
testimony  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  depended 
on  the  Lord  implicitly.  One  year  when  their  grain  was 
ready  to  thresh,  the  threshing  machine  was  pulled  into 
the  fermyard.  All  the  men  came  to  help  as  each  man 
helped  all  the  others.  This  year,  after  only  a  few  stacks 
of  grain  had  been  threshed,  fire  started  in  the 
remaining  stacks  and  burned  the  harvest.  This  was  a 
very  devastating  thing  as  their  entire  needs  for  the 
following  year  depended  on  the  harvest  for  their  grain. 

Henry  took  the  grain  which  they  had  saved, 
paid  10  percent  of  it  as  tithing  and  kept  the  rest  for 
the  family  for  their  inadequate  winter  supply.  When 
Aurilla  made  bread  with  the  last  of  flour  in  the  house, 
she  started  to  cry  wondering  how  they  would  survive. 
Henry  said,  "we  have  paid  our  tithing  and  the  Lord 
will  provide".  He  then  hitched  up  his  horses  and 
started  for  town,  not  knowing  how,  but  that  he  would 
come  home  with  food  for  his  family.  On  a  road 
seldom  traveled,  he  saw  a  sack  of  flour  lying  along  side 
the  road  in  a  puddle  of  water.  He  picked  it  up  and 
retumed  home  with  it.  Aurilla  feared  that  it  might  be 
spoiled,  but  when  she  opened  the  sack  found  it  was  all 
good  but  a  little  crust  where  it  had  lain  in  the  water. 
Later  when  that  flour  had  been  used  up,  Henry 
hitched  up  his  horses  and  went  to  town.  A  man  who 
owed  him  money  for  ten  years,  came  to  him  and  paid 
him  the  money  he  owed. 

Six  children  were  bom  to  Henry  and  Aurilla. 
All  were  bom  in  the  log  cabin  which  they  had  built. 
Their  first  child,  Archie  Henry  was  bom  the  14th  of 
April  1907.  He  lived  only  five  months,  dying 
September  20,  1907.  He  was  buried  in  the  little 
cemetery  up  on  the  knoll.  This  was  a  great  loss  to  the 
beginning  family.  On  May  16,  1908,  a  second  son 
Lorin  John,  was  bom.  But  they  were  called  on  to  lose 
347    another  child.    Their  sorrow  was  indeed  great  as  this 


I 


■■r: 


little  one  was  placed  in  the  cemetery  beside  his  little 
brother,  in  March  1909.  He  lived  10  mondis  and  had 
been  such  a  joy  to  the  grieving  parents.  That  same 
year  on  August  15,  1909  a  third  son,  George  Clinton 
was  born.  He  was  not  very  well  for  some  time  but 
gradually  became  stronger  and  brought  great  happiness 
to  his  parents.  Their  fourth  child  and  first  girl,  Avera 
Maria,  was  bom  March  2,  1912.  Another  son,  Milton 
Claudious,  was  bom  October  17,  1913  and  a  second 
daughter,  Lydia  was  bom  August  5th,  1915. 

Henry  and  Aurilla  were  always  active  in  the 
church  and  they  both  held  many  positions  and  were 
stalwarts  of  the  church.  He  was  made  Bishop  of  the 
Famum  Ward,  Yellowstone  Stake  on  the  24  Ortobcr 
1909.  He  was  set  apart  by  David  O.  McKay.  While 
Henry  was  Bishop  a  diphtheria  epidemic  hit  the  small 
community.  Many  who  contacted  the  disease  died. 
Henry  purchased  caskets  for  the  dead  and  took  them 
to  the  homes.  The  families  placed  the  bodies  of  the 
dead  in  the  caskets  and  placed  them  outside  the  door. 
Then  Henry  and  the  other  men  took  them  to  the 
cemetery  and  buried  them.  They  performed  this  sad 
service  for  many  of  the  families  in  their  little  ward. 

Henry  had  faith  his  family  would  not  contact 
this  disease  because  he  was  doing  the  Lord's  work. 
His  faith  was  rewarded  and  his  family  was  protcacd. 

The  1918  Influenza  epidemic  also  hit  their 
area.  Most  of  the  people  in  the  ward  had  the  disease 
and  there  were  few  people  well  enough  to  take  care  of 
the  ill.  By  that  time  there  was  a  Doaor  in  Ash  ton, 
Dr.Hargis.  He  went  from  house  to  house  doing  what 
he  could  to  help  take  care  of  the  suffering  people.  He 
was  very  concerned  about  those  families  where 
everyone  was  ill  and  arranged  for  the  well  to  help  in 
those  homes.  All  the  Smith  family  had  the  disease  but 
all  recovered. 

There  was  no  water  on  the  Smith  place,  so 
they  hauled  barrels  of  water  from  the  river  for  drinking 
as  well  as  washing  and  bathing  and  other  needs.  They 
had  a  dstem  to  store  the  water  in.  Bathing  was  done 
in  a  tin  tub.  Each  one  bathed  on  Saturday  night  by 
the  stove  with  blankets  hung  on  chairs  around  the  tub 
for  privacy.  G3al  oil  lamps  were  the  source  of  light. 
Keeping  the  lamp  chimneys  dean  was  the  job  of  the 
children.  Furniture  consisted  of  three  beds  in  one  bed 
room,  with  wooden  boxes  for  drawers.  The  kitchen 
had  a  coal  range,  some  chairs,  a  table  and  more  boxes 
for  cupboards.  Laundry  was  a  big  job.  Clothes  were 
scmbbed  on  a  wash  board  in  a  tin  tub  in  water  that 
had  been  heated  on  the  stove.  Home  made  soap  was 
used  to  keep  the  clothes  clean. 

There  were  many  blizzards  in  the  area.  Many 
times  the  snow  covered  the  fences  and  they  could 
cross  fields  in  their  sleighs  without  having  to  follow 
the  road.  It  often  drifted  against  the  doors  and 
someone  would  have  to  climb  out  a  window  and 
shovel  the  snow  away  from  the  door  so  they  could 
open  it. 

In  1920  the  Smith  femily  rented  their  farm 
and  moved  back  to  Utah  hoping  that  Henry  could 


348 


find  help  for  some  medical  problems  he  had.  The 
femily  lived  in  Francis  for  four  years.  They  worked  as 
a  family  deaning  the  church  and  the  school  house  to 
make  a  living.  Then  they  decided  to  move  to  Orem, 
Utah  where  the  children  could  find  work  in  the  finit 
fields. 

Henry  died  in  Provo,  Utah  September  30, 
1929.  He  was  buried  in  Pleasant  Grove  Cemetery. 

The  lives  of  Henry  and  Aurilla  were  spent  in 
the  service  of  their  faimily,  their  Church  and  their 
Community.  Their  contributions  were  great  to  those 
who  loved  and  respected  them. 

EVENINGS  AT  HOME 

From  a  parents  standpoint  the  main  object  is 
to  make  the  home  so  attractive  to  the  children  that 
they  will  consider  it  the  dearest  spot  on  earth.  That 
when  they  leave  the  home  nest  they  can  always  look 
back  at  all  the  pleasures  of  their  childhood  home.  And 
in  order  to  do  so,  we  must  often  forego  what  at  first 
glance  we  might  consider  our  own  desire  and 
indination.  In  the  first  place  we  must  learn  to  play 
with  the  children.  We  must  be  children  ourselves  and 
enter  into  the  spirit  of  what  interests  them  most  and  at 
the  same  time  lead  their  minds  to  higher  ideals. 

I  have  been  in  homes  where  it  seemed  as  if 
none  of  the  family  had  any  desire  to  raise  their 
standard  of  life,  and  again  have  visited  places  where  it 
was  a  pleasure  simply  to  spend  a  short  time  with  them, 
and  in  nearly  every  case  as  with  the  parents,  so  it  was 
with  the  children. 

Some  of  us  enjoy  reading  and  no  pleasure  is 
greater  than  to  have  all  quiet  and  no  disturbance  of 
any  kind.  I  find  children  are  full  of  life  and  if  they 
have  to  sit  quiet  as  statues,  they  soon  tire  of  it  and 
want  to  get  away  as  soon  as  possible  and  as  they  grow 
older  they  feel  it  is  a  punishment  to  be  compelled  to 
spend  an  evening  at  home,  while  others  of  a  more 
quiet  disposition  will  find  something  to  amuse 
themselves  and  enjoy  it.  There  may  be  some  of  both 
kinds  in  the  same  family  so  it  will  be  quite  a  problem. 

We  should  not  be  too  busy  to  get  acquainted 
with  our  own  children  especially  as  their  future  life 
depends  on  us  and  our  attitude  towards  them.  Let  us 
remember  "A  little  nonsense  now  and  then  is  relished 
by  the  wisest  men."  Sometimes  we  will  have  to  give 
up  some  of  our  greatest  pleasures  to  romp  with  the 
children,  tell  them  some  stories,  read  to  them  or  to 
play  games  with  the  older  ones.  Remember  we  are 
only  grown-up  children.  Try  and  remember  what  we 
liked  to  do  and  did  while  we  were  children. 
Remember  that  young  people  love  each  other's  society 
and  have  them  bring  their  chums  home  with  them 
occasionally  but  at  the  same  time  if  we  join  in  with 
them  we  know  how  they  are  spending  their  time,  and 
while  we  are  doing  these  things  we  can  teach  them  to 
be  courteous  and  polite,  to  have  respect  for  those  who 
are  older  than  themselves,  to  have  reverence  for  sacred 
things  and  in  that  way  instill  into  their  minds  the  spirit 


of  the  Gospel.  But  let  us  remember  at  the  same  time 
we  cannot  shove  religion  down  anybody's  throat.  It  is 
the  duty  of  parents  to  gain  the  confidence  of  their 
children  and  I  know  of  no  better  way  than  to  spend 
their  evenings  at  home  with  them.  Study  them  and 
learn  their  tastes  and  what  they  like  and  dislike. 

By:  Henry  Watkins  Smith 


CHILDREN: 
(1)  Archie  Henry 


b-  1907 


(2)  Lorin  John 


d-  1907  Child  5 
months  old. 
b-  1908        d-  1909 

Child  10  months  old. 

(3)  George  CUnton  b-  1909 
md-  Metta  Crawford 

(4)  Avera  Maria  b- 1912 
md-  Elbert  McKell  WilKams 

(5)  Milton  Claudious       b-  1913 
md-  Marval  Newman 

(6)  Lydia  b-  1915 
md-  Albert  H.  Green 

LYDIA  SMITH 

and 

ALBERT  H  GREEN 

I,  Lydia  Smith,  was  born  August  5,  1915, 
daughter  of  Henry  Watkins  Smith  and  Aurilla  Jane 
Richardson.  I  was  the  youngest  of  six  children.  My 
brothers  and  sisters  were  all  bom  in  our  two-room  log 
cabin  in  Farnum,  Idaho.  Our  first  two  brothers, 
Archie  and  Lorin,  died  as  babies,  before  the  rest  of  us 
were  born.  They  are  buried  near  our  dry  farm  in 
Famum,  Idaho. 

Our  home  was  built  on  a  hillside  on  our  dry 
farm.  This  was  long  before  electricity,  cars,  indoor 
plumbing,  or  any  conveniences  we  now  enjoy. 

The  years  were  filled  with  hardships  and  trials. 
At  times  there  was  very  little  to  eat  or  wear,  yet  our 
parents  faith  was  very  strong.  It  was  a  home  where 
love  for  one  another  existed  and  children  were  wanted 
and  loved. 

The  neighbors  lived  a  long  way  apart,  but 
they  spent  lots  of  time  together,  always  looking  out 
for  each  others  needs. 

Before  my  birth,  my  father  became  ill,  and  his 
health  got  worse.  Mother  tried  to  keep  everything 
going,  taking  care  of  the  family  and  the  farm.  The 
work  became  too  hard  for  her,  so  we  decided  to  rent 
the  farm  and  go  to  Utah  to  live  near  our  families.  We 
rented  our  farm  to  a  neighbor,  Wilfred  Bratt. 

It  was  hard  to  leave  all  our  friends  and  home. 
All  we  could  take  was  what  we  could  carry  on  the 
train.  We  arrived  at  Francis,  Summit,  Utah,  where  we 
made  our  home  in  two  rooms  of  our  Grandma 
Richardson's  home. 

I  began  my  1st  grade  of  school  in  the  Francis 
School.  Several  classes  were  in  one  room.  We  were 
dose  to  school  so  we  could  walk  to  and  from  school 
and  play  at  our  fiiend's  homes. 


We  supported  ourselves  by  sweeping  the 
church  house  and  school  house.  We  herded  cows  and 
helped  with  chores. 

After  my  third  grade,  we  decided  to  move  to 
Orem,  Utah,  where  two  of  my  brothers  lived.  There 
were  a  lot  of  opportunities  for  us  to  make  a  living.  We 
could  work  in  the  fields,  pick  finiit,  work  in  canneries 
etc. 

We  rented  for  a  while  then  built  a  home.  The 
home  was  without  electricity  and  water.  Later  we 
bought  a  lot  on  the  street,  where  we  could  have  more 
conveniences.  I  remember  our  house  catching  fire 
and  the  roof  burned  off.  We  had  to  remodel  our 
home,  making  it  larger  and  roofing  it.  We  then  had 
running  water,  and  all  the  other  conveniences. 

On  September  30,  1929,  our  father  passed 
away.  His  burial  was  at  the  Pleasant  Grove  Cemetery. 
I  was  just  13  years  old. 

I  went  to  Pleasant  Grove  High  School,  where 
I  graduated  in  1933. 

Mother's  health  was  poor  for  many  years.  I 
met  Albert  H.  Green  while  working  at  the  Utah 
Poultry  Dressing  Plant.  He  lived  in  Lchi.  About  the 
time  we  began  talking  marriage,  Albert  was  drafted  in 
the  army.  He  was  gone  for  eight  months,  then  he  was 
released  on  condition  -  if  there  was  "War"  he  would 
have  to  go  back  in  the  army.  Albert  found  a  job  and 
we  started  planning  our  marriage.  We  set  the  date  for 
Thursday  December  11,  1941.  On  the  Sunday  before 
our  Thursday  wedding  date.  Pearl  Harbor  was 
bombed.  We  weren't  even  sure  Albert  would  still  be 
there  by  Thursday.  We  decided  to  go  on  with  our 
plans. 

The  big  day  came,mother  and  I  rode  with 
Milton,  Marval,  and  Mother  as  far  as  Lchi,  just  as  we 
passed  Pleasant  Grove,  we  ran  into  dense  fog.  A  car 
had  stopped  in  the  middle  of  the  road.  Milton  turned 
out  to  miss  it  and  hit  a  pole.  Mother  ended  up  with  a 
black  eye,  and  I  passed  out.  They  thought  I  was  dead, 
I  soon  was  able  to  say  "I'm  alright."  We  all  ended  up 
in  the  hospital  for  a  few  minutes.  Albert  got  word  and 
came  to  the  hospital.  We  all  went  to  his  folk's  home 
and  spent  part  of  the  day  and  decided  to  go  on  with 
the  wedding. 

We  were  just  married  three  months,  when 
Uncle  Sam's  letter  came  calling  Albert  back  into  the 
service.  That  was  a  very  sad  day  because  we  knew  we 
might  be  separated  for  a  long  time.  I  went  back  to 
stay  with  mother  and  discovered  we  were  expecting 
our  first  baby.  Our  first  baby  was  a  boy  born 
November  5,  1942.  We  named  him  Vem  S.  Green. 
Albert  got  a  furlough  and  was  able  to  come  sec  us  the 
next  day  and  stay  a  few  days. 

After  the  the  war  ended  we  bought  a  little 
farm  in  Lchi  and  built  a  home. 

Mother  died  August  1,  1948  in  Pleasant 
Grove,  Utah,  She  had  been  ill  so  long  and  suffered  so 
much.  She  was  buried  there  by  father. 

We  are  proud  of  our  family.  They  arc  all 
349    active  in  the  Church.  We  have  worked  in  the  Church 


all  of  our  lives  and  it  has  brought  us  much  comfort 
and  happiness. 

By:  Lydia  Smith  Green 

CHILDREN: 

(l)VcmS  b- 1942 

md-  Shari  Lorecn  Duncan 

(2)  Nita  Kayc  b-  1946 
md-  David  Warren  Astle 

(3)  Joan  b-  1948 
md-  David  Alfred  Collins 

(4)  Connie  Rae  b-  1953 
md-  Dean  Frederick  Fisher 

ALMA  STAKER 

and 

ELIZABETH  YOUNG 


Father:  Alma  Staker 
Wife:  Elizabeth  Young 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  William  Alma  b- 1857 
md-  Helmer  Eckberg 

(2)  Elizabeth  Jane  b-  1858 
md-  Abraham  Nelson  Day 

(3)  Martha  Ellen  b-  1860 
md-  Christian  Marius  Miller 

(4)  Anna  b-  1862 

(5)  Mary  b-  1864 

(6)  Sarah  Ehiora  b-  1867 
md-  Alma  Milan  Fillmore 

(7)  Hettie  Minnie  b-  1870 

md-  Peter  Alvin  Johnson 

(8)  Lona  Bell  b-  1874 
(9)Joseph  Ether  b-  1876 

md-  Matilda  Y.  Stolworthy 


d-  1878 

d-  1940 

d-  1935 

d-  1866  Child 
d-  1864  Child 
d-  1935 

d-  1931 

d-  1874  child 
d-  1943 


JOSEPH  ETHER  STAKER 

and 

MATILDA  YOUNG  STALWORTHY 


Madida  Young  Stolworthy  and  Joseph  Ether  Staker 


350 


Joseph  Ether  and  Matilda  Young  Stalworthy 
Staker  were  married  May  29,  1899.  Probably  in  Castie 
Dale,  Emery  county,  Utah.  They  spent  their  first 
married  years  in  Lawrence,  Utah  near  Ether's  folks. 
Ether  and  Matilda  Staker  had  a  son  Glen  and  a 
daughter  Pearl  bom  at  Lawrence,  Utah.  They  moved 
to  Sunny-  side,  Utah  a  coal  mining  town.  While  they 
were  there  a  baby  daughter  Elizabeth  was  bom.  Next 
the  Stakers  moved  to  Schofield,  Utah,  a  mining  town. 
Dad  went  to  work  at  the  mine  tipple  where  the  coal 
was  brought  out  and  dumped  into  a  shoot  and 
stockpiled.  Dad  was  at  the  mine  when  the  terrible 
explosion  killed  250  men.  He  didn't  want  to  see  a 
mine  or  be  near  one  again.  His  sister  Hettie  and  her 
husband  Alvin  Johnson  had  gone  to  Idaho  and 
homesteaded  some  land  at  Famum,  Idaho  so  Dad  and 
mother  Staker  went  to  Famum,  Idaho  and  joined  his 
sister  and  husband. 

In  1904  with  two  Htde  kids  and  a  month  old 
baby  the  Stakers  went  to  Idaho,  South  of  Ashton 
(Famum)  and  homesteaded  160  acres.  The  logs  for 
the  small  home  came  from  the  Targhee  National 
Forest.  The  small  crevices  between  the  logs  were 
chinked  with  fresh  mud  and  long  willows  were  nailed 
in  to  hold  the  mud  after  it  dried. 

Soon  after  the  Stakers  moved  to  Famum 
other  members  of  the  fimily  come  and  homesteaded 
in  the  same  place.  Ether's  sister,  Martha  Ellen  and  her 
husband  Christian  Miller  with  three  sons  and  their 
families. 

The  children  went  to  school  two  miles  away. 
The  school  was  a  two  room  school  house,  with  four 
grades  in  each  room.  There  was  no  indoor  rest  room 
in  the  school  so  had  to  use  an  out  house  in  back  of  the 
school. 

They  walked  to  school  until  the  snow  got  too 
deep  and  then  they  would  go  with  a  team  of  horses 
pulling  a  covered  sleigh. 

The  snow  sometimes  got  4  or  5  feet  deep. 
The  roads  would  be  packed  and  if  the  horses  got  off 
the  road  it  was  hard  to  get  them  back  on  the  road. 
The  horses  soon  leamed  to  stay  on  the  road. 

In  the  summertime  after  the  crops  were 
planted  all  the  people  in  the  farming  community 
would  get  together  on  the  Conant  Creek  and  have  a 
big  party  and  picnic  and  play  games. 

On  the  4th  and  24th  of  July  was  another  fun 
time,  with  games  and  square  dances 

In  1921  the  Stakers  lost  their  farm  when  the 
banks  went  broke  and  the  family  moved  to  St. 
Anthony,  so  Ether  rented  a  small  farm  there.  They 
also  had  a  big  garden. 

In  1924  they  moved  to  Salt  Lake  City,  where 
most  of  their  children  lived  at  that  time.  Ether  Staker 
died  in  Salt  Lake  City  July  31,  1943. 

Matilda  Young  Stalworthy  worked  in  a  sewing 
factory,  where  they  made  clothing.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  Henry  and  Lydia  Rosana  Young 
Stalworthy. 


They  had  been  hard  working  people  all  their 
lives  and  raised  a  big  family.  They  knew  all  the 
hardships  of  pioneer  life.  She  died  in  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah,  July  11,  1973.  "No  one  is  dead  as  long  as  there 
is  someone  to  remember". 

"We,  George  and  Nina  Staker  BrinkerhofF 
went  back  after  50  years  and  the  mud  and  willows 
were  still  intact,  although  the  house  had  fallen  down 
and  the  roof  almost  rested  on  the  ground. 

The  old  gate  posts  were  still  standing  and  the 
memories  were  so  thick  we  nearly  choked  to  keep  back 
the  tears.  The  old  well  house  was  gone  and  the  old 
cemented  cistern  where  we  kept  our  cold  water  for 
culinary  purposes  was  just  a  gaping  hole. 

The  old  home  is  just  a  memory  now.  Soon 
mother  nature  will  take  over  and  it  will  be  green  and 
productive  again.  But  underneath  will  still  be  the 
memories.  Where  babies  were  bom.  More  every  day 
as  we  live  in  crowded  society  we  realize  the  beauty  of 
living  in  Famum,  Idaho.  Where  the  air  is  dean  and 
fresh.  No  smog-no  congestion  and  were  never 
scolded  for  getting  on  the  neighbor's  property". 

By:  George  Brinkerhoff  son-in-law 


b-  1900        d-  1969 


b-  1901 


1904 


d-  1988 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Anthony  Glen 
md-  Ludle  Kunz 

2)  Lenna  Pearl 
md-  Frank  Sobieski 

3)  Lydia  Ehzabeth  b 
md-  George  Proaor 

4)  Ruby  Alice  b-  1906 
md-  Wm.  W.  Klingler 

5)  Alma  Opal  b-  1908 
md-  Mary  Atha  Proctor 

6)  Nina  Valeria  b- 1910 
md-  George  M.  BrinkerhofF 

7)  Vera  b-  1913 

md-  Leo  Leroy  Jardine 

8)  Elva  b-  1915 
md-  Jesse  R.  Brinkerhoff 

9)  Thomas  Ether  b-  1919 
md-  Mary  Louise  Travis 

10)  Hazel  b-  1922 
md-  Myron  H.  BrinkerhofF 


NINA  VALERLA  STAKER 

and 

GEORGE  MELVIN  BRINKERHOFF 

I  remember  one  time  on  the  old  farm  at 
Farnum,  Idaho.  I  was  six  my  sister  Ruby  was  ten. 
Our  cows  didn't  come  home  from  milking.  My 
sister  Ruby  and  I  were  to  have  gone  after  them.  We 
waited  a  little  too  long  before  we  started  for  them. 
Thinking  they  would  come  home  on  their  own.  So 
darkness  overtook  us  before  we  found  the  cows.  As 
darkness  set  in  so  did  the  howl  of  the  coyotes.  I 
wanted  to  go  back  home  and  Nina  with  her  Uttle  legs 


d-  1961 
d-  1985 
d-  1981 


351 


4  years  shorter  did  not  dare  to  go  home  alone,  so  I 
took  after  Ruby  as  fast  as  she  could  run.  Each  time  a 
coyote  howled  her  legs  were  encouraged  to  go  faster. 
The  dry  farm  country  was  made  of  hills  and  hollows, 
so  if  the  cows  were  in  a  hollow  you  could  not  see 
them  until  you  were  nearly  on  top  of  them.  Soon 
they  found  the  cows  and  brought  them  home. 

Another  scary  time  was  going  to  school  in 
the  winter  with  a  covered  sleigh.  The  wagon  box  was 
not  secured  tight  enough  and  going  up  a  dugway 
road  the  box  came  off  the  sleigh  and  rolled  down  the 
hill  with  kids  and  all.  They  had  a  coal  oil  stove  to 
keep  them  warm.  When  they  pulled  the  children 
out,  Nina  was  under  the  stove.  Although  not 
burned  too  bad  she,  went  on  to  school  with  the 
others  and  stayed  all  day  before  going  home  to  have 
her  burns  cared  for,  by  this  time  she  had  many 
blisters. 

Another  time  the  blizzard  got  so  bad  the 
school  sleigh  driver  had  picked  up  other  men  to  get 
the  school  children  from  school.  They  staned  from 
the  school  house  but  the  horses  couldn't  stay  on  the 
road.  It  was  impossible  to  see  where  you  were 
going,  the  men  each  took  a  bunch  of  kids  and 
followed  the  fence  back  to  the  school  house.  They 
prepared  to  stay  all  night,  but  just  before  dark  the 
wind  died  down  a  little.  So  the  children  were  all 
loaded  into  the  sleigh  and  started  home.  The 
blizzard  lasted  for  three  days,  before  they  could  go 
out  of  their  house. 

With  no  well,  water  had  to  be  hauled  from 
the  river,  which  was  about  three  miles,  or  they  would 
melt  snow.  We  bathed  in  a  number  3  wash  tub,  we 
would  put  chairs  with  blankets  around  the  tub  for 
privacy.  We  had  it  as  good  as  any  of  our  neighbors. 
After  we  moved  to  St.  Anthony  we  had  water  in  the 
house  but  no  bathroom.  Dad  later  put  in  a  nice  bath 
room  out  of  part  of  the  back  porch. 

A  few  notes  from  a  letter  from  Nina  Staker 
BrinkerhofF  relating  to  members  of  the  Staker  family, 
dated  November  25,  1990. 

Peter  Alvin  Johnson  and  wife  Hettie  Marie 
Staker  was  the  first  of  the  Staker  family  to  homestead 
land  in  Farnum,  Fremont  County,  Idaho.  I  think 
Uncle  Christian  Miller  and  wife  aunt  Martha  Ellen 
Staker  were  next.  (Their  children  were  Vernon, 
Ernest,  Marius,  James  (Jim,)  and  2  daughters 
Crystal  and  Vivian).  Joseph  Ether  Staker  and 
Matilda  Young  Stalworthy  were  next  (April  1,  1904 
family  listed).  All  had  large  families. 

Aunt  Hettie  an  Uncle  Peter  Alvin  Johnson 
had  4  children  (1)  Hazel,  (2)  Florence,  (3)  Devere, 
(4)  Ether  (5)  Mablc,  (6)Vcda. 

Uncle  Abraham  Day  and  Aunt  Elizabeth 
Jane  Staker,  never  moved  to  Idaho  but  their  children 
did  for  a  while.  Arthur,  married  Lucy  May  Lidell; 
Earl  married  Anna  Lilc  Hill;  Ceceil:  Ruby  married 
Monroe  Battie.  Lester  Roy  probably  their  first  child 
died  early. 


ft.'' 


I 

4. 

i 

00& 

mi 


George  M.  and  Nina  Stakcr  Brinkcrhofif  (center)  list  of  children  and  spouses  and  grandchildren:  Ruth  B.  and  Dean  Law,  children:  James,  Joe, 
Susan,  Richard,  Jack,  Mike  Law,  Margaret  B.  and  Dewayne  McGarry,  children:  Russell,  Robert,  Carl,  Maureen,  Marvin  McGarry;  George  and 
Lancy  Brinkerhoff,  children:  Lane,  Donald,  David,  Douglas  Brinkerhoff 


ELVA  STAKER 

and 

JESSE  BRINKERHOFF 

Elva  was  born  in  February  23,  1915  in  Farnum, 
Idaho.  Farnum  isn't  a  very  big  town  to  be  from,  and 
if  all  the  farther  a  person  has  come  in  her  whole 
lifetime  is  from  Farnum,  Idaho  to  Richland, 
Washington,  then  it  might  seem  that  she  hadn't  come 
very  far  at  all. 

Lifetimes,  though,  aren't  measured  in  the 
miles  or  populations,  but  in  accomplishment,  in 
missions  filled  and  objectives  served.  Using  this 
measure,  Elva  BrinkerhofF  has  journeyed  far  from  the 
door  where  she  began,  and  is  a  wise  and  experienced 
traveler  and  few  of  the  roads  of  life  are  unknown  to 
her.  Certainly  some  of  these  roads  have  been  slow  and 
difficult  ones.  Others  swift  and  pleasant. 
"In  the  words  of  Elva's  favorite  poet". 
The  road  goes  ever  on  and  on 

Down  from  the  door  where  it  began, 
How  far  ahead  the  road  has  began, 

And  I  must  follow,  if  I  can. 
Pursuing  it  with  eager  feet. 

Until  it  joins  some  larger  way. 
When  many  paths  and  errands  meet. 
And  whither  then?  I  cannot  say. 

Farnum,  Idaho  isn't  a  very  big  town  to  be 
from,  but  that's  where  Elva's  road  began.  Bom  Elva 
Staker,  daughter  of  Joseph  Ether  and  Matilda  Young 
Staker  on  February  23,  1915. 

Those  of  you  who  may  not  know.  Elva  was 
raised  in  a  very  different  time  and  place  than  you  are 
familiar  with.    Water  was  pumped  from  a  well  with  a    352 


big  old  hand  pump  and  carried  it  in  the  house  in  pails. 
The  bathroom  was  a  strange  building  out  behind  the 
house  -  and  it  was  moved  every  few  years  -  and  wasn't 
heated  in  the  winter,  although  it  was  very  well  heated 
in  the  summer.  Elva's  family  didn't  put  garbage  out 
on  the  curb  for  the  garbage  man,  like  we  do.  If  it 
couldn't  be  burned,  then  it  could  probably  be  fed  to 
the  hogs.  Nothing  was  wasted. 

The  Staker  family  lived  in  a  log  house  built  by 
Elva's  father  on  the  femily  homestead  near  Farnum. 
Elva  didn't  have  a  bedroom  of  her  own,  but  shared 
one  with  her  sisters  Ruby,  Nina  and  Vera.  It  wasn't  a 
water  bed  cither,  unless  it  rained  hard  and  the  roof 
leaked.  There  was  neither  television  or  radio.  Music 
was  made  at  home,  rock  and  roll  had  something  to  do 
with  making  butter,  or  putting  a  baby  to  sleep.  The 
baby's  name  was  Hazel. 

There  were  ten  children  in  the  family.  That's 
a  big  family  and  times  were  hard.  There  was  war  in 
Europe,  followed  by  hard  times  which  become  even 
worse  as  the  nation  moved  into  the  great  depression. 
But  there  were  bright  spots  and  wonderful  memories 
of  Farnum  for  the  Staker  kids.  School  was  in  a  two- 
room  schoolhousc. 

Their  play  ground  was  the  entire  community. 
My  son  starts  school  tomorrow.  It's  all  going  to  be 
strange  and  new  to  him  for  a  while  and  you  see  he's 
been  our  littie  boy.  He's  had  his  own  back  yard  to 
play  in.  His  mother  and  I  have  always  been  around  to 
repair  his  wounds  and  soothe  his  feelings.  But  now 
things  are  going  to  be  different.  This  morning  he  will 
go  down  the  steps.  Wave  his  hand  he  will  start  out  on 
the  great  adventure  of  life.  This  adventure  of  life  will 
probably  include  wars,  and  tragedy  and  sorrow. 


Wc  have  taught  him  to  have  faith,  love  and 
courage,  now  he  must  find  out  what  we  have  meant, 
he  will  have  to  learn,  I  know  that  not  all  men  are  just, 
that  all  men  are  not  true,  but  for  every  scoundrel  there 
is  a  hero. 

Please  help  us  to  teach  him  that  for  every 
selfish  poHtician,  There  is  a  leader,  and  for  every 
enemy  there  is  a  friend.  For  every  night  there  is  a  day. 

Help  him  to  look  for  the  good  in  others, 
rather  than  looking  for  the  bad.  Teach  him  that  a 
nickel  earned  is  of  far  more  value  than  a  dollar  found. 
Teach  him  to  learn  to  lose  and  to  enjoy  winning,  and 
that  it's  far  more  honorable  to  fail  than  cheat. 

Steer  him  from  envy,  but  teach  him  the  spirit 
of  quiet  laughter.  Let  him  learn  early  that  the  bullies 
are  the  easiest  people  to  lick.  Teach  him  to  read  good 
books,  and  ponder  the  eternal  mystery  of  birds,  bees, 
and  flowers. 

Teach  him  not  follow  the  crowd,  unless  he 
feels  he's  on  the  right  track.  Teach  him  to  laugh  when 
he  is  sad,  but  there  is  no  shame  in  tears. 

Teach  him  to  never  put  a  price  tag  on  his 
heart  and  soul.  Teach  him  not  to  pick  the  flowers  of 
the  fruit  that  would  sustain  him  in  his  old  age. 

Please  take  his  hand  and  help  him  along  life's 
road,  for  we  wont  always  be  there  to  soothe  his  hurts. 

By  George  M.  BrinkerhofF 

Sources: 

(1)  (007,455)  Famum  Ward  Membership  Records. 

(2)  1910  Census  records  Upland  Precinct. 

(3)  "Memories  Of  The  Past" 

FLOYD  and  HOPE  STOHL 

and 
BPJENT  and  DIANE  STOHL 

STOHL  RANCHES  HISTORY 


because  I  remember  the  aspens  growing  up  through 
the  bottoms  of  the  wagons. 

In  November  of  1949  my  father  and  mother, 
Floyd  and  Hope,  purchased  the  same  farm  from  my 
uncle  and  aunt.  Earl  and  Orpha  Stohl.  I  might 
mention  that  this  1442  acres  of  land  was  located  north 
and  east  of  the  old  Lamont  Store.  Dad  and  Mom 
purchased  240  acres  from  Clyde  Lamont  some  two 
years  earlier  (1947).  These  two  farms  adjoined  each 
other  with  the  Clyde  Lamont  place  being  located 
south  of  the  old  ConUn  home. 

In  the  early  1950's  Dad  started  leasing  some 
ground  that  was  directly  east  of  our  farm.  This 
ground  belonged  to  Seth  and  Eunice  Moody,  who 
years  earlier  had  come  from  back  east  to  homestead 
and  raise  foxes.  Within  a  year  Mr.  Moody  took  sick 
and  passed  away  and  a  couple  of  years  later  Mrs. 
Moody  became  ill  and  passed  away  also.  Dad 
purchased  this  ferm  from  their  estate  which  consisted 
of  many  acres  of  aspen  trees,  which  father  cleared,  thus 
making  many  hours  of  work  for  the  hired  men  and  we 
children.  The  Moodys  put  a  lot  of  pride  in  what  they 
did  and  this  showed  in  their  buildings  which  they  built 
themselves.  Years  later  we  moved  their  log  home 
down  and  had  it  remodeled  and  it  has  made  us  a  fine 
home. 

In  1969  Dad  and  Mom  purchased  600  acres 
from  Harry  and  Elaine  French.  Their  farm  was 
located  one  mile  west  of  the  Lamont  Store  along 
highway  32.  The  Frenches  purchased  this  place  from 
P.  B.  Lcrwill.  The  rest  of  their  farm  was  located  three 
miles  west  on  Conant  Creek  and  it  was  made  up  of  the 
old  Franz  place. 

By:  Brent  Stohl 

HARVEY  BURKE  STRONG 

and 

HARRIET  SMITH  or  (SCHMIDT) 


I  have  been  asked  to  write  a  little  history 
about  the  Stohl  family  and  their  brief  history  in  the 
Lamont,  Idaho  area.  My  family  and  I  are  the  second 
generation  of  Stohls  that  have  farmed  in  Lamont.  The 
first  generation  consisted  of  my  parents,  Floyd  and 
Hope  Stohl,  and  their  five  children:  Jackie  (Murri), 
Dennis,  Brent,  Sandra  (Leavitt),  and  Sidney.  The 
second  generation  is  the  Brent  Stohl  family  which 
consists  of  Brent  and  Diane  Orme  as  the  parents,  with 
Leslie  (Egbert),  Nathan,  and  Scan  as  the  children. 

The  Stohls  first  came  to  Lamont  in  February 
of  1945.  When  my  uncle  and  aunt.  Earl  and  Orpha 
Stohl,  purchased  1442  acres  from  the  Conlin  brothers. 
Jack  and  Tom.  I  do  not  know  the  names  of  their 
parents,  but  they  came  to  the  area  building  the  fills  for 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  that  were  being  built  from 
Ashton  to  Victor.  It  is  my  understanding  that  they 
homcsteadcd  the  ground  at  that  time.  I  remember  as 
a  young  boy  growing  up  on  the  farm,  of  playing  on 
the  old  wagons  that  were  used  in  making  the  fills  for 
the  railroad.    The  wagons  were  old  in  those  days 


353 


Harvey  B.  and  Harriet  Smith  Strong 

Harvey  Burke  Strong  was  born  in  1832 
possibly  in  New  York.  He  began  his  journey  westward 
when  a  young  man.  He  met  and  married  Harriet 
Smith  (or  Schmidt)  daughter  of  John  Smith  and 
Susanna  North,  in  Savannah,  Carrol  County,  Illinois, 
23  February  1852.  They  continued  their  journey  west 
to  Iowa  and  on  to  Utah.  In  1901  they  came  to  Idaho 


3 


«... 


of!) 


and  homcstcadcd  the  farm,  now  known  as  the  Asa 
Hawkes  farm  at  Famum,  Idaho.  Because  of  age  and 
poor  health,  his  sons  Edward  and  Herbert  Strong  took 
over  the  farm  in  1908  and  Harvey  and  wife  moved  to 
St.  Anthony,  Idaho.  They  remained  there  until  his 
death  November  18, 1908. 

He  was  the  fether  of  twelve  children.  Three  of 
them  settled  at  Farnum.  They  were  Mrs.  Henry  B. 
Boylan  (Mary  or  Met)  whose  children  were  Earl  and 
George  Boylan  and  Myrtle  Wasden,  Mrs.  George 
Oberhansley  (Harriet  or  Klattie),  a  daughter  Maybcllc 
Murray  and  son  Byron  Oberhansley;  and  Herbert 
Strong  whose  daughters  were  Eva  (Pcmble)  White, 
Merle  (Schofield-Birch),  Dorothy  (Cordingly)  and 
PhyUis  (Gooch). 

Most  of  the  information  taken  from  the 
obituary  of  Harvey  Burke  Strong  in  the  County 
Newspaper  "Teton  Chronicle  News". 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Mary  (Met) 

md:  Henry  Boylan 

(2)  Joseph  Charles 

md:  Effie  Georgia  Prouty 

(3)  Evaline  (Eva) 

md:  George  Metcalph 

(4)  Jennie 

(5)  Emma  (Twin) 

(6)  Frank  (Twin) 

(7)  Anna 

md:  Mr.  Carberry 

(8)  Herbert  b-  1865 
md:  (1)  Delia  Amos 

md:  (2)  Martha  M.  Loutensock 

(9)  Edward 

md:  Sarah  Smith 
(lO)George  Washington 

md:  Mary  Toleny 
(ll)Harriet(Hattie)        b-1875 

md:  George  Oberhansley 
(12)Harold(Pete) 

md:  Clara  Hansen 

By:  Merle  Strong  (Schofield)  Birch 
(007,455  Famum  Ward  membership  records) 

HERBERT  STRONG 

and 

MARTHA  MARGARET  LOUTENSOCK 


Died  young 
Died  in  infancy 
Died  in  infancy 


Maude  and  Herbert  Strong 


354 


Herbert  Strong  the  son  of  Harvey  Burke  and 
Harriet  Smith  (or  Schmidt)  Strong,  was  born 
November  28,1865  at  Lansing,  Allmakee, 
County,Iowa.  He  married  Delia  Pamela  Amos  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Permelia  Catherine  Richardson 
Amos,  December  11,  1895.  Delia  died  November  7, 
1905.  He  married  second,  Martha  Margaret  (Maude) 
Loutensock  September  13,  1906  at  Provo,  Utah.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  Peter  and  Martha  Kramer 
Loutensock.  She  was  bom  April  20,  1888  at  Payson, 
Utah. 

Herbert  and  Harriet  and  their  baby  Eva 
Lcona  moved  firom  Payson,  Utah  in  about  1908  to 
Ashton,  Fremont,  Idaho.  His  father  Harvey  Burke 
Strong  had  come  to  the  Farnum  area  and 
homesteaded  some  land  about  1901.  Due  to  his  age 
of  about  69,  and  the  hard  work  involved  in  proving  up 
on  his  homestead  his  health  wasn't  very  good  and  he 
needed  the  assistance  of  his  son,  Herbert,  who  came 
to  take  over  the  farm.  Some  of  his  other  children  had 
come  and  homesteaded  land  earlier  and  brought  their 
families.  It  was  nice  to  have  his  married  children 
close.  With  his  health  failing  it  was  decided  they 
would  move  to  St.  Anthony.  Conditions  were  better 
there  and  more  settled  than  at  Famum.  Herbert  and 
family  stayed  on  the  farm  at  Famum  a  couple  of  years 
and  then  sold  the  farm  to  Asa  Hawkes  and  moved  to 
Ashton. 

They  moved  to  Drummond  about  1918,  he 
was  sheriff  and  over  the  water  works  there  for  a  while. 
They  then  moved  back  to  Ashton  so  the  girls  would 
have  advantages  of  being  able  to  go  to  high  school. 

Herbert  died  November  28,  1945  at  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho,  and  is  buried  at  Payson,  Utah.  His 
wife  continued  to  live  in  Ashton,  she  died  6  May  1977 
at  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho  and  is  buried  at  Ashton,  Idaho. 

CHILDREN: 

(l)EvaLeona  b- 1908 

md-  James  Howard  Pemble 

(2)  Merle  b-  1910 
md-(l)  Earl  Schofield 

(2)  Lyle  Melvin  Birch 

(3)  Dorothy  Mae  b-  1914 
md-  John  Lee  Cordingly 

(4)  Phylis  Margaret  b-  1918 
md-  Percy  Duncan  Gooch 

By:  Merle  Strong  Birch  Dorothy  Strong  Cordingly 
Phyllis  Strong  Gooch 

EVA  LEONA  STRONG 

and 

JAMES  HOWARD  PEMBLE 

Eva  Lcona  Strong  was  bom  9  Auguist  1908  in 
Payson,  Utah  County,  Utah  to  Herbert  Strong  and 
Martha  Margaret  Loutensock,  she  was  the  first  child 
born  to  this  union.  Eva  married  James  Howard 
Pemble  on  October  22,  1927.  James  Howard  Pemble 


lived  in  Drummond.    He  went  to  school  in  Chicago 
to  be  an  Electrical  Engineer 

CHILDREN: 
(1)  Edena 

md-  Tate  M.  Peavy 

MERLE  STRONG 

and 

LYLE  MELVIN  BIRCH 

I,  Merle  Strong  (Schofield)  Birch,  the  second 
daughter  of  Herbert  and  Maude  Strong  bom  October 
1,  1910,  at  Famum,  Fremont,  Idaho. 

My  parents  came  to  Idaho  in  1908  from 
Payson,  Utah  to  take  over  the  Strong  Homestead  at 
Famum,  Idaho.  My  Grandfather,  Harvey  B.  Strong, 
due  to  age  and  ill  health  could  no  longer  farm  the 
place.  He  and  his  wife  moved  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho, 
where  they  remained  until  Harvey's  death. 

My  sister,  Eva  was  two  years  old  when  I  was 
bom.  There  was  only  one  Doctor  in  Ashton,  Dr.  E.  L. 
Hargis.  He  took  care  of  the  patients  in  Ashton  and  the 
surrounding  country.  About  the  only  means  of  travel, 
at  that  time  was  with  a  team  of  horses  and  a  buggy  or 
to  ride  horse  back.  Therefore  Dr.  Hargis  did  not  make 
it  for  my  delivery.  My  great  aunt  Met  and  Uncle 
Henry  Boylan,  lived  on  a  farm  about  one  half  mile 
from  us  and  so  Aunt  Met  was  the  only  help  available. 

We  left  the  farm  a  few  years  later  and  moved 
to  Ashton.  I  graduated  from  Ashton  High  School  in 
1930  and  married  Earl  Schofield  soon  after.  His 
parents  were  also  early  settlers  in  Famum. 

We  lived  in  Famum  for  a  couple  of  years.  I 
remember  the  good  times  we  had  in  the  old  Famum 
Church  such  as  parties,  dances,  plays,  etc.  Most  of  all 
the  people  who  lived  there,  turned  out  for  these 
entertainments.  Some  of  the  people  were  the 
Murdochs  Hills,  Bratts,  Hawkes,  Whitties,  Whitmores, 
Hendricksons,  Merricks,  and  many  other  families. 

The  first  position  I  held  in  the  church  was  at 
Farnum.    I  taught  a  group  of  small  children  in  the 
Primary.    The  Primary  President  was  Ida  Hawkes, 
Hazel  Whittle  and  Clarice  Oberhansley. 
I  went  to  leadership  meeting  with  Hazel  Whittle. 

In  later  years  I  married  Lyle  Melvin  Birch  of 
Wilford  Idaho.  We  farmed  at  Ashton  for  Robert 
Rankin  then  we  purchased  the  Deering  farm. 

We  had  three  children.  Dale,  Larry  and  Peggy 
Jo  Birch  Bell. 

all  three  of  our  children  graduated  from  Ashton  High 
School. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)- Dale  Lyle  b- 1939 

md-  Eloise  Oyler 
(2)-  Peggy  Jo  b-  1941 

md-  David  Harker  Bell 
(3)- Larry  Gene  b- 1945 

md-  Susan  Marie  Carter 

By:  Merle  Strong  Birch 


DOROTHY  MAE  STRONG 

and 
JOHN  LEE  CORDINGLEY 


Dorothy  Strong  and  Lcc  Cordinglcy 


355 


Herbert  Keith  and  Jessie  Cordingley 

Herbert  and  Maude  Strong  moved  from 
Ashton  to  Drummond  to  live  in  the  year  1918.  At 
this  time  they  had  four  daughters:  Eva  age  10,  Merle 
age  8,  Dorothy  age  4  and  Phyllis  a  baby  bom  the  28 
of  April  1918. 

We  lived  close  to  the  Gailey  store  on  the  east. 
The  school  teacher's  cottage  was  to  the  north  of  us 
and  Claude  Dedman  lived  across  the  street  west.  The 
Fred  Bailey,  Ray  Pembles,  Monte  Painter,  Simpsons, 
and  Bert  Zimmerman  all  lived  close  around  us. 

My  father  at  this  time  was  the  Village 
Marshall  and  in  his  spare  time  worked  at  his  trade  of 
painting  and  pap)cr  hanging  so  was  kept  fairly  busy. 

Drummond  at  this  rime  had  two  stores.  One 
owned  by  Virge  Gailey  and  one  by  Van  Clark.  A 
bank  run  by  Simpsons,  a  pool  hall,  lumber  yard 
(where  Ruth  Painter  and  us  girls  played  hide  and  seek 
among  and  between  the  lumber),  an  implement 
house  run  by  Salisburys,  a  drug  store,  a  depot,  the 
master  being  a  Mr.  Poskey,  grain  elevators  run  by 
Monte  Painter  and  a  Post  Office  in  back  of  the  bank. 

A  school  of  eight  grades  was  there  and  later 
one  year  of  High  School  and  a  Community  Church. 
Of  course  dad  took  care  of  the  village  pump  so  we 
had  running  water  in  our  homes. 

I  attended  three  years  of  school  here.  Miss 
Calkins  being  my  first  grade  teacher  and  Mrs. 
Zimmerle  second  and  third. 

The  little  town  of  Drummond  did  many 
things  together.  We  had  programs  in  our  community 
church,  (I  remember,  I  had  a  poem  to  recite  at 
Christmas  rime,  before  I  ever  started  to  school). 

Many  good  dances  and  socials  were  held  in 
the  gym  of  the  school.    Babies  put  to  sleep  on  chairs 


pi 

p 


and  good  lunches  served.  At  times  box  lunches  were 
fixed  by  the  ladies  and  auctioned  off.  This  helped  to 
pay  for  the  orchestra  which  was  furnished  by  the 
Baird  family  who  lived  a  few  miles  west  of 
Drummond. 

Some  of  my  playmates  at  this  time  were 
Helen  Gailey,  Ruth  Painter,  the  Bailey  and 
Zimmerman  girls,  Von  Clark's  boys  Leon  and  Doyle 
especially,  the  Lambs,  Harold  Thorsted,  Boyd 
Simpson  and  Pemble  children. 

At  this  time  we  had  a  Rco  car.  My  dad  never 
did  master  the  art  of  driving  it,  so  lots  of  freak 
accidents  happened.  Maybe  once  a  month  we  would 
come  to  Ashton,  to  see  our  Aunt  Grace  Gibbs.  Mom 
getting  us  girls  all  dressed  up  and  sure  enough  when 
we  came  to  the  Farnum  Dugway  (in  a  different  place 
then)  we  always  had  to  get  out  and  walk  up  the  hill 
and  two  thirds  of  the  time  dad  had  to  back  up  the 
dug  way.  Guess  we  always  made  it  and  spent  our 
quarter  on  a  show  and  fountain  drink.  Of  course,  it 
was  lots  easier  coming  home. 

We  moved  back  to  Ashton  when  I  was  in 
fourth  grade.  I  can  say  at  that  time  we  were  really 
proud  of  our  little  Drummond  community.  I 
finished  my  school  in  Ashton  and  married  J.  Lee 
Cordingley  November  10,  1932.  We  lived  in  Ashton 
nearly  all  our  lives.  Taking  a  summer  to  live  in  Idaho 
Falls  while  Lee  worked  on  the  LDS  Temple  and  two 
years  1955-1957  to  fill  a  mission  with  the  Indian 
people  in  the  Southwest  Indian  Mission. 

Held  various  positions  in  our  church 
organization.  He  was  also  Rotary  Club  President. 

We  had  two  children.  Herbert  Keith  bom 
February  11,  1934  and  Jessie  Mae  born  December 
24,  1935.  Keith  was  taken  from  us  on  November  15, 

1953  in  a  train  car  accident.  He  was  going  to  Ricks 
College  at  the  time. 

Jessie  Mae  married  Walter  Jones  February  5, 

1954  and  over  the  years  six  children  were  born  to 
them.  Five  girls  and  one  boy.  They  have  given  us  20 
grand  and  great  grandchildren  so  far. 

Walter's  folks,  Homer  and  Anna  Jones 
formed  in  Drummond  area  and  are  both  deceased,  so 
Walter  and  Jessie  are  running  the  farm  at  this  time. 
As  the  saying  goes  "what  goes  around  comes  around" 
and  so  one  daughter  made  it  back  to  Drummond  out 
of  the  Herbert  and  Maude  Strong  posterity. 

I  need  to  say  I  feel  so  bad  that  Drummond 
has  faded  out  as  to  what  the  little  community  was 
around  70  years  ago. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Herbert  Kietii 

(2)  Jessie  May 

md-  Walter  Jones 


b-  1934 
b-  1935 


d- 1952 


By:  Dorothy  Strong  Cordingly 


356 


PHYLIS  STRONG 

and 

PERCY  DUNCAN  GOOCH 

My  Grandfather,  Harvey  B.  Strong  home- 
steaded  a  farm  in  Farnum  in  1901.  Later  on,  due  to 
his  health,  he  had  to  give  up  the  farm  and  move  to  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho.  At  this  time  my  Father,  Herbert 
Strong,  came  from  Payson,  Utah  to  take  over  the 
farm.  My  oldest  sister,  Eva  was  a  baby  at  this  time  and 
my  sister  Merle  was  bom  in  Farnum  while  the  folks 
were  still  on  the  farm. 

Later  on  my  parents  sold  the  farm  to  Asa 
Hawkes  family  and  we  moved  to  Ashton.  My  sister, 
Dorothy,  and  I  were  both  bom  in  Ashton.  When  I 
was  a  baby  in  (1918)  we  moved  to  Drummond, 
Idaho.  All  my  sisters  attended  the  Drummond  school. 

At  this  rime  Drummond,  was  quite  a  nice 
place  to  live.  There  was  a  Post  Office,  a  Dmgstore, 
two  stores,  a  lumber  yard  and  an  Implement  shop  plus 
several  other  businesses.  The  train  went  through  on 
it's  way  to  Viaor,  Idaho  and  back.  We  used  to  ride 
the  train  to  Ashton  and  back. 

Some  of  the  things  that  I  remember  about 
Drummond  arc  that  each  summer  there  was  a 
Chataqua  that  came  to  town.  They  pitched  a  big  tent 
we  sat  on  benches.  This  was  a  big  event  and  lots  of 
good  entertainment  for  the  people  of  that  small  town. 

My  father,  Herbert  Strong,  had  two  sisters 
living  in  Farnum.  They  were  Harriet  (Strong) 
Obcrhansley  and  Mary  (Strong)  Boylan.  I  can 
remember  going  to  aunt  Hatties  on  the  fourth  of  July 
and  Christmas  and  other  special  occasions. 

In  the  winter  time  my  Uncle,  George 
Oberhansley,  would  come  to  Drummond  from 
Famum  with  a  sleigh  and  horses  and  take  us  to  their 
home  in  Farnum.  They  would  heat  bricks  and  old 
fashioned  flat  irons  on  the  stove  to  keep  our  feet 
warm.  We  would  bundle  up  good  and  warm  and  sit 
on  the  straw  which  was  on  the  bottom  of  the  sleigh 
and  cover  up  with  heavy  quilts  and  blankets.  It  was 
great  fun  to  ride  along  over  the  snow  with  the  sleigh 
bells  on  the  horses  harnesses  jingling  and  go  to  Aunt 
Hatties  for  some  of  her  good  home  cooking. 

We  moved  to  Ashton  when  I  started  school  at 
the  age  of  six.  My  sisters  and  I  all  graduated  from 
Ashton  Fligh  school.  In  1936  I  married  Percy  Gooch, 
a  boy  from  Marysville,  Idaho.  His  parents  were 
Edmond  and  Farrel  Gooch.  Father  Gooch  was  the 
Bishop  of  the  Marysville  ward  at  this  time. 

In  1941  we  moved  to  California  where  Percy 
(Perk)  had  a  job  with  an  Industrial  Supply  Company. 
We  had  one  daughter,  Darla  Lou  Gooch,  born  in 
1939.  After  we  moved  to  California,  we  lost  a  baby 
boy  and  a  girl  in  infancy.  We  still  have  our  daughter 
Darla  who  has  been  a  great  joy  to  us.  Darla  married 
David  Toone  and  they  live  in  California  and  have 
three  children  a  boy  and  two  girls.  In  1981,  Percy 
and  I  came  back  to  Ashton,  Idaho  to  retire.  It  was 
good  to  be  back  in  Ashton,  among  family  and  friends 


and  old  school  friends  from  Ashton,  Farnum, 
Dnimmond,  and  Marysvillc. 

Such  a  friendly  great  place  to  live  after  living  in 
the  dty  for  forty  years.  In  1985  Percy  became  ill  with 
cancer  and  he  passed  away  September  12,  1989.  I  am 
still  living  in  our  home  in  Ashton  at  this  time  and  am 
glad  to  be  in  this  area. 


CHILDREN: 

(l)DarlaLou  b- 1939 

md-  J.  David  Toone 

(2)  Daughter  b-  1941 
d-  1941        Stillborn 

(3)  Dennis  Edmund         b-  1943 


d-  1943  Infant 


FRANK  STULIK 

Frank  Stulik  and  a  couple  of  brothers  with  the 
last  name  of  Rocker  came  into  the  Lamont  area  about 
1934  or  1935  looking  for  work.  Tney  worked  around 
the  area  for  various  farmers  by  the  day  or  the  season  as 
employment  became  available.  As  time  went  on  the 
Rocker  brothers  drifted  off  to  other  locations,  but 
Frank  liked  the  area  and  stayed  on. 

Frank  worked  with  Doug  Morrison  in  his 
sawmill  for  some  time.  He  also  worked  at  the  Lamont 
grain  elevator  for  many  seasons.  During  this  time 
George  Nelsen  a  friend  of  Frank's  came  into  the  area, 
spending  a  lot  of  time  with  Frank.  George  worked  for 
the  Ralph  Hill  family  on  their  farming  operation.  Later 
on  George  also  left  the  area. 

For  most  of  his  life  Frank  was  a  bachelor.  He 
built  a  fine  log  cabin  approximately  5  or  6  miles 
northeast  of  the  Lamont  store  and  located  on  Conant 
Creek.  It  has  a  beautiful  setting  just  off  to  the  west  of 
the  road  and  on  the  south  side  of  the  creek.  One  thing 
of  special  interest  at  Frank's  place  was  the  way  he  had 
developed  a  nearby  spring  of  water  on  the  sidehill  just 
south  of  his  cabin.  He  had  piped  into  it  in  such  a  way 
tliat  the  water  gravity  flowed  down  from  the  spring  and 
right  into  his  kitchen  sink.  He  had  a  stream  of 
sparkling  fresh  cold  water  running  a  constant  stream  to 
drink  or  use  for  the  household  chores.  He  also 
improvised  a  small  water  wheel  which  he  used. 

Frank  was  proud  of  his  Model  A  Ford  pickup 
and  drove  it  to  and  fix)m  his  place  on  Conant  to  where 
ever  he  was  working,  or  to  the  Lamont  Store.  He  also 
made  it  to  town  down  in  the  valley  every  so  often.  In 
the  winter,  when  the  roads  were  closed,  he  would  ski 
or  snowshoe  the  5  or  6  miles  crosscountry  to  Lamont 
to  get  his  mail  and  a  few  supplies.  Frank  spent  several 
winters  in  his  snug  cabin  on  the  creek. 

After  several  years,  Frank  met  a  lady  named 
Mae  from  Orem,  Utah.  They  were  married  and  after 
that  they  would  spend  the  winters  living  in  Ashton. 

Frank  died  of  a  brain  timior  in  about  1965. 

Note:  This  was  written  from  notes  taken  from  Freda 
Morrison  and  Ralph  Hill,  neighbors  and  friends  of 
Frank. 


357 


JOHANN  STURM 

and 

IDA  KANDLER 

Johann  Sturm  was  born  July  5,  1847  in 
Woldegk,  Germany.  He  married  Ida  Kandler, 
daughter  of  Theodore  Fredrick  Kandler  and  Elizabeth 
Maria  Sophia  Wegner.  While  still  in  Germany  they 
had  three  children,  Earnest,  Mary,  and  Otto.  Another 
son,  Emil,  was  bom  in  the  United  States. 

Johann  was  a  blacksmith  in  Germany.  He 
belonged  to  the  Prussian  Army  Infantry  and  was  not 
sympathetic  with  their  causes.  He  decided  that  he  did 
not  want  his  sons  to  have  to  be  a  part  of  this  army  and 
with  rising  mflation  as  a  contributing  factor,  decided 
in  1890  to  bring  his  family  to  America. 

The  Sturm  family  settled  in  the  Pierce, 
Nebraska,  area.  Johann  also  practiced  the  blacksmith 
trade  there  and  during  this  time  Emil  was  bom.  The 
Carl  F.  Lcnz,  Garz,  and  Harrigfeld  families  lived  in  the 
same  area  of  Nebraska,  and  after  they  moved  to  Idaho 
the  Sturm  family  was  persuaded  to  follow  and  came  to 
St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  by  train  in  1903. 

Johann  and  his  family  setded  in  the  Marysville 
area.  They  first  purchased  the  Geisler  place  north  of 
Ashton  and  one  fourth  mile  west  of  the  present 
Donald  Sturm  home.  They  built  a  log  home,  a 
blacksmith  shop,  and  a  bam.  Then  in  1905  they  filed 
on  three  homesteads  near  Squirrel  at  what  is  now 
called  Grainville. 

Houses  were  erected  on  each  of  the 
homesteads.  One  was  along  the  Fall  (Falls)  River  by 
Earnest.  Another  was  by  Johann  along  the  road 
where  the  old  windmill  is  still  standing,  and  the  third 
one  by  Ivlary  Sturm  was  across  the  road  south  of  the 
windmill.  Mary  soon  married  Ed  Heseman  and 
moved  to  the  Heseman  home,  which  had  been  built 
by  Ed's  brother,  along  highway  47  near  Marysville. 
They  had  three  children.  Pearl,  and  the  twins,  Everett 
and  Edna.  Mary  later  sold  her  homestead  at  Grainville 
to  her  brothers,  Otto  and  Emil.  Mary  died  in  an 
Idaho  Falls  Hospital  in  1935. 

Earnest  Sturm  had  planned  to  marry  Minnie 
Warsany,  but  in  1912  he  died  from  B right's  Disease. 
His  homestead  property  then  became  his  father, 
Johann's.  After  the  homestead  requirements  were 
satisfied  in  1910  and  1913,  Shorty  Kuehl  farmed  the 
groimd  and  lived  in  the  house  on  the  river. 

Johann  purchased  property  adjoining  the 
Marysville  home  site  of  the  Tatlo  family  and  started 
construction  of  a  new  home.  But  Johann  died  in 
1913  of  cancer  and  they  held  his  funeral  in  the  still 
unfinished  house.  This  original  house  is  now  the 
Donald  Sturm  residence.  In  1914,  Minnie  Warsany 
married  Louis  Kandler  in  the  Sturm  home,  which  is 
still  unfinished.  The  newly  married  Kandlers  moved 
to  the  Sturm's  Grainville  homestead  and  farmed  there 
until  1936. 

Ida  Sturm  and  sons,  Otto  and  Emil,  lived  in 
the  new  home  near  Marysville.  In  1916,  Otto  married 


V*. 


Ethel  Blanche  Courtney,  daughter  of  William 
Courtney  and  Mattie  V.  Elliot.  Otto  purchased  the 
adjoining  Brower  home  and  eighteen  acres  for  himself 
and  his  new  bride.  This  is  now  the  Redge  Smith 
residence.  Otto  and  Ethel  had  three  children,  Donald, 
Velna,  and  Ralph.  Ida  and  Emil  continued  to  live  in 
the  new  home  until  Ida  died  from  complications  of 
diabetes  in  1928.  Ida  was  buried  beside  her  son, 
Earnest,  and  husband,  Johann  in  the  Squirrel 
Cemetery.  Otto  and  Ethel  and  children  then  moved 
from  the  Brower  house  to  the  family  home  with  Emil. 

Emil  Sturm  purchased  another  adjoining  piece 
of  property  in  Marysville  belonging  to  Albert  Maddox. 
Red  and  Bertha  Craven  lived  in  the  house  and  later 
moved  it  to  Ashton  where  Bertha  still  resides.  Donald, 
Otto  and  Emil  farmed  the  Grainville  and  Marysville 
properties  from  1936  until  Donald  joined  the  Army  in 
1942.  Then  Otto,  Emil  and  Ralph  continued  the  farm 
operation.  Donald  returned  from  the  war  in  1945  to 
assist  on  the  farm  and  Ralph  left  to  serve  in  the  Marine 
Corps. 

Donald  Sturm  married  Betty  Orthel  in  1945 
and  continued  to  farm  until  his  retirement  in  1982. 
Donald  and  Betty  had  four  children,  Ted,  Bill,  Cindy, 
and  Marie.  Ted  married  Phyllis  GrifFel  in  1975  and 
now  farms  for  his  father  the  old  Johann  Sturm 
properties  in  Marysville. 

Velna  Sturm  married  Charles  Stephen  Durst  in 
1944  and  after  a  short  stay  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah, 
moved  back  to  Ashton  where  they  purchased  the  City 
Drug  Store.  Steve  and  Velna  had  two  children, 
Richard  and  Karen.  Velna  died  from  severe  heart 
disease  in  1963. 

Ralph  Sturm  rejoined  the  Sturm,  family 
farming  operation  with  Otto,  Emil,  and  Donald  in 
1948.  Ralph  married  Patricia  Baker  in  1953  and  they 
built  a  house  on  what  was  the  Maddox  place  and  is 
now  the  residence  of  Rex  Baum.  Ralph  and  Patricia 
had  three  children,  Michael,  Teresa  and  Tamara. 

Emil  Sturm  died  in  1960  from  heart  disease 
and  Otto  Sturm  died  in  1969  from  complications  of  a 
stroke  and  diabetes.  After  Emil  died  Ralph  and 
Donald  discontinued  their  joint  femily  operation. 

The  original  Sturm  homestead  at  Grainville  is 
now  owned  and  farmed  by  Ralph  Sturm  and  son, 
Michael,  along  with  adjoining  land  purchased  from  the 
R.  I.  Rankin  family.  Michael  Sturm  married  Kristine 
Gardner  in  1976  and  they  now  live  one  half  mile  west 
of  the  old  Johann  Sturm  homestead  at  Grainville. 

In  the  early  years,  two  of  the  original 
homestead  houses  were  moved  togedier.  Then  in  the 
1960's  one  house  was  moved  to  Donald  Sturm's  and 
converted  to  a  shop  and  the  other,  moved  first  to 
Emil's  in  Marysville  for  a  time,  is  now  a  wood-working 
shop  behind  the  Ralph  Sturm  residence  on  Highway 
47.  The  log  barns  collapsed  from  age  and  were 
burned,  and  the  old  windmill  is  the  only  structure  left 
standing  on  the  original  Johann  Sturm  homestead. 

Compiled  by  Karen  Lords  and  Pat  Sturm  with 
the  aid  of  information  from  Don,  Betty,  and  Ralph 
Sturm  and  Bill  Garz. 

Courtesy  of  Snake  River  Echoes. 


358 


WILLIAM  LEROY  TANNER  SR- 

and 
KATHRINE  MELVTNA  LOUDER 

CHILDREN: 

1)  Laura  Blanche  b-  1903        d-  1987 
md-  Raymond  Brown 

2)  William  LeRoy  Jr.       b-  1907        d-  1967 

md-  (1)  Opal  Brown 
md-  (2)  Barbara  Stout 

3)  Susannah  Pauline        b-  1909 
md-  Robert  H.  Davidson 

4)  Leona  Kathrine  b- 1911        d- 
md-  Lewis  W  Atwood 

5)  Thomas  Franklin         b-  1914 

md-  Ruby  Emogene  Johnson 

6)  Sanford  Louder  b-  1916 
md-  Nellie  Roth 

7)  John  Clark  b-  1920 
md-  Bernice  Jones 

8)  Richard  Marvin  b-  1923 
md-  Evelyn  Huff 

9)  Helen  Mae  b-  1924 
md-  Ennis  Cotton 

10)Glen  Ray  b-  1926 

md-  Margaret  Fullwiler 
ll)ClydeVan  b- 1928 

never  married 

LAURA  BIJ^CHE  TANNER 

and 
RAYMOND  THOMAS  BROWN 

Laura  Blanche  Tanner  Brown  was  born 
November  12,  1903  in  Great  Falls,  Montana.  Her 
mother  was  Katherine  Lauder  Tanner  and  her  father 
was  William  LeRoy  Tanner.  She  was  the  number  one 
daughter  in  a  family  of  eleven  children.  Her  brother 
Bill,  died  20  years  ago.  Sister  Susie  Davidson 
Thomasson  lives  in  California;  sister  Leona  Atwood 
passed  away  about  eight  years  ago;  brother  Frank  lives 
in  Parker;  brother  Dick  lives  in  Ogden,  Utah;  sister 
Helen  Cotton  lives  in  Mariposa,  California;  brother 
Ray  in  California  and  brother  Van  lives  in  with  Helen 
in  California.  She  was  preceded  in  death  by  her  mother 
and  fether. 

Laura  spent  her  young  years  in  the  Chester 
area  where  her  father  worked.  His  family  had  answered 
to  plea  for  people  to  settle  in  the  Snake  River  area,  so 
they  moved  up  this  way  from  Salt  Lake  Area.  Her 
mother's  family  had  settled  in  the  Market  Lake  area 
where  they  operated  a  stage  stop. 

Laura  attended  school  in  Chester,  Farnum  and 
Dubois.  Her  father  moving  where  the  work  v^^as  to  be 
had.  Laura  didn't  particularly  like  attending  school  so 
she  quit  before  the  8th  grade  and  went  to  work  baby 
sitting  and  cleaning  houses.  The  family  moved  to 
Parker  in  the  early  1920's  where  they  spent  the  rest  of 
their  lives  working  and  playing,  raising  kids,  and 
enjoying  life. 


I  was  talking  to  aunt  Laura  a  few  weeks  ago 

and  she  talked  a  little  bit  about  her  early  life.  I  would 
ask  her  a  question  and  she  said,  "Why  do  you  want  to 
know?"  and  I  replied  because  I  wanted  to  know  more 
about  her  early  life  before  I  knew  her.  She  was  satisfied 
with  my  answer  and  told  me  several  things.  She  said 
she  had  a  good  life,  didn't  care  much  for  school,  but 
liked  to  work  and  enjoyed  getting  money  for  working. 
She  commented  she  made  $1  a  day  for  baby  sitting  and 
I  was  very  much  surprised  because  that  was  good 
money  way  back  in  those  days.  I  only  paid  $1  a  day 
some  25  years  ago  for  baby  sitters  while  I  worked.  Of 
course  that  was  for  just  a  half  a  day.  She  said  she  only 
worked  for  those  who  could  afford  to  pay.  She  didn't 
say  much  about  having  problems  like  most  teenage 
kids  do  with  parents  and  family.  She  loved  her 
brothers  and  sisters  with  her  whole  heart.  There  is  a 
gap  in  her  life  that  I  know  httle  about  and  that  is  when 
she  left  home  and  returned  to  get  married.  She  told 
me  she  went  to  California  and  worked  for  a  few  years. 
Knowing  her  I  am  sure  she  enjoyed  life,  but  then  again 
I  suspect  it  was  a  tough  time  for  her  being  away  fi-om 
family  and  their  support. 

She  married  Raymond  Brown  April  19,  1933 
at  Rcxburg.  They  lived  in  Oregon  and  Califomia  for 
several  years.  Their  one  Child,  Verla  was  bom  August 
28,  1935.  What  a  joy  she  was  to  them.  Aunt  Laura 
was  33  and  they  never  had  any  more  children.  Laura 
and  Ray  moved  back  to  the  St.  Anthony  area  when 
Raymond's  mother  died.  At  that  time,  Ray's  father 
and  sister,  Betty  moved  in  with  them.  They  remained 
a  solid  family  until  Ray's  father  died  and  then  Betty 
married. 

Life  is  fun,  they  worked  during  the  war  in 
Oregon  where  the  pay  is  good.  They  eventually  move 
back  to  St.  Anthony  area  where  Ray  works  for  the  Stud 
Mill  until  retirement.  He  is  not  content,  so  goes  to 
work  as  caretaker  for  the  Riverview  Cemetery  until  his 
death.  Laura  works  as  a  housekeeper  for  Mickey 
Hanson's  wife  for  many  years. 

Laura  and  Ray  are  delighted  when  their 
daughter  Verla  marries  Stan  Fullmer  in  1955.  They 
have  four  Children,  Brenda,  Betty  Jean,  Vem  and  Judy 
Lynn.  What  fim  they  have  and  what  a  close  family, 
Verla  and  Stan  live  dose  by  and  the  grand-kids  seem 
just  like  their  own  kids.  Aunt  Laura  and  Verla  were 
baptized  on  March  1,  1963. 

Disaster  strikes,  Verla  dies  of  Lukemia  when 
she  is  only  32  and  leaves  much  sorrow  behind  her.  At 
this  time  Aunt  Laura  is  suffering  from  a  heart  problem. 
But  she  rallies  for  she  realized  her  family  needs  her.  So 
you  never  hear  her  say  anything  about  her  bad  heart. 
The  Lord  blesses  her  with  many  years  to  help  raise  her 
young  grand-kids.  She  is  also  blessed  because  her  son- 
in-law  marries  a  marvelous  lady,  Mary  Lloyd  and  she 
becomes  not  only  a  mother  to  the  young  family  but 
she  becomes  a  most  devoted  daughter  to  Ray  and 
Laura. 

I  have  been  to  Aunt  Laura's  several  times  and 
found  Mary  sitting  up  with  her  both  at  home  and  the 


hospital.  Mary  has  some  children  of  her  own  and  they 
too  become  grand-kids  to  Laura  and  Ray. 

Ray  and  Laura  are  a  close  couple,  love  each 
other,  love  to  fish,  play  cards  and  visit  with  family  and 
fiiends. 

Things  are  not  always  easy,  Laura's  brother 
Bill  dies  at  a  young  age,  her  father  dies,  her  sister, 
Lcona  dies,  her  mother  dies,  and  then  her  constant 
companion.  Uncle  Ray  dies  suddenly.  What  a  blow 
that  was  to  her  and  she  has  a  hard  time  dealing  with  it. 
She  goes  fishing  with  Sanny  and  Nellie  one  time  and 
then  prefers  to  stay  home.  She  did  love  playing  cards 
with  the  family  every  Saturday  night.  They  accused 
each  other  of  cheating  and  had  a  great  time. 

She  had  cancer  and  suffered  a  great  deal.  She 
died  on  September  18,  1987,  at  the  Madison 
Memorial  Hospital. 

RAYMOND  THOMAS  BROWN 

Raymond  Thomas  Brown  was  born  January 
14,  1907,  at  Chester,  Idaho,  the  number  one  son  of  a 
family  of  10.  A  boy  and  a  girl  died  at  birth.  Raymond 
had  six  sisters  Anna  Wilcox,  who  passed  away  a  year 
ago  in  Utah;  Delores  McMinn  of  Idaho  Falls;  Beatrice 
Johnson  of  Salt  Lake;  Thelma  McCulley  of  San  Diego; 
Naomi  Gau  of  Nevada  City,  California;  and  Betty 
Swensen  of  St.  Anthony.  He  has  one  brother,  Earl  of 
Idaho  Falls. 

Raymond  and  his  family  lived  in  Chester  until 
he  was  eight  years  old  when  they  moved  to 
Drummond.  He  attended  grade  school  there  and 
quite  enjoyed  life.  He  went  to  work  for  the  railroad 
when  he  was  still  real  young  to  help  out  the  family 
finances.  Raymond  also  worked  with  his  father  on  the 
farm  and  they  contraaed  to  put  up  hay  in  the  Henry's 
Lake  area  a  few  years  in  between  all  their  other  labors. 

Raymond's  folks  moved  to  Parker,  but  he 
stayed  in  Drummond  to  work.  He  got  lonesome  for 
the  femily  so  he  moved  over  there  too.  He  met  Laura 
Blanche  Tanner  not  too  long  after  moving  to  Parker 
and  Cupid  was  really  on  the  ball,  he  did  a  good  job, 
one  that  has  lasted  a  life  time,  50  years  and  will 
continue  through  eternity.  Laura  and  Raymond  were 
married  April  19,  1933  and  because  he  was  not  feeling 
too  well  and  was  rather  shy,  they  quietly  celebrated 
their  50th  wedding  anniversary  last  month.  (April 
1983). 

Raymond  and  Laura  had  one  child,  Verla 
Blanche,  bom  August  29,  1934.  Verla  was  very  special 
to  this  couple  as  they  had  wanted  a  child  for  a  long 
time.  They  really  took  advantage  of  each  other, 
building  lots  of  fond  memories  over  the  years. 

Extra  joy  came  to  their  lives  when  Verla 
married  Stanley  Fullmer  in  1955  and  they  had  four 
grandchildren  for  them  to  enjoy.  Tragedy  hit  this 
family  when  Verla  died  after  a  short  illness  in  May  of 
1967.  Raymond  and  J-;».ura  tucked  their  sorrow  aN^-ay 
and  poured  their  abundance  of  love  on  Vcrla's 
children,  Brenda  Cordova,  Betty  Jean  Cruiz,  Judy 


359 


Lynn  Nabor  and  Vcm  Fullmer.  They  helped  their  son- 
in-law,  Stan  raise  these  four  special  ^irits.  Raymond 
and  Laura  have  always  had  an  abundance  of  love  for 
their  family  and  friends.  They  helped  raise  one  of 
Raymond's  sister's  child  after  his  mother  died  in  1941, 
they  took  Betty,  the  youngest  sister  and  his  father  to 
live  with  them.  Betty  was  only  10  and  she  lived  with 
them  imtil  she  married  and  his  father  was  with  them 
until  he  passed  away.  They  have  9  great  grandchildren, 
and  they  have  added  to  their  joy. 

Raymond  and  Laura  moved  to  California  in 
1934  to  work  and  lived  there  until  1941  when  his 
mother  passed  away.  They  worked  awhile  in  Coeur 
d'Alene  then  in  Hermiston,  Oregon,  during  World 
War  II  where  they  worked  in  an  Ammunition  Depot. 
They  returned  to  St.  Anthony  in  1944  and  have  lived 
here  since.  Raymond  worked  at  the  St.  Anthony  Stud 
Mill  until  he  retired.  But,  retirement  was  not  for 
Uncle  Raymond,  he  just  was  not  happy  not  working. 
He  worked  at  the  Starch  Plant  until  it  dosed,  then  he 
went  to  work  as  a  caretaker  for  the  St.  Anthony 
Cemetery  and  was  still  working  there  on  the  day  he 
passed  away.  Raymond  and  Laura  really  enjoyed  life, 
they  played  cards  every  Saturday  night,  they  loved  to 
go  fishing  and  for  car  rides.  They  had  been  up  to 
Sanford  and  Nellie's  Saturday  night  and  played  cards 
until  the  wee  hours,  having  lots  of  firn.  On  Sunday, 
May  22,  1983,  Ray  and  Laura  took  a  ride  up  to  the 
cemetery  to  check  on  the  water  as  he  was  concerned 
everything  look  real  nice  for  Memorial  Day.  They 
came  home,  had  a  light  lunch  and  decided  to  have  a 
rest  when  Uncle  Raymond  fell  and  passed  away  a  short 
time  later  at  the  St.  Anthony  Hospital. 

By:  Beverly  Branson  (Niece),  Sep  1987. 
CHILDREN: 

(l)Verla  Blanch  b- 1935        d- 1967 

md-  Stanley  Fullmer 

EDMUND  HOBERT  THOMPSON  Jr. 

and 
RHODA  ANN  DAVIS 


Edmund  Hobert  Thompson  son  of  Edmund 
Hobcrt  Thompson  Sr.  and  Frances  R.  Welbom,  was 
born  at  Ogden,  Weber,  Utah,  12  April  1857.  His 
parents  later  moved  to  Hooper,  Davis  County,  Utah, 
where  he  grew  to  manhood. 

Edmund  Hobert  married  Rhoda  Ann  Davis, 
Oaober  29, 1878. 

They  lived  in  Hooper,  Utah,  until  1885,  when  with 
their  parents  and  other  relatives  came  to  Idaho  and 
settled  on  the  Wilford  flat.  "Note:  On  April  13, 
1883,  John  A.  Gamer,  James  Pincock  and  Harold  P. 
Henninger  started  North  from  Ogden,  Utah.  They 
reached  Rexburg  on  May  7,  1883.  Here  they  found  a 
few  campers  and  their  covered  wagons.  This  camp 
was  headed  by  Thomas  Ricks  of  Logan  Utah.  The 
Ricks  camp  had  arrived  there  in  February.  The  next 
day  the  Gamer,  Pincock,  Henninger  group  traveled 
north  and  east  to  where  Teton  and  Wilford  now  stand. 
They  camped  on  the  south  side  of  the  Teton  River  at  a 
place  which  became  known  as  "  Henninger's  Ford," 
they  had  some  difficulty  crossing  the  river,  but  on  May 
18,  they  were  safely  across  with  all  their  wagons  and 
livestock. 

The  next  day  was  spent  in  deciding  where 
each  man  would  locate  his  home.  Mr.  Henninger 
decided  to  build  on  the  quarter  section  where  the  ford 
was.  John  Gamer  decided  on  a  tract  of  land  a  mile  or 
so  east  of  where  the  Sugar  Factory  was  later  located  in 
Sugar  City. 

It  was  on  Sunday,  May  20,  1883,  while  they 
were  camping  on  the  Henninger  claim,  earing  dinner, 
that  Thomas  Ricks  and  Bishop  Leonard  Wilford 
Hardy  of  the  Presiding  Bishopric  came  to  their  camp. 
They  were  out  viewing  the  country  with  the  idea  of 
making  a  selecrion  of  lands  where  the  Saints  could 
build  and  make  homes  in  the  future.  They  liked  the 
location  nearby  and  selected  it  as  a  townsite  and 
decided  to  name  it  Wilford  in  honor  of  Bishop 
Leonard  Wilford  Hardy:  Information  taken  from 
Sketches  of  a  Pioneer  Community,  Wilford  Idaho, 
page  16,  by  permission  of  Lynn  Eric  Johnson.) 


b.r.  Chloc  Bell,  Rhcxk  Ann,  Hobert  Albert,  Mabel  Ann,  William  Harlcy,  Sarah  Ellen,  James  Levi,  Ivy  Lavon/.r.  Mary  Elizabeth,  Edmund  Hobert, 

(father)  Rhoda  Ann  (wife),  Rachel  Elnora  Thompson 

360 


In  1885  quite  a  few  families  had  settled  in 
Wilford.  In  the  early  1890's,  land  was  open  for 
Homesteading  in  the  Farnum  Drummond  area. 
Edmund  Hobcrt  Thompson  Jr.  and  family,  (who  had 
come  with  his  parents),  applied  for  a  homestead,  a  160 
Acre  piece  of  property  about  10  miles  east  of 
Drummond,  on  Conant  Creek.  The  location  was  NW 
1/4  of  section  8  North  range  44  east  of  the  Boise 
Meridian.  The  place  now  belonging  to  Keith  Nyborg, 
which  is  east  of  the  road  going  north  and  south. 
Which  would  be  northeast  across  the  road  from 
where  Keith  now  lives.  They  built  their  little  home 
north  of  the  creek  close  to  the  place  where  the  Percy 
Nyborg  family  lived  a  few  years  ago. 

At  that  time  there  were  many  Indians  come 
into  that  area  in  the  early  spring  and  stayed  up  near 
the  mountains  to  fish  and  hunt.  Sometime  earlier  they 
were  on  the  war  path  occasionally  and  there  was  still 
the  fear  of  trouble.  They  would  come  to  their  home 
and  beg  for  food.  Sometimes  they  were  on  the 
warpath.  As  Mr.  Thompson  was  away  from  home 
making  a  living  for  the  family  it  left  Mrs.  Thompson 
quite  fHghtened  for  the  safety  of  the  family.  At  times 
she  gave  the  Indians  more  food  than  she  could  really 
spare.  After  the  harvest  the  family  would  move  back 
to  Wilford  and  in  the  spring  move  back  to  the 
homestead.  A  small  amount  of  ground  was  broken  up 
for  planting  while  most  of  it  was  left  for  grazing. 
Neighbors  would  always  send  their  cattle  up  with 
them  to  graze  the  summer  range.  Whenever  they  had 
a  cow  that  was  still  milking  they  would  let  the 
Thompsons  know,  so  they  could  milk  the  cows  and 
keep  the  milk. 

They  were  able  to  chum  the  butter  and  make 
cheese  from  the  milk.  They  would  bring  the  butter 
and  cheese  down  in  the  fall  and  trade  it  at  the  store. 

RHODA  ANN  DAVIS 

Rhoda  Ann  Davis  daughter  of  George  Davis 
and  Elizabeth  Magdalene  Hammon  born  January  6, 
1862,  at  East  Weber,  Weber  county,  Utah. 

Her  parents  moved  to  Franklin,  Idaho,  before 
she  commenced  school  and  she  started  school  there  at 
Franklin,  but  they  later  returned  to  Davis  County, 
Utah.  She  was  not  a  husky  or  robust  child  like  most 
of  the  family,  but  according  to  her  parents  she  was  a 
very  devoted  and  dutifiil  daughter  in  the  home.  She 
grew  to  a  very  pretty  young  gjrl.  A  charming  young 
man  by  the  name  of  Edmund  Hobert  Thompson  fell 
in  love  with  her  when  she  was  sixteen  and  they  were 
married  by  her  grandfather  Levi  Hammon  on  October 
29,  1878.  They  had  11  children.  Her  children  state 
she  was  very  patient  and  long  suffering.  She  was  a 
true  pioneer  woman  and  had  more  than  her  share  of 
hardships  and  trials  of  early  life  in  Idaho. 

They  moved  from  place  to  place,  settling  first 
in  Hooper,  Davis  county,  Utah,  Then  came  to  Idaho, 
settling  on  the  Wilford  flat  with  a  caravan  of  family 
and  friends  that  came  from  Hc>oper,Utah. 


361 


They  moved  on  a  plot  of  ground  about  40 
miles  North  and  east  of  St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  for  a 
homestead.  I  Quote  Elnora  the  eighth  child:  "We 
were  miles  from  any  neighbors,  there  were  very  few 
homes  between  St.  Anthony  and  the  place  where  we 
lived.  It  was  a  grassy  flat  on  Conant  Creek,  pasture 
for  a  cow  or  two  and  a  team  of  horses.  They  fenced 
off  part  and  cut  that  for  hay.  Father  would  go  off 
shearing  sheep  to  make  a  living,  while  mother  lived  on 
the  homestead  to  prove  up  on  it." 

Of  course  we  children  enjoyed  the  wild  life 
and  didn't  worry  like  mother  did.  Mother  was  always 
afraid  of  the  Indians  for  they  were  plentifiil  up  there, 
espedaly  in  the  summer.  They  seemed  to  think  that 
the  white  man  owed  them  a  living  because  they  had 
taken  their  hunting  ground.  They  would  come  and 
beg  for  flour  and  other  things.  We  had  a  good  garden 
and  mother  would  give  them  turnips,  rutabagas  and 
other  things.  I  remember  one  old  squaw  came  to 
trade  wild  gooseberries  for  flour  (and  that  was  one 
thing  we  were  scared  of,  if  they  didn't  give  them  of 
what  they  had  they  would  cause  trouble  in  the  area), 
the  old  squaw  kept  showing  mother  her  arms  where 
she  had  scratched  them  while  picking  the  gooseberries 
and  kept  asking  for  more  flour. 

At  one  time  my  brother  Jim  was  very  ill,  an 
old  squaw  named  Tadpole  (Beaver  Dick's  wife),  came 
and  saw  him  and  shook  her  head  and  said  he  was 
going  to  die,  she  gathered  some  herbs  and  set  to 
work.  She  bathed  him  in  the  tea  or  juices  and  worked 
with  him.  She  came  back  several  times  and  he  began 
to  get  better  and  the  boy  was  soon  well.  Mother  says 
she  knows  Tadpole  saved  his  life.  After  that  the 
Indians  seemed  more  friendly  and  we  were  not  so 
much  afraid  of  them. 

Every  thing  I  remember  about  my  mother 
was  her  love,  kindness  and  gentleness.  She  was  the 
neatest  person  I  ever  knew,  every  day  she  was  as  neat 
as  she  was  on  Sunday.  When  she  arose  in  the  morning 
she  dressed,  washed  her  face,  combed  her  hair,  and 
was  ready  to  meet  anyone  or  go  visit  a  neighbor.  If 
she  went  to  town  or  any  place,  she  wore  a  hat,  gloves 
and  veil.  Although  her  clothes  were  not  expensive, 
she  looked  like  she  had  just  stepped  out  of  a  band 
box,  and  her  thoughts  were  just  as  clean  as  her  person. 

They  didn't  live  at  Conant  Creek  very  long 
there  were  no  schools  so  they  moved  back  to  Wilford 
and  went  back  to  the  homestead  in  the  summer. 

I  quote  now  from  Alice  the  sixth  child:  "I 
have  been  told  that  mother  had  the  only  sewing 
machine  in  the  neighborhood  for  a  long  time. 
Women  would  come  for  miles  to  sew  on  it.  She  could 
make  the  most  beautiful  buttonholes  I  ever  saw  by 
hand,  they  were  as  even  and  perfect  as  any  machine 
made." 

She  was  not  very  strong  and  I  can  remember 
when  I  was  very  young  running  the  machine  for  her  as 
she  arranged  the  material  she  wanted  sewed.  She  was 
always  thrifty  and  always  had  a  few  pennies  saved  up. 
At  one  time  father  needed  $100  dollars  very  badly  and 


she  had  this  much  saved  up  from  selHng  milk  and 

eggs. 

I  never  saw  her  really  angry.  When  we  did 
anything  to  displease  her  she  always  had  a  hurt  look 
on  her  fiace  and  that  would  bring  me  around  sooner 
than  any  physical  pimishmcnt.  She  never  struck  me  in 
her  life.  She  was  very  spiritual  minded.  The  letters  I 
have  read  that  she  wrote  to  my  brother,  Parley  (Child 
no  9.)  while  he  was  on  his  mission  in  New  Zealand 
were  regular  sermons.  She  was  quite  tall  and  slim  and 
had  black  hair  and  brown  eyes,  was  real  good  looking 
and  carried  herself  erect  even  with  all  her  sickness. 

She  was  true  to  a  trust,  never  failing  to  do  her 
part.  She  was  generous  to  a  fault.  In  fart  some  people 
even  imposed  upon  her  because  of  this.  She  had  a 
keenness  of  right  and  wrong  and  she  would  never 
compromise  with  evil.  I  shall  never  cease  to  sing  her 
praise  as  long  as  time  lasts. 

It  wouldn't  be  fair  not  to  mention  our  dad 
because  he  held  a  place  in  our  hearts  that  no  other 
could  fill.  He  was  an  outdoors  man  and  he  was  most 
happy  when  in  the  mountains  or  fishing  on  the  old 
Snake  River.  Many  people  have  been  kept  from  going 
hungry  by  his  fine  art  of  hunting  and  fishing.  Not 
many  men  in  the  early  days  had  the  ability  or  the 
equipment  to  get  the  wild  game  that  was  so  plentiful 
in  the  mountains  at  that  time.  There  were  not  too 
many  restrictions  then,  only  you  must  not  waste  the 
meat.  I  have  seen  him  go  to  the  hills  in  the  winter 
time  and  get  his  meat  for  the  winter  and  come  home 
only  to  give  it  to  some  needy  people,  then  go  back 
and  get  more  for  his  own  family. 

Fishing  was  his  favorite  pastime,  some  have 
said  he  could  catch  fish  in  a  dry  river.  Well,  he  really 
had  a  way  with  fish  all  right.  I  remember  Uncle  Lee 
Hammon,  mother's  Uncle.  When-evcr  he  came  to 
Idaho  he  made  it  a  point  to  come  to  our  place  (we 
lived  on  the  river  bank)  and  when  he  came  through  St. 
Anthony  he  would  always  stop  and  get  a  pound  of 
butter  "just  in  case"  mother  happened  to  be  out,  to 
fry  fish  in  and  he  wanted  that  whole  pound  of  butter 
put  in  the  fiy  pan  before  the  fish  were  put  in.  Father 
left  us  to  go  out  working  more  than  we  liked  to  be  left 
alone,  but  he  made  a  good  living  for  us  and  we 
wouldn't  trade  him  for  any  other  dad  we  ever  saw. 

Mother,  (Rhoda  Ann)  died  of  cancer  May  9, 
1927,  at  St.  Anthony,  Fremont  County,  Idaho,  and 
was  buried  May  12,1927,  at  Wilford,  Fremont 
County,  Idaho. 

Father,  (Edmund)  died  April  8,  1938,  at 
Wilford,  Fremont  County,  Idaho,  and  buried  April 
12, 1938,  at  Wilford,  Fremont  County  Idaho. 

By:  William  Parley  Thompson  (ninth  child) 

CHILDREN: 

(l)-MableAnn  b- 1879 

md-  William  Walter  Edgington 
(2)-  Sarah  EUen  b-  1880 

md-  Joseph  Hyrum  Thomas 
(3)-  George  Edmund       b-  1882        d-  child 


362 


(4)-  Hobcrt  Albert  b-  1884 

md-  Margaret  Madsen 
(5)-  James  Levi  b-  1886 

md-  Olive  Lucy  Cazier 
(6)-  Rhoda  Alice  b-  1888 

md-  Lewis  William  Freer 
(7)-  Mary  Elizabeth         b-  1890 

md-  Orville  Clarence  Godfrey 
(8)-  Rachel  Elnora  b-  1892 

md-  William  Alfi^ed  Howard 
(9)-  William  Parley  b-  1894 

md-  Roxy  May  Owen 
(lO)-Chloie  Belle  b- 1896 

md-  James  John  Reynolds 
(ll)-IvyLavon  b- 1898 

md-  Lewis  William  Potter 

MARY  ELIZABETH  THOMPSON 

and 
ORVILLE  CLARENCE  GODFREY 

Mary  Elizabeth  Thomspon  was  bom  the  29th 
of  May,  1890,  the  7th  of  11  children  of  Edmund 
Hobart  Thompson  and  Rhoda  Ann  Davis.  She  was 
born  in  Wilford,  which  then  was  Bingham  County, 
Idaho.  Her  parents  had  moved  fi-om  Hooper,  Utah, 
near  Ogden  just  a  few  years  earlier  and  homesteadcd 
land  in  the  Wilford  Area.  She  moved  with  her  parents, 
when  they  homesteaded  on  Conant  Creek,  and  later 
moved  back  and  forth  between  the  Wilford  and  Twin 
Groves  area,  for  a  few  years. 

Orville  Clarence  Godfrey  was  bom  the  7th  of 
May,  1889  at  North  Ogden,  Weber  County,  Utah. 
He  was  the  3rd  of  10  children  of  John  Godfrey  and 
Ida  Florence  Cowles.  Orvillc's  grandfather  had  come 
from  England,  crossed  the  plains  and  settled  in  the 
Ogden  area  where  Orville's  fether,  John  Godfrey,  was 
bom. 

As  a  youth  Orville's  parents  decided  to  go  to 
New  Mexico  and  settle  there  with  others  who  had 
been  encouraged  to  colonize  that  area.  Orville  was 
about  nine  years  old  at  that  time.  His  father  sold  his 
homestead,  cattle  and  all  except  what  they  could  carry 
in  a  double  bed  wagon.  There  were  six  children  at 
that  time,  the  oldest  being  twelve  and  the  youngest 
just  two.  They  were  living  in  Smoot,  Wyoming  (Star 
Valley)  at  the  time  and  made  their  way  to  Harrisville, 
Utah,  where  Orville's  grandparents  lived.  Orville's 
sister  Dora  relates  that  the  first  night  out  they  had  a 
heavy  snow  storm  that  nearly  collapsed  their  tents. 

They  stayed  several  days  in  Harrisville  getting 
ready  to  continue  their  journey.  They  continued  on 
to  Salt  Lake  and  spent  a  Sunday  there.  They  moved 
on  to  Provo  and  camped  on  a  farm  owned  by  the 
relatives  of  a  Mr.  Daniels,  who  was  also  going  to  settle 
in  New  Mexico. 

The  journey  through  the  desert  was  difficult. 
Hot,  dry  and  dusty,  and  very  little  water  caused  some 
contention  among  the  travelers.  An  incident  related 
by  Dora,  indicates  that  Orville's  younger  sister  fell  out 


of  the  wagon  onto  the  tongue  and  double  tree's  as  the 
wagon  jolted  along.  Her  mother  caught  her  by  the 
foot  before  she  could  be  injured. 

They  arrived  in  Vernal,  Utah,  and  decided  to 
rest  there  for  a  few  days.  The  Daniels  family,  who  had 
been  traveling  with  them  went  their  own  way  and  left 
Orville's  family  by  themselves.  They  stayed  in  Vernal 
for  several  weeks. 

An  incident  is  told  of  Orville  and  some 
Indians  who  lived  nearby  on  the  Uintah  Indian 
Reservation.  Orville  was  on  a  saddle  horse  along  with 
his  parents  who  had  stopped  to  talk  to  some  Indians. 
One  of  them  came  up  to  Orville  and  wanted  to  start 
up  a  conversation.  He  asked  Orville  for  his  horse. 
Orville  jumped  off  the  horse,  handed  the  reins  to  the 
Indian  and  started  running  for  dear  life.  The  Indians 
had  quite  a  laugh,  they  hadn't  meant  to  scare  him. 

While  staying  in  Vernal  the  family  decided  not 
to  go  any  further  and  started  back  home.  They 
arrived  back  in  Ogden  near  the  1st  of  August  just  a 
few  months  after  they  began  their  journey.  They 
decided  to  go  to  St.  Anthony,  Idaho,  where  Orville's 
uncles,  Dave  and  William  Godfrey  were  living.  They 
arrived  at  Blackfoot  and  Orville's  mother  became  sick. 
The  family  made  it  as  far  as  Menan  where  they  spent 
the  winter  with  a  good  friend  of  Orville's  father.  He 
made  a  little  money  by  doing  carpentry  work. 

They  arrived  in  St.  Anthony  early  in  the 
spring  of  1899  and  lived  in  a  small  cabin  three  miles 
east  of  St.  Anthony.  That  fall  they  moved  into  a 
better  place  nearer  to  the  other  Godfrey's.  Orville's 
fether  built  a  two  room  lumber  house  in  Chester  and 
they  moved  into  it  in  the  spring  of  1901. 

That  spring  an  epidemic  of  diphtheria  broke 
out  in  Chester.  John  Godfrey,  Orville's  father  made 
many  coffins  for  the  neighbors  children.  His  mother 
would  cover  and  line  and  trim  them.  Their  family  did 
not  escape  the  epidemic.  Six  of  the  children  had  the 
disease  at  one  time.  The  baby  of  the  femily  was  the 
only  one  that  did  not  have  diphtheria.  It  was  a  very 
sad  day  for  the  family  when  Orville's  younger  sister, 
Inez,  passed  away  on  the  8th  of  June. 

Orville  grew  up  in  the  Chester  area  and 
became  acquainted  with  the  Thompson  Family.  One 
of  Orville's  daughters  said  that  her  dad  was  engaged 
to  a  red  headed  school  teacher  until  he  saw  Mary  at  a 
church  social  one  night.  He  then  courted  her  and 
they  fell  in  love.  He  wanted  to  ask  her  to  marry  him 
so  he  bought  a  ring,  a  gold  ring  set  with  a  ruby  and 
two  garnets.  Mary's  family  were  living  on  the  North 
side  of  the  Snake  River  east  of  St.  Anthony,  on  the 
old  Thompson  homestead.  He  got  on  his  horse  and 
headed  for  the  Thompson  place  but  the  bridge  was 
out.  As  determined  as  he  was,  he  and  the  horse  swam 
the  river  and  he  proposed  to  her.  They  were  married 
on  the  4th  of  October,  1911,  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple. 
They  made  their  home  in  Chester  for  a  few  years.  It  is 
told  that  they  bought  all  the  furnishings  for  their 
house  for  fifty  dollars.  Orville  built  a  large  cellar  in 
which  they  stored  their  winter  vegetables  and  canned 


goods.  Mary  canned  everything,  not  only  fhiit  and 
vegetables  but  mayonnaise  and  salad  dressing  as  well 
as  a  sandwich  spread. 

Orville  tried  to  make  a  living  at  forming  but 
did  not  like  to  farm.  His  heart  was  just  not  in  it. 
During  the  next  few  years  the  family  moved  around 
some,  in  Ucon  1917,  back  in  Chester,1918  and  then 
to  Basalt  1920.  Orville  found  work  as  a  carpenter  in 
the  Basalt  area.  There  was  work  but  the  wages  were 
very  poor. 

Orville  was  a  very  kind,  gentle,  loving  person. 
Everyone  who  knew  him,  liked  him.  Mary  was  a  very 
giving  person,  always  doing  things  for  her  neighbors 
and  the  Church.  She  was  always  willing  to  share  what 
she  had  with  others.  She  was  very  creative.  She  made 
all  the  clothes  for  her  own  children  and  many  of  the 
neighbors.  She  made  beautiful  quilts  and  pillows  and 
even  tried  her  hand  at  painting  pictures. 

Orville  heard  that  a  dam  was  being  built  near 
Emmett,  the  Black  Canyon  Dam,  and  figured  that  he 
could  get  on  as  a  carpenter.  He  got  the  job  and  in 
1922  he  moved  his  family  to  Emmett,  Gem  County, 
Idaho,  where  they  lived  for  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  They  rented  a  home  while  Orville  purchased  a 
piece  of  property  and  put  up  a  tent  house  which  they 
lived  in  while  Orville  built  a  two  room  home  by  the 
side  of  the  tent  house. 

Even  though  the  family  had  moved  quite  a 
distance  away  from  the  rest  of  their  families,  they 
made  a  trip  nearly  every  summer  to  visit  them.  They 
would  stay  with  Mary's  sister,  Elnora  Howard. 

Orville  passed  away  on  the  29th  of  June, 
1965  and  was  buried  in  Emmett.  Mary  passed  away 
on  the  14th  of  May  1969  in  Emmett. 

Orville  and  Mary  were  active  in  the  L.  D.  S. 
Church.  Family  members  have  found  tithing  receipts 
from  when  they  were  living  in  Chester.  They  paid 
three  dollars  a  month  rithing  and  two  dollars  a  month 
on  the  property  they  were  buying.  Mary  was  the 
President  of  the  Relief  Society,  President  of  the 
Primary,  was  an  Organist,  played  the  piano  and  sang 
with  the  sisters  in  a  special  choir. 

The  information  for  this  history  came  from  a 
history  of  John  Godfrey  written  by  Dora  Hawkes,  and 
conversations  with  Wilma  Jean  and  Shirley  Mae  as  I 
visited  with  them. 

By:  Clem  J.  Thompson 
Thompson  Genealogist 
CHILDREN: 


(1)  Maurice  Floyd 

b-  1912 

(2)  Merrit  Eugene 

b-  1913 

d-  1913 

(3)  Ida  Elizabeth 

b-  1915 

(4)  Ralph  Edmund 

b-  1917 

d-  1974 

(4)  Adrian  Clarence 

b-  1918 

(6)  Shiricy  Mac 

b-  1920 

(7)  Wilma  Jean 

b-  1924 

(8)  Dwight  Orville 

b-  1929 

(9)  Darrell  Thompson 

b-  1931 

d-   1934 

363 


I"" 


JOHN  HENRY  VAN  SICKLE 

John  Henry  Van  Sickle  was  born  June  24, 
1873  at  Muskegon,  Michigan,  the  son  of  Franklin  and 
Sarah  Helen  Coon  Van  Sickle. 

When  he  was  16  years  of  age  he  moved  to 
Utah  with  his  parents,  where  they  settled  at  Willard. 
Three  years  later  they  moved  to  Portland  where  they 
lived  for  one  year.  April  8,  1893  he  married  Catharine 
Edwards  at  Willard,  Utah.  Following  their  marriage 
they  lived  at  Willard  for  three  years  and  then  moved  to 
Idaho  settling  at  Marysville.  At  the  time  they  arrived 
at  Marysville  there  were  only  seven  homes  there.  Two 
years  later  they  homesteaded  a  dry  farm  in  Famum. 
They  still  have  the  dry  farm  and  Mr.  Van  Sickle  was 
one  the  few  pioneers  who  retained  the  original  farm 
homestead.  He  operated  the  farm  for  46  years  until 
he  suffered  a  stroke  last  September.  Since  that  time 
they  sold  all  of  their  equipment.  While  living  at 
Farnum  he  served  on  the  Famum  school  board  and 
had  been  a  director  of  the  Conant  Creek  water  project 
several  times  and  he  also  held  this  office  at  the  time  of 
his  death.  For  the  last  several  years  they  have  spent 
the  winter  at  their  home  in  St.  Anthony  and  the 
summer  seasons  at  Famum. 

On  April  18,  1943  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Sickle 
celebrated  their  golden  wedding  anniversary. 

John  Hyrum  Van  Sickle  died  January  22, 
1944  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 

JOHN  HYRUM 

and 

CATHERINE  EDWARDS  VAN  SICKLE 


John  Hyrum  and  Catherine  Edwards  VanSicMc 

In  1897  John  Van  Sickle  and  his  family  came 
to  Marysville.  His  father  and  mother  and  two  brothers 
came  first.  They  left  Willard,  Utah,  in  March  and 
John  came  in  July  the  same  year.  He  led  three  wagons 
with  four  horses  on  each  wagon. 

The  first  summer  they  lived  at  Warm  River 
and  worked  for  Pete  Wilson  at  a  sawmill.   Money  was 


very  hard  to  get.  John  would  get  up  early  in  the 
morning,  about  once  a  week,  go  fishing,  be  gone 
about  two  hours  and  come  back  with  all  the  fish  he 
could  carry.  His  wife,  Kate,  and  his  mother  would 
take  the  two  horses  on  a  wagon  and  take  the  fish  to 
Black  Springs,  west  of  Marysville,  which  now  is  called 
the  Fish  Hatchery.  They  would  sell  one  pound  of  fish 
for  one  pound  groceries  for  whatever  groceries  they 
could  get.  It  took  all  day  to  make  the  drive. 

That  fall  John  and  his  brother,  Will, 
homesteaded  their  ranches  on  the  south  side  of  Fall 
River.  Mrs.  Van  Sickle  still  owns  the  ranch  now.  In 
the  spring  when  they  moved  to  the  ranch  there  was 
nothing  but  sage  brush.  They  made  a  place  that  only 
had  three  sides  to  it.  The  North  side  was  open.  They 
slept  in  a  wagon  box  that  had  bows  and  a  canvas  over 
it. 

John  worked  at  a  saw  mill  up  in  the  hills  west 
and  north  of  Ashton  for  a  Mr.  Jackson,  while  his  wife, 
Kate,  stayed  on  the  ranch  with  her  three  little  girls. 
There  was  another  little  girl  bom  in  Marysville  after 
they  came  to  Idaho.  It  was  lonely  times  but  we  were  a 
happy  family  and  still  are. 

There  were  two  more  children,  a  girl  and  a 
boy,  born  on  the  ranch  quite  a  few  years  later. 

There  were  only  four  families  on  the  south 
side  of  Fall  River  when  we  came  there  but  in  a  few 
years  the  people  came  from  far  and  near.  Homes  were 
being  built  everywhere  and  the  land  was  all  taken  for 
homes.  People  would  come  as  far  as  our  place-some 
would  stay  all  night  and  some  go  on.  St.  Anthony  had 
our  only  stores. 

John  and  Kate  always  welcomed  everybody, 
fed  their  horses,  took  them  in  their  home  to  give  them 
something  to  eat  and  fix  a  bed  for  them.  We  saw 
some  very  hard  times  but  we  were  very  happy  and 
people  seemed  to  like  us. 

Mrs.  Van  Sickle  now  lives  in  St.  Anthony  by 
her  daughter  Pearl  and  husband.  Cliff  Watts.  They 
run  the  farm  for  Mrs.  Van  Sickle.  John  died  January 
22,  1944.  Mrs.  Van  Sickle  was  80  the  10th  of 
December.  She  does  her  own  work  and  feels  pretty 
good.  She  has  been  a  hard  worker  and  so  were  her 
family.  Her  children  live  other  places  now.  Margaret 
lives  in  Richmond,  California.    Vella  at  Twin  Falls. 


364 


VcUa  VanSicklc  and  Henry  Bloxham 


Her  son,  Victor,  in  Idaho  Falls.  One  girl  passed  away 
when  she  was  small.  Mrs.  Van  Sickle  is  the  only  one 
that  still  owns  her  homestead  at  Famum. 

By:  daughter  Pearl  Van  Sickle  Watts 

OBITUARy  OF  CATHERINE  EDWARDS  VAN 

SICKLE 

Mrs.  Catherine  Van  Sickle,  of  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho,  age  81,  died  at  8  p.m.  Tuesday  at  the  home  of 
her  daughter.  Pearl  Watts.  She  was  bom  December 
10,  1875,  at  WiUard,  Utah,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Margaret  Ann  Pierce  Edwards.  She  spent  her  early 
childhood  at  Willard.  She  was  married  to  John 
Hyrum  Van  Sickle  at  WiUard,  Utah  April  18,  1893. 

They  made  their  home  at  WiUard  for  three 
years  and  then  moved  to  Marysville,  Idaho  in  1897. 
They  lived  there  two  years.  John  and  Catherine 
homesteaded  land  in  what  is  now  the  Famum  area. 
He  operated  the  original  homestead  until  his  death. 
Mrs.  Van  Sickle  had  been  living  with  her  daughter, 
Vella  Bloxham,  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

There  were  five  children  bom  to  this  imion. 
One  daughter  preceded  her  in  death.  Survivors  are 
Mrs.  Pearl  Watts,  St.  Anthony,  Mrs.  Margaret  Hall, 
Richmond,  California,  Mrs.  Vella  Bloxham,  Twin 
Falls,  Victor  Van  Sickle,  Idaho  Falls,  eight  grand- 
children and  seven  great  grandchildren. 


b.r.  Victor,  Mclvin,  Alice,  f.r.  Gary  and  Vicid  VanSickle 

Death  claims  Pearl  Van  Sickle  Watts 

Mrs.  Pearl  Van  Sickle  Watts,  71  died  at  St. 
Anthony  Hospital  Monday  following  a  lingering 
illness. 

She  was  bom  at  Willard,  Utah  May  29,  1894 
a  daughter  of  John  H.  and  Catherine  Edwards  Van 
Sickle.  When  she  was  four  years  old  the  family  came 
to  Idaho  setding  in  Marysville  where  they  lived  for 
two  years  until  her  father  had  a  log  house  built  on 
land  at  Famum,  which  he  had  homesteaded. 

She  was  married  to  Clifford  Watts  Febmary 
16,  1914,  at  St.  Anthony.  Following  their  marriage 
they  continued  to  live  at  Farnum  for  several  years, 
later  living  in  Montana  and  Idaho  before  settling  in  St.     _  . - 


Anthony  in  1922.  They  lived  here  until  Mr.  Watts 
died  January  8,  1963.  She  has  continued  to  live  here 
since.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-Day  Saints.  Three  children  were  bom 
to  this  union  all  three  all  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 

Surviving  is  one  sister  Mrs.  Vella  Bloxham  of 
Twin  Falls,  Idaho  and  one  brother  Victor  Van  Sickle, 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho. 

RICHARD  VASAK 

Richard  Vasak  came  from  Omaha,  Nabraska, 
in  1920.  He  worked  for  fifteen  years  for  richard 
Rcinke  at  the  elevator  in  Grain ville.  He  made  a  trip  to 
Vienna  Austria,  his  family's  homeland,  in  about  1936. 

He  bought  a  farm  next  to  the  Squirrel  Dance 
Hall  from  Mata  Clouse,  now  sold  to  Herman  Marotz, 
and  now  has  a  home  in  Ash  ton. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  103 

GEORGE  WADDELL 

and 

AMELIA 

George  Waddell,  a  cousin  of  Richard  (Dick), 
and  his  wife,  Amelia,  and  daughter,  Madeline,  came  to 
Squirrel  in  1916.  He  had  been  a  Geological  Engineer 
in  Butte,  Montana  and  Elko,  Nevada.  He  wanted  to 
retire  to  a  small  farm  in  a  beautiful  area  and  chose  to 
come  to  Squirrel.  They  built  a  lovely  home  on 
Squirrel  Creek  and  enjoyed  life  in  the  Squirrel 
Community. 

Their  daughter,  Madeline,  had  been  educated 
at  a  private  school  in  Salt  Lake  City  and  at  Smith 
College  in  Massachusetts.  She  also  taught  at  a  private 
girls'  school  in  San  Frandsco  and  her  parents  moved 
to  San  Francisco  to  be  near  their  daughter. 

Lyle  Lenz  purchased  their  home  and  farm. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  102 

RICHARD  (DICK)  WADDELL 

and 

MAUDE  TARBUTTON 

Richard  (Dick)  Waddell  was  bom  in  Orange, 
Massachusetts.  He  lived  most  of  his  younger  years  in 
Truro,  Nova  Scotia,  and  came  to  Squirrel  in  1907. 
He  was  related  to  George  Waddell. 

Dick  purchased  land  two  miles  east  of  the 
Squirrel  Store.  He  married  Maude  Tarbutton,  a 
teacher  at  the  Squirrel  School.  They  had  a  daughter, 
Mary  Beth.  Maude  died  when  the  child  was  nine 
months  old. 

Dick  then  married  Muriel  House  who  was 
teaching  at  the  Highland  School.  They  had  three 
daughters;  Barbara  (Nelson),  Margaret  (Grecnhalgh) 
and  Jean  (Clark). 

Dick  passed  away  April  20,  1962.  Muriel 
lived  in  Ash  ton. 

Snake  River  Echos,  Page  102 


m 


<i;u 


d- 

1908 

d- 

1951 

d- 

1913 

d- 

1941 

d- 

1966 

d- 

1892  child 

JOHN  ALONZO  WADE 

AND 
OLIVE  FIDELIA  FERRIN 


CfflLDREN: 

(1)  Belinda  Jannetta         b-  1878 
md-  Abraham  Zitting 

(2)  Alice  Fidelia  b-  1880 
md-  (1)  Burton  Guthrie 

(2)  Christian  Hansen 

(3)  Medora  b-  1882 
md-  Simon  Saunders 

(4)  John  Franklin  b-  1884 
md-  Florence  Marie  White 

(5)  Robert  Mc  Bride        b-  1886 
md-  Lydia  A.  Stolworthy 

(6)  Alonzo  Howard         b-  1889 


As  an  early  member  of  the  Farnum  and 
Drummond  areas,  I  can  only  relate  a  few  things  I 
recall  while  growing  up  in  Idaho. 

Olive  Fedelia  (Ferrin)  Wade  brought  her 
family  to  Idaho,  to  settle  the  area.  My  grandfather, 
John  Alonzo  Wade,  died  2  Oaober  1891  before  his 
wife  Olive  and  their  two  son's  came  to  Farnum 
around  1905.  My  father  John  Franklin  and 
grandmother  homesteaded  land  in  the  Farnum  area, 
(note:  Olive  F.  Wade,  L.  D.  S.  membership  record 
No.9,  Farnum  Branch  records,  prior  to  1905).  My 
mother,  Florence  Marie  White,  daughter  of  George 
White  and  Phoebe  Ann  Saunders,  was  bom  in  Teton 
City,  Idaho  26  June  1893.  She  married  my  father  7 
September,  1910  at  Squirtel,  Fremont,  Idaho.  They 
had  four  Children,  Gerald  John,  Rulon  Alonzo, 
Erma,  and  Murlin  Franklin.  All  of  the  children  were 
born  in  Farnum. 

I  Murlon  Franklin  was  born  17  November 
1917  in  our  home,  delivered  by  my  father,  assisted  by 
Marian  Bratt  White,  my  aunt.  She  wrapped  mc  in  a 
blanket  and  placed  me  by  my  mothers  side  to  keep 
me  warm  until  Dr.  Hargis  arrived  to  take  over.  One 
of  the  stories  related  that  Garold  and  Rulon  were  sent 
outside.  Dr.  Hargis  asked  Erma  my  sister,  who  was 
three  years  old  if  he  could  have  some  of  her  cotton,  as 
her  hair  was  so  white. 

I  don't  know  how  long  we  lived  in  Farnum 
as  my  parents  sold  the  form  and  moved  to  the  Driggs 
area  where  they  had  purchased  a  ranch.  Dad  was 
always  a  hard  worker  and  loved  to  work  with  cattle 
and  horses.  I  understand  that  the  ranch  he  bought 
had  a  second  mortgage  that  they  knew  nothing 
about,  so  they  lost  the  ranch.  They  moved  to  a  farm 
located  in  the  Judkins  area.  Although  only  three 
years  old  I  can  remember  living  on  that  farm  until 
mother  died  on  April  28,  1921. 

My  grandmother  Olive  Fidelia  Ferrin  Wade, 
left  Idaho  about  1920  to  live  with  her  brother 
Howard  Ferrin  and  my  great  Grandmother  Janetta 
Ann  McBridc  in  Pima,  Arizona,  where  she  was  also 
nearer  to  her  brothers  and  sisters. 


Dad  took  us  children  to  Arizona  in  the  fall 
of  1925  and  we  stayed  with  Uncle  Billy  and 
Grandma  until  the  spring  of  1926. 
Grandma  returned  to  Idaho  with  us  and  lived  with  us 
most  of  the  time.  She  was  living  in  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho  with  her  daughter,  Alice  Hansen  at  the  time  of 
her  death  on  April  4,  1935. 

Grandma,  Olive  Fidelia  Ferrin  Wade,  was  the 
oldest  child  of  Jacob  Samuel  Ferrin  and  Janetta  Mc 
Bride.  She  was  born  in  Ogden,  Utah  and  married 
John  Alonzo  Wade  at  age  18.  She  had  six  children: 
Belinda  Janetta  Wade  married  Abraham  Zitting. 

Alfi-ed  was  the  oldest  son,  he  married  Goldie . 

Grant  was  next,  he  never  married  and  is  living  with 
his  sister  Freida  in  Twin  Falls.  Freida  married 
Leonard  Ross  and  lived  several  years  in  Clementsville 
area,  they  had  three  children,  Belva,  Vera,  and 
Blaine. 

Alice  Fedelia  married  William  Burton 
Guthrie.  They  had  three  children,  Bert,  Emma,  and 
Alonzo.  (note  Lavon  Law  Guthrie  stated,  the  third 
child  as  Alonzo).  After  Uncle  Bert  died  she  married 
Christian  Hansen.  They  had  five  children:  Christian, 
Paul,  Edward,  Clifford,  and  Gail. 

Madora  married  Simon  Saunders.  I  don't 
remember  much  about  them.  They  lived  in  Shelly, 
Idaho.  They  were  married  22,  March  1899.  They 
had  seven  Children. 

John  Franklin  married  Florence  Marie 
White,  7  September  1910,  they  have  four  children. 

Robert  Mc  Bride  Wade  married  Lydia  Albina 
Stolworthy,  they  have  five  children.  Alonzo  Howard 
Wade  the  son  of  John  Alonzo  and  Olive  Fidalia 
Wade,  died  as  a  child  at  the  age  of  three 

After  mother  died  my  brothers,  sister  and  I 
lived  with  relatives  so  that  dad  could  work  to  support 
us.  We  lived  in  the  Clementsville  area  most  of  the 
time  and  for  a  while,  after  grandma  came  back  to 
Idaho,  we  lived  in  Rcxburg. 

We  moved  to  American  Falls  in  1928,  where 
we  lived  until  my  father  died.  He  married  Lillie 
Robertson  Bryant,  in  1929  and  for  the  first  time 
since  mother  died  we  were  a  family,  for  a  while. 
Rulon  remained  in  the  Rexburg  area  where  he  and 
his  wife,  Eva  Elaine  Munns,  dry-farmed  for  several 
years.  Lillie  died  in  December  1940  at  American 
Falls.  Dad  died  in  September  1941. 
Only  a  few  of  the  early  settlers  are  still  living,  some  in 
Idaho,  Utah,  Oregon,  New  Mexico  and  Arizona.  I 
am  the  last  of  John  Franklin  Wade's  children  and 
have  lived  in  Mesa,  Arizona  for  the  past  thirty  years. 

By:  Murlin  F.  Wade. 

Murlon 's  Children: 

(1)  Barry  Jay  b- 1942 
md-  Florence  Kathym  Jolley 

(2)  Steven  b-  1957        d-1957Stillbom 

(3)  Julie  b-  1959 
md-  Bryan  Kent  Lilly 


366 


BELINDA  JANNETTA  WADE 

and 

ABRAHAM  ZITTING 

Belinda  Jannctta,  daughter  of  John  Alonzo 
Wade  and  Olive  Fidelia  Ferrin,  was  bom  7  July  1878 
at  Pleasant  View,  Weber  County,  Utah.  She  was  13 
years  old  when  her  fiather  died  2  October  1891, 
leaving  her  mother  with  6  children  to  raise. 

Around  1896  people  from  PLeasant  View, 
Utah  were  hearing  of  land  being  opened  up  for 
homesteading  in  South  Eastern,  Idaho,  others  had 
gone  up  to  the  Fall  River  ,  Idaho  area  and  liked  the 
looks  of  the  land  and  some  were  slowly  working  their 
way  into  the  green  fertile  area. 

John  Alonzo's  femily  (most  of  them  grown 
and  some  married)  decided  they  would  move  to  that 
area.  Olive  Fidelia  and  two  sons  applied  for  a 
homestead  in  the  Famum,  Lillian  area.  They  had  left 
comfortable  homes  and  many  conveniences  to  go  to 
an  area,  where  there  were  very  few  homes,  the  ones 
that  were  there  were  mostly  all  log  homes  with  sod 
roofs,  or  people  still  living  in  covered  wagons  and 
trying  to  build  homes.  Times  were  hard  every  one 
had  to  work  to  make  a  Hving.  These  are  the  con- 
ditions Olive  and  her  family  found.  Winters  were 
hard.  It  wasn't  long  until  the  grown  children  were 
marrying  and  starting  their  own  homes  and  families. 

ALICE  FIDELLA.  WADE 

MD 

(I)  WILLIAM  BURTON  GUTHRIE 

(2)  CHRISTIAN  HANSEN 

Alice  Wade,  daughter  of  John  Alonzo  Wade 
and  Olive  Fidelia  Ferrin,  was  bom  in  Pleasnt  View, 
Weber  County,  Utah,  14  August  1880.    She  married 
Will  Guthrie  in  Utah.  They  were  the  parents 
of  3  children: 

(1)  Thomas  Burton  Guthrie  md  La  von  Law. 

(2)  Emma  md  William  Morton,  of  St.  Anthony . 

(3)  Alonzo  died  at  age  15-16,  in  Famum  Idaho. 

William  Guthrie  died  in  1905.  Soon  after 
Alice  and  her  three  children  came  to  Famum,  where 
her  mother  Olive  Wade  and  brothers  and  sisters  lived. 

While  living  in  Farnum  she  met  a  young 
widower,  Nels  Christian  Hansen  who  had  a  young 
baby  boy.  The  wife  dying  at  the  birth  of  this  baby. 
The  babys  name  was  James  Andrew  Hanson. 

CHILDREN  OF  AUCE  F.  WADE 
AND  CHRISTL\N  HANSEN 

(1)  Christian  married  Rca  Allgood. 

(2)  Paul  married  Vera  Browning. 

(3)  Edward      drowned  in  the  island  Park  Lake. 

(4)  Gail  married  LaRae  Beck. 

(5)  Clifford      Married  Saphronia  Peterson. 

Around  1913  the  family  left  Farnum  and 
moved  to  Clementsville,  Idaho. 

Mr.  Hansen  was  killed  while  working  on  a 


Government  project.  He  was  buried  in  the  Famum 
Cemetery,  as  was  the  two  sons  Alonzo  and  Edward. 
Mrs.  Hansen  continued  to  live  in  Clementsville  and 
St.  Anthony.  She  died  at  the  age  of  76  and  is  buried 
in  the  Famum  Cemetery.  She  has  at  this  rime  96 
descendants  24  step  grandchildren.  Grandma  Hansen 
always  spoke  fond  memories  of  Famum. 

I  remember  going  up  to  the  Famum  Ward  as 
a  little  child  when  the  Twin  Groves  Ward  girls  went 
up  there  to  play  ball.  After  the  game  the  Famum  Ward 
had    home    made    ice    cream    for    all    of    us. 

I  love  to  go  up  to  the  cemetery  in  the  spring 
and  look  over  the  beautiful  scenery. 

Compiled  by  Lavon  Guthrie,  daughter  in  law. 

EVERETT  ALANSON  WATTS 

and 

IDA  POTTER 


Evcrca  Ailason  and  Ida  Potter  Watts 


367 


Ida  and  Everett  by  homestead  home 


i 

CO 


C(/:c-i 


Evcrct  Alanson  Watts  was  bom  July  31, 1882, 
in  Tcrryvillc,  now  known  as  the  'Hidden  City',  near 
Deadwood,  South  Dakota.  He  was  the  eldest  of  two 
sons  born  to  Alanson  Clough  Watts  and  Lucy 
Gertrude  Schmitt.  When  Everett  was  two  years  old, 
the  femily  moved  to  Connecticut,  where  his  brother 
was  bom,  but  they  returned  to  the  Black  Hills  in 
Dakota  Territory. 

Everett's  Father  worked  for  the  Rattler 
Company  involved  in  Gold  Mining  in  and  around 
Deadwood,  South  Dakota.  On  September  25,  1886 
he  was  killed  in  a  tragic  mine  accident  while  working 
as  a  carpenter  in  the  Homestake  Gold  Mine.  His 
mother  then  moved  the  family  to  her  father's  ranch 
near  Billings,  Montana.  After  four  years  she  married 
Joseph  Harris  Beals. 

The  family  made  several  moves  in  the  next 
few  years  and  while  living  in  Wyoming,  Everett  started 
his  schooling  in  a  one  room  log  cabin  with  a  dirt  floor 
and  an  open  fireplace  for  heat.  The  benches  were 
crude  half  slabs  of  timber  and  he  used  a  slate  to  write 
on. 

In  1893  Everett  was  eleven  when  he  went 
with  his  step-father  to  work  in  the  gold  fields  in  and 
around  Ennis,  Montana.  His  mother  and  two 
brothers  went  to  Ennis  the  next  year  and  she  operated 
the  Ennis  hotel  for  a  few  years. 

Harry  Beals  purchased  forty  acres  of  ground 
on  Jack  Creek  in  Ennis  in  1896.  Everett  was  now 
almost  fourteen  and  he  helped  dear  the  land,  helped 
build  a  log  home  for  the  growing  family,  built  animal 
shelters  and  farmed  while  going  to  school.  This  was  to 
b>e  their  permanent  home.  He  had  four  half  brothers 
and  one  half  sister  all  of  whom  stayed  in  Montana. 

When  Everett  was  fourteen  he  had  his  first 
jobs  away  from  home  with  several  ranchers  in  the  area. 
He  was  a  logger,  herded  stock  on  the  open  range,  a 
sheepherder  and  drove  the  stage  between  Ennis  and 
Norris,  Montana.  He  also  freighted  for  several  years 
before  and  after  his  marriage. 

In  the  spring  of  1903  he  went  to  work  for 
the  Hamilton  Ranch  near  old  Bannock,  Montana.  It 
was  during  this  summer  he  met  Ida  Sarah  Potter  of 
Chester,  Idaho.  She  was  there  helping  cook  for  the 
men.  Ida  was  the  daughter  of  Heber  Carlos  and  Julia 
Deseret  (Hofine)  Potter  of  Chester.  Her  father  and 
brothers  contracted  to  harvest  the  hay  for 
T.H.Hamilton  (land  and  cattle  man)  for  several 
summers. 

Everett  and  Ida  courted  for  about  a  year. 
Early  in  July  1905  Everett  went  to  Chester  so  they 
could  be  married.  In  order  for  them  to  get  their 
marriage  license  they  had  to  ford  Fall  River  and  Snake 
River  because  the  two  bridges  to  St.  Anthony  (the 
County  Seat)  had  been  washed  out.  Everett  and  Ida 
were  married  July  5,  1905. 

Shordy  after  their  marriage  they  returned  to 
Montana,  they  lived  close  to  to  his  mother  and 
stepfather  on  Jack  Creek.  Everett  freighted  and  logged 
for  the  next  four  years. 


368 


In  June  of  1906,  Ethel  their  first  child  was 
born  and  Ellis  their  second  child  was  born  in 
December  1907. 

Work  became  scarce  in  the  area  so  in  August 
1909,  they  loaded  their  family  possessions  in  their 
wagon  and  with  their  two  children  left  Montana  and 
headed  for  Chester,  Idaho.  It  took  them  several  days 
to  make  the  trip.  After  arriving  in  Chester  they  moved 
into  a  small  log  home  near  her  family.  September  1, 
Lcland  was  bom.  In  the  spring  of  1910  Everett  and 
Ida  homesteaded  a  pcicc  of  land  at  Famum.  The  life 
of  a  homesteading  family  was  never  easy.  The  first 
thing  Everett  did  was  dear  the  land,  then  built  a  log 
house  for  the  family  and  a  shelter  for  the  animals.  He 
made  a  dstem  to  hold  their  drinking  water  after  they 
hauled  it  from  Fall  River.  They  bought  some  cows, 
pigs  and  chickens  and  started  farming  along  with 
building  fences. 

Everett  and  Ida  worked  very  hard  and  put  in 
long  days.  They  raised  wheat,  oats,  barley.  They 
raised  a  garden  to  feed  their  growing  family.  Three 
daughters  and  a  son  were  born  while  living  on  the 
farm.  Ida  raised  lots  of  chickens  and  kept  older  hens 
for  eggs.  She  made  buncr  and  took  it  along  with 
several  dozen  eggs  to  the  store  in  Ashton  each  week 
and  traded  them  for  the  supplies  she  needed. 

Times  were  hard  so  in  1914  or  15,  Everett 
bought  a  steam  engine  and  a  grain  thresher  and 
started  custom  farming  in  the  area.  He  was  away  for 
days.  Ida  and  the  boys  had  to  take  care  of  things  on 
the  farm  while  they  were  away. 

They  were  acrive  in  the  community.  They 
went  to  dances  and  visited  their  neighbors.  The  four 
older  children  went  to  school  in  Famum. 

In  1919  after  World  War  1,  during  the 
depression  years,  time  got  very  rough  for  Everett  and 
Ida  so  they  gave  up  farming  and  moved  to  Ashton  in 
1921.  He  worked  in  Ashton  and  for  Fremont 
County,  building  roads  and  bridges.. 

On  February  1,  1923  he  started  to  work  for 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  a  career  that  lasted  for 
thirty  years.  In  1925  their  last  child  a  girl  was  bom  in 
Ashton.  Everett  was  trasferred  to  Buhl,  Idaho  in  1939 
and  continued  working  for  the  Railroad  until  his 
retirement  in  1953  at  the  age  of  71. 

Everett  was  a  devoted  husband  and  father  of 
eight  children,  losing  the  youngest  boy  in  Ashton  in 
1922. 

Everett  and  Ida  were  true  pioneers  and  had 
very  full  and  exciting  lives  in  spite  of  the  hardships. 
They  beleived  that  the  people  should  keep  busy,  that 
they  were  happier  and  healthier.  Everett  passed  away 
September22,  1963  and  is  buried  in  the  Pineview 
Cemetery  in  Ashton.  Ida  passed  away  April  9,  1970 
and  is  also  buried  in  Ashton. 

Everett  Watts  gaurded  the  train  at  West 
Yellowstone,  Montana  for  five  days.  While  President 
Franklin  D.  Roosevelt  visited  and  was  giving  speeches 
therein  July  of  1935. 

By:  Etta  Watts  Patton  a  dau.(November  1984) 


CHILDREN: 

1)  Ethel  Arvclla  b-  1906 
md-  Hazcn  Hcxigcs 

2)  Ellis  Alanson  b-  1907 
md-  Vivian  Mikcsell 

3)  Lcland  Carlos  b-  1909 
md-  Mary  Ellen  Gcycr 

4)  Gertrude  Sarah  b-  1912 
md-  Ira  Hastings  Mcx)re 

5)  Julia  Iretta  b-  1917 
md-  Ira  Hastings  Moore 

6)  Etta  Pearl  b-  1919 
md-  William  Jay  Patton 

7)  Clifford  James  b-  1920 

8)  Faye  Rozclla  b-  1925 
md-  William  Elmer  Palmer 


d-  1977 
d-  1979 


d-  1922  Infent 


ETHEL  ARVELLA  WATTS 

and 

HAZEN  HODGES 


Ethel  Watts  and  Hazcn  Hodges 

Ethel  Arvella  Watts  was  the  oldest  child  of 
Everett  Alanson  and  Ida  Potter  Watts  was  bom  June 
22,  1906  at  Jefferson,  Madison,  Montana.  Her 
brother  Ellis  was  also  bom  there. 

When  Ethel  was  four  years  of  age  the  family 
moved  with  a  team  of  horses  and  wagon  to  Chester, 
Fremont,  Idaho.  They  spent  that  winter  in  Chester 
and  in  the  spring  her  father  homesteaded  on  a  farm  at 
Famum.  This  is  where  she  started  her  schooling. 

Being  the  oldest  she  had  a  busy  childhood, 
growing  up  on  a  farm  and  helping  taking  care  of  her 
younger  brothers  and  sisters. 

During  the  flu  years  of  1918  and  1919  the 
family  really  had  a  hard  time  keeping  well.  She  lived 
in  Famum  until  1921  when  her  father  gave  up 
farming  and  moved  to  Ash  ton. 

While  living  in  Ashton  she  met  Hazen 
Hodges  and  they  were  married  June  30,  1925  in  St. 
Anthony.   They  made  their  home  in  Ashton  and  lived 


in  an  apartment  in  her  parents  home  until  1939  when 
they  moved  to  St.  Anthony. 

Her  fether  bought  a  hotel  in  Ashton  and  tore 
it  down  to  build  the  large  home.  Her  husband  Hazen 
helped  build  it.  It  was  while  living  there  their  son 
Clarence  H.  was  bom  Feb  1928. 

Ethel  worked  for  many  years  in  the  various 
seed  houses  in  Ashton  and  St.  Anthony.  After  they 
moved  to  St.  Anthony  she  drove  to  Ashton  for  a  while 
to  pick  peas  but  later  found  work  dose  to  home.  She 
also  cut  seed  potatoes  for  many  farmers  in  the  area 
after  the  seed  houses  dosed  until  ill  health  forced  her 
to  retire  in  1961. 

When  a  cousin  of  Hazen's  (her  Husband) 
passed  away  at  an  early  age,  they  took  the  two  children 
to  raise  until  the  girl  Nedra  was  married  and  the  boy 
Nolan  went  into  the  service.  They  had  some  rough 
times  but  always  managed  to  set  a  good  table  and  had 
dothes  to  wear. 

Ethel  was  a  hard  worker  throughout  her  life. 
She  did  lots  of  canning,  cooking  mending  clothes, 
and  made  beautiful  quilts.  She  had  many  hobbies, 
some  were  crocheting, embroidery,  knitting  and 
fishing  with  her  husband,  son  and  many  friends. 

She  made  her  own  soap  and  always  said  it  was 
better  than  what  she  could  buy. 

She  and  Hazen  celebrated  their  50th  wedding 
anniversary  June  1975,  which  she  enjoyed  very  much 
espedally  seeing  relatives  and  many  friends. 

She,  Hazen,  and  son  Clarence,  brother 
Lcland  and  wife  Mary  took  a  trip  to  Mexico  and 
California  early  in  the  spring  of  1977.  She  caught  a 
bad  cold  on  this  trip  which  later  turned  into 
pneumonia  and  she  passed  away  April  22,  1977  a  few 
days  after  they  arrived  home. 

She  had  many  friends  and  all  who  knew  her 
loved  and  respected  her.  She  is  buried  in  the  Pineview 
Cemetery  in  Ashton,  Idaho. 


CHILDREN: 
(1)  Clarence  H. 

md-  never  married. 


b-1928 


369 


ELUS  ALANSON  WATTS 

and 

VTVTAN  MIKESELL 

Ellis  Alanson  Watts  was  bom  December  15, 
1907,  to  Everett  Alanson  and  Ida  Potter  Watts,  in 
Jcffers,  Madison  County  Montana.  He  was  the  second 
child  in  a  family  of  eight  children. 

In  1909,  when  he  was  two  years  old  his 
parents  moved  to  Famum,  Fremont  County,  Idaho. 
This  was  a  small  farming  community  just  about  six 
miles  from  Ashton,  Fremont  County,  Idaho.  They 
lived  here  until  the  four  older  children  were  old 
enough  to  go  to  school,  then  they  moved  to  Ashton 
where  his  father  worked  for  the  Union  Padfic  Railroad. 

When  Ellis  was  about  nine  years  of  age  he  was 
helping  his  father  and  unde  on  the  thresher  and  as 


3 


« 


Vivian  MikscU  and  Ellis  A.  Warn 

they  were  leaving  the  field  Ellis  stepped  into  a  badger 
hole  and  broke  his  leg.  (A  green  willow  break  which 
meant  that  the  bone  was  broken  up  and  down  the  leg 
instead  of  across,  so  he  couldn't  walk  on  it).  His 
father  went  on  home  leaving  him  to  walk,  because  he 
didn't  know  that  Ellis  had  broken  his  leg.  The  pain 
got  so  bad  Ellis  stayed  in  the  field  all  night.  The  next 
morning  his  father  got  worried  when  he  didn't  come 
home,  so  he  got  some  of  the  men  in  the  area  together 
and  they  went  to  look  for  him.  They  looked  and 
looked  for  him.  They  finally  found  him  in  a  haystack. 
Ellis  had  dragged  himself  to  the  haystack  and  dug  a 
hole  in  the  stack  and  crawled  back  into  it.  He  stayed 
there  all  night  but  the  pain  was  so  bad  when  they 
found  him  he  was  delirious.  They  rushed  him  to  the 
doctor  and  the  doctor  wanted  to  amputate,  but  his 
parents  begged  him  not  to,  and  with  their  faith  and 
prayers  the  leg  finally  healed,  but  took  several  years 
and  it  was  always  gave  him  problems  throughout  his 
life. 

When  Ellis  was  fourteen  years  old  he  left 
home  and  went  to  live  with  his  aunt  and  uncle,  Pearl 
and  Clifford  Watts.  He  finished  the  eighth  grade  in 
the  school  at  St.  Anthony. 

Clifford  was  working  for  the  county  and  got 
Ellis  a  job  with  him  during  the  summer  months. 
Clifford  then  went  to  work  for  the  State  of  Idaho  so 
Ellis  quit  school  and  worked  for  the  state  also.  He  was 
only  fifteen  years  of  age,  but  he  lied  about  his  age  and 
as  he  was  rather  large  for  his  age,  he  got  by  with  it. 

In  1924,  at  age  17,  he  took  the  first  snow 
plow  through  the  Yellowstone  Park.  They  started  out 
on  the  first  day  of  June  and  it  took  them  six  weeks  to 
go  from  West  Yellowstone  to  Old  Faithfiil  and  back, 
so  on  the  fifteenth  of  July  the  roads  were  open  to 
travel. 

In  1929  he  was  transferred  to  Soda  Springs 
where  he  was  working  for  the  State  of  Idaho  and 


living  with  Earl  and  Ruby  Chatterton.  He  was  twenty 
seven  years  young  and  in  February  that  year  he  met 
Vivian  Mikesell  and  on  May  12,  1934  they  were 
married.  To  this  marriage  there  were  three  children 
bom.  Ellis  quit  the  State  and  went  to  work  for  the 
dty  of  Soda  Springs  as  street  maintenance  foreman. 
There  he  worked  until  his  retirement  in  1969.  After 
the  children  were  gone  from  home  they  did  a  lot  of 
traveling,  and  in  1979  they  sold  their  home  and 
moved  to  St.  George,  then  in  July  of  that  year  they 
moved  to  LaVcrkin,  Utah.  Ellis  became  ill  in  August 
of  that  same  year,it  was  deteaed  that  he  had  cancer. 
He  was  brought  back  to  Soda  Springs  the  first  week  of 
September  and  he  was  buried  in  the  Fairview 
Cemetery  in  Soda  Springs,  Idaho. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Gwenavere 

(2)  LaVar 

(3)  Ronald 

b-  1935 
b-  1937 
b-  1943 

LET. AND  CARLOS  WAITS 

and 

MARY  ELLEN  GEYER 

Mary  and  Lcland  Watts 


k 

<* 

370 


Shirley,  Gale,  Kit,  Kerry,  Carlos 

Mom  and  dad  were  living  in  Jeffers,  Montana 
when  Ethel  and  Ellis  were  bom.  They  came  to  Idaho 


in  August  1909.  Shortly  after  they  arrived  in  Idaho  I 
was  born  Wednesday  September  1,  1909,  at  Uncle 
Sam  Brown's  farm  one  half  mile  south  of  Fall  River, 
Chester  Idaho. 

My  parents  are  Everett  A.  and  Ida  Potter 
Watts.  We  moved  to  Famum  in  1910  and  lived  there 
through  1915.  Gertie  was  bom  in  1912.  We  moved 
to  Chester  in  1915  and  I  started  to  school  in  the  first 
grade,  Alice  Kclley  was  my  first  teacher.  In  1916  we 
moved  back  to  Famum  and  Julia  Iretta  was  born  in 
1917. 

In  1918,  was  a  bad  flu  year,  people  who  had 
cars  could  drive  their  cars  all  winter.  Etta  was  bom  in 
1919  and  little  Clifford  was  bom  in  1920,  both  at 
Famum. 

Dad  sold  all  his  machinery  in  1920  and 
moved  to  Ashton  in  the  spring  of  1921.  We  lived  in 
the  George  Merrick  home.  We  sold  garden  stuff,  milk 
and  eggs  in  1921,  We  moved  to  the  Seeley  place  in 
1922  and  litde  Clifford  died  that  year. 

I  got  a  job  on  the  Ed  Carrey  form  in  1923,  I 
milked  cows  and  did  farm  work.  In  1924  I  went  to 
work  for  Allen  Brother's  Seed  company,  rogueing 
peas. 

In  1925  Dad  bought  the  old  Wilson  Hotel 
and  we  tore  it  down  to  build  our  home  in  Ashton. 
Faye  was  bom  that  year. 

In  1926  I  graduated  from  the  8th  grade  and 
quit  school  in,  1927.  I  went  to  work  for  the  state  of 
Idaho  in  1928,  1929,  and  1930,  building  the 
Yellowstone  Highway.  In  1931,  and  1932  moved  to 
West  Yellowstone,  and  helped  build  the  Old  Faithful 
and  Mammoth  road.  I  came  back  home  in  the  early 
fall  of  that  year  as  Dad  had  leased  a  threshing  outfit. 
We    custom    threshed    the    rest    of   that    fall. 

I  went  to  Portland,  Oregon  in  1932,  to 
National  Aviation  School,  I  came  back  in  1933,  and 
helped  build  Cave  Falls  road  that  year.  Later  in  1933 
I  met  Mary  Ellen  Geyer,  we  were  married  21 
November  1934. 

In  1935  I  went  to  work  for  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad,  I  quit  and  went  to  work  as  a  carpenter  for 
Leslie  Whitcmore.  In  1936  I  took  a  job  at  a  saw  mill 
carrying  groceries  and  mill  work  for  $50.00  dollars 
month.  Shirley  was  born  March  26,  1936.  We 
moved  to  Rexburg  in  1937  and  I  helped  build  the 
Rexburg  Mill.  I  came  back  to  Ashton  and  worked  for 
the  Fremont  County,  again  in  1938. 

I  went  to  work  for  the  State  of  Idaho  again  in 
1939  and  1940.  Gale  was  bom  in  1939.  The  state 
job  terminated  so  went  to  work  for  the  Forest  service. 
It  too  terminated,  then  I  went  to  work  for  the  Fish 
and  Game.  We  moved  to  American  Falls,  from  there 
to  Hagerman  and  back  to  Lava.  I  quit  and  came  back 
to  Ashton  and  went  to  work  for  the  Associated  and 
Mark  Means  Seed  Company. 

Went  to  work  for  the  State  of  Idaho  in  1943 
and  1944.  When  the  job  was  finished  we  moved  to 
Pocatello  and  worked  for  a  refinery  company.  I  quit 
and  came  back  to  Ashton  and  went  to  work  for 


Timmons  Implement  Company.  Kit  was  born  in 
1947,  Kerry  was  bom  in  1951  and  Carlos  in  1954. 
During  this  time  I  did  yard  work  and  spud  work. 

Mary  and  I  did  janitor  work  from  1961  to 
1974,  when  I  retired  from  my  job  with  Timmons  I 
had  worked  there  for  31  years  as  a  mechanic  on  John 
Deere  machinery. 

Since  then  I  do  work  at  my  home  on  mowers, 
small  engines  and  etc.  I  enjoy  going  to  church  and 
the  callings  I  have. 

By:  Lcland  Watts. 

Note:  Leland  has  always  liked  and  enjoyed  reading 
History,  especially  of  the  people  and  places  in  the 
West.  He  loves  antiques  and  will  talk  for  hours  on  old 
traaors  and  engines.  He  is  a  successful  hunter  and 
over  the  years  has  brought  in  sagehens,  grouse, 
pheasants,  deer,  elk,  bear,  moose  and  more.  Every 
year  he  goes  to  the  hills  and  gets  out  wood  for  the 
long  Ashton  Wmters.  He  loves  to  meet  people  and 
has  many  friends. 

B.P.(June  1984) 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Shirley  b-  1936 

(2)  Gale  b-  1939 

(3)  Kit  b-  1947 

(4)  Kerry  b-  1951 

(5)  Carlos  b-  1954 

GERTRUDE  WATTS 

and 
BERNARD  STARR 


371 


Bernard  D.  Starr  and  Gertrude  Watts 

I,  Gertrude  (Gertie)  Sarah),  Watts  was  born 
on  a  cold  stormy  Sunday  at  Famum,  Fremont,  Idaho. 
It  was  after  midnight  on  December  1,  1912.  My 
parents  were  Everett  Alanson  Watts  and  Ida  Sarah 
Potter  Watts.  They  couldn't  get  a  Doctor  so  they  had 
a  midwife,  Mrs.  Ratcliff,  to  assist  in  the  birth. 


Wc  lived  a  mile  away  from  the  school  house. 
We  had  to  cross  a  canyon  and  there  were  wild  animals 
in  the  canyon.  In  the  winter  we  went  to  school  in  a 
covered  sleigh  pulled  by  horses.  We  then  rode  nine 
miles  to  pick  up  others  along  the  way.  Our  lunch  was 
a  sandwich  and  dried  fruit.  Our  lunch  pails  were  lard 
pails  with  a  handle  made  with  wire.  My  teacher  was 
Mrs.  Pete  Madison. 

I  lived  on  the  farm  for  eight  years  and  have 
very  fond  memories  of  our  life  there.  Our  neighbors 
were  the  John  Van  Sickles  and  the  Bingham  femily.  I 
remember  the  Schofield,  Whitmores,  Henrys, 
Murdochs,  and  Chichesters. 

We  moved  to  Ashton  in  1920.  I  attended 
school  there  also.  I  lived  with  several  families  and 
helped  take  care  of  their  children.  I  worked  for  a  seed 
company  for  several  years.  I  spent  a  summer  at  Victor 
cooking  and  keeping  house  for  my  father.  My  two 
sisters  Iretta  and  Etta  were  both  there  with  our  father 
and  me. 

I  spent  three  summers  at  the  Bechler  Ranger 
Station  in  Wyoming.  Bechler  Ranger  station  was  an 
old  soldiers  fort  in  the  early  1800's,  the  soldiers 
guarded  the  Park  border  before  they  had  Park 
rangers. 

We  went  on  a  pack  trip  to  Beulah  Lake  to 
count  the  campers  and  fishermen  and  also  to  see  how 
many  fish  they  had.  On  the  pack  horse  we  carried  a 
shovel,  pail  and  an  axe,  camera  and  lunches.  The  trip 
was  from  SAM  -  8:PM.  We  followed  a  blazed  trail. 
At  the  Ranger  Station  they  had  short  wave  radio,  a 
Park  Service  telephone  and  a  Forest  Service 
telephone.  Every  morning  we  had  to  call  Mammoth, 
the  head  quarters  for  Yellowstone  Park.  Every 
Wednesday  I  called  the  guard  station  to  see  if  the 
guard  needed  supplies.  If  no  one  was  around  and  I 
saw  a  smoke  I  would  climb  a  hundred  foot  tower  and 
see  which  direction  the  smoke  was,  then  I  would  call 
in  if  it  was  the  Park  or  on  the  Forest  Service  land. 
There  were  wild  animals  in  the  park. 

I  moved  with  the  Forest  Ranger  and  family 
to  St.Anthony  because  he  was  transferred  to  the 
Forest  Service  from  the  Park  Service.  They  had  two 
children.  Two  families  had  spent  the  winter  at  the 
Bechler  Ranger  Station.  They  wanted  me  to  stay  but 
I  packed  my  luggage  when  the  first  snow  came  and 
went  to  Ashton.  Sometimes  Bechler  had  nine  feet  of 
snow. 

I  spent  almost  a  year  in  St.  Anthony  then  I 
moved  with  the  family  to  the  Charleston  Park  Ranger 
Station  in  Nevada,  twenty  five  miles  from  Las  Vegas. 

I  was  married  in  Pocatello  and  moved  to 
Buhl.  I  worked  in  a  bakery.  I  worked  on  five 
machines  besides  being  a  clerk  and  helping  with  rolls, 
donuts,  pies,  and  cakes.  The  bakery  made  baked 
goods  for  cafe's  and  supplied  buns  for  the  Twin  Falls 
county  fair  at  Filer.  I  decorated  wedding  cakes, 
birthday  cakes  and  all  kinds  of  party  cakes.  The 
largest  cake  would  serve  one-hundred  twenty -five 
people,  the  cake  went  to  Jerome,  Idaho.  I  made  a  lot 


of  my  own  patterns  for  the  cakes.  They  would  make 
one  hundred  twenty-five  pies  and  lots  of  sweet  rolls, 
donuts,  bread  rolls  and  bread.  I  worked  in  the  bakery 
for  ten  years. 

I  was  married  to  Bernard  D.  Starr  from  Buhl 
on  June  10,  1953  at  Pocatello.  Bernard  was  city  clerk 
for  thirty  two  years  and  four  months.  Bernard  was 
retired  for  eight  years  when  he  passed  away  February 
16,  1980  at  home,  of  a  massive  heart  attack.  I  have 
been  alone  more  than  eight  years.  I  had  no  children 
but  have  taken  care  of  a  lot  fiar  other  peoples. 

I  have  many  hobbies,  made  quilts,  knitting, 
tatting,  crocheting,  oil  painting,  photo  oil  painting 
and  wood-burning,  and  many  art  and  crafts.  In  the 
winter  I  take  care  of  homes  while  people  are  in 
Arizona.  One  house  I  take  care  of  for  five  months 
and  the  other  for  six  months. 

I  lived  in  Ashton  eighteen  years.  I  moved  to 
Buhl  July  31,  1939. 1  thought  I  never  would  get  used 
to  the  desert  heat  after  living  near  the  mountains.  I 
always  felt  at  home  in  Famum  and  Ashton. 

It's  great  to  be  an  American  and  have  the 
freedoms  we  have. 

By:  Gertrude  Watts  Starr 

IRETTA  WATTS 

and 

HASTINGS  MOORE 


372 


Iretta  Watts  and  Ira  Hastings  Moore 

Nine  miles  south  of  Ashton,  Idaho  is  a  litde 
dry  farm  community  known  as  Famum  in  Fremont 
County.  Here  I  was  bom  May  30,  1917  to  Everett 
Alanson  and  Ida  Sarah  (Potter)  Watts. 

I  lived  in  Famum  until  I  was  three  years  old. 
I  remember  the  three -room  log  house  that  my  father 
built.  Famum  had  a  store,  post  office  and  a  school 
house  that  held  eight  grades  at  that  time. 

We  had  a  cistern  that  we  filled  with  water 
from  Fall  River.  I  would  look  down  in  it  and  was 
scared  because  it  looked  so  deep  and  dark. 


I  started  baby  sitting  around  the  age  of  eleven 
years  old,  also  did  house  work  by  the  hour  and  week. 
I  did  house  work  at  home  and  outdoor  gardening  and 
helped  with  chores  around  home,  also  helped  with 
cooking  and  canning  fruit  and  vegetables. 

We  moved  to  Ash  ton,  Idaho.  I  spent  the 
week  ends  camping  out  at  Warm  River,  Bear  Gulch, 
Ponds  Lodge,  Macks  Inn  and  West  Yellowstone, 
Montana.  Also  waded  in  the  rivers,  himted  rocks  and 
tried  to  catch  chipmunks.  I  also  helped  my  fether  get 
out  timber  wood  to  bum  in  the  winter. 

I  will  always  have  good  memories  of  our 
family  and  places  we  have  enjoyed  together  in  my  life 
time.  My  sister  and  I,  in  our  early  teens  would  go 
fishing  with  my  oldest  sister  and  her  husband.  We 
girls  always  thought  so  much  of  our  brother-in-law, 
Hazen  Hodges.  He  was  just  like  a  brother  to  all  of  us. 

The  summer's  of  1935  and  1936,  I  spent 
working  at  Victor,  Idaho,  where  my  father  was  sent  by 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.  I  picked  peas  for  a  nearby 
cannery  to  earn  money  for  school  clothes. 

I  attended  the  Ashton  schools  through  the 
senior  year.  I  started  working  at  the  Rankin  Tourist 
Court  for  three  summers  from  1936  to  1939.  I 
started  working  at  the  Buhl  Laundry  and  Dry  Cleaners 
until  1940. 

I  met  my  husband,  Ira  Hastings  Moore, 
originally  from  Claremore,  Oaklahoma,  at  a  dance  in 
Twin  Falls.  We  were  married  on  November  16,  1940 
at  Twin  Falls,  Idaho.  We  then  went  to  Big  Bear  Lake, 
California,  where  my  husband  worked  at  various  jobs. 
We  made  a  trip  Claremore,  Oklahoma  to  meet  and 
visit  his  family  and  spent  three  months,  I  was  greatful 
to  be  welcomed  by  a  wonderful  mother-in-Law  and 
family,  we  went  back  to  Big  Bear  Lake,  California. 

On  September  8,  1941,  our  first  precious  son 
Jerry  Hastings  Moore  was  born  at  San  Bernardino, 
California.  It  was  a  joyous  time  for  us  but  he  wasn't 
with  us  long  he  passed  away  with  quick  pneumonia 
August  5,  1942.  He  was  almost  eleven  months  old  this 
was  a  very  sad  and  difficult  time  for  both  of  us.  After 
that  happened  we  left  California  and  came  back  to 
Buhl,  Idaho. 

After  a  few  months  in  Buhl,  Idaho  we  went 
back  to  California  and  built  a  home  at  Modesto.  I 
helped  my  husband  build  the  place.  It  was  previously 
a  fhiit  orchard  and  we  resided  there  for  a  year  and  a 
half  While  there,  we  worked  for  the  Pacific  Grape 
Company  which  is  still  in  business  today  and  a  big 
firm  now.  Then  we  decided  to  sell  our  place  there  and 
we  moved  back  to  Buhl,  Idaho  where  we  bought  an 
acreage  and  built  our  second  home.  I  also  helped 
build  this  house  and  this  is  where  we  have  resided 
since. 

Our  second  son,  Gary  Dean  Moore  was  bom 
on  July  5,  1944  in  Wendell,  Gooding  County,  Idaho, 
which  brought  us  a  lot  of  joy,  happiness  and  was  a 
blessing  for  us  after  losing  our  first  son. 

I  went  to  work  with  my  husband  who  was 
foreman  of  the  warehouse  in  the  potatoes.    I  worked 


as  a  head  grader  for  the  summers  at  Prosser, 
Washington,  from  1948  to  1952.  Then  my  husband 
was  recommended  to  be  a  boss  at  J.  C.  Watson 
Company  at  Notus  near  Caldwell,  Idaho  which  I 
worked  at  various  jobs  in  the  potatoes  until  1962.  I 
worked  at  Idaho  Frozen  Foods  processing  plant  in 
Twin  Falls,  Idaho,  thirteen  and  a  half  years  until  I 
retired  in  April  of  1975  due  to  ill  health. 

My  favorite  hobbies  and  things  of  interest  are 
histories,  taking  pictures,  dancing,  traveling,  roller 
skating,  handwork,  crocheting,  sewing,  arts  and  drafts, 
camping,  fishing  and  also  the  outdoors,  especially  the 
pine  trees,  forest,  mountains,  rivers  and  streams,  all 
the  beauty  that  the  world  has. 

I  love  our  country  and  all  that  it  stands  for, 
freedom  of  speech  and  my  religion,  (The  chuch  of 
Jesus  Christ  Of  Latterday  Saints)  this  is  very  important 
to  me.  I  have  my  family  to  enjoy  and  am  happy  to 
leave  this  history  for  their  benefit. 

By:  Iretta  Watts  Moore  May  31,  1988 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Jerry  Hastings 

(2)  Gary  Dean 
md- 


b-  1941 
b-  1944 


d-  1942 


ETTA  WATTS 

and 
BILL  PATTON 


373 


William  J.  Patton  and  Etta  Pearl  Watts 

I  was  born  at  home  in  the  small  farming 
community  of  Farnum,  Idaho  April  30,  1919.  The 
daughter  Everett  Alanson  and  Ida  (Potter)  Watts  who 
homesteaded  there  in  the  spring  of  1910. 

When  I  was  eighteen  months  old  my  parents 
moved  to  Ashton  and  two  years  later  my  father  went 
to  work  for  Union  Pacific  Railroad. 

I  attended  Ashton  elementary  and  graduated 
from  high  school  there  in  1937.  At  ten  years  of  age  I 
started  baby  sitting  to  eam  my  spending  money.  I 
worked  six  years  with  the  N.  Y.  A.  during  my  junior 
and  high  school  as  a  teachers  aide  and  substitute 
teaching  when  the  teachers  had  appointments  or  had 


I 

to 


to  be  absent.  I  also  worked  in  the  school  library  and 
enjoyed  it  very  much.  Reading  has  been  a  hobby  of 
mine  for  many  years. 

After  high  school  I  took  care  of  two  small 
children  almost  a  year  while  their  mother  worked. 
Then  I  went  to  work  at  the  Rankin  Tourist  Camp  in 
1938  and  1939.  While  working  there  I  met  my 
future  husband  Wm.  J.  Patton  from  Bozeman, 
Montana.  I  enjoyed  my  work  there  and  especially 
enjoyed  meeting  people  from  different  parts  of  the 
country. 

My  father  was  transferred  to  Buhl,  Idaho 
with  the  railroad  in  1939.  After  the  tourist  season 
was  over  my  job  was  terminated  so  I  moved  to  Buhl. 
Soon  after  arriving  there  I  went  to  work  as  a  clerk  for 
the  M.  H.  King  Store.  I  really  enjoyed  that  job  as  it 
was  interesting  and  I  liked  working  with  the  public. 

January  9,  1941  Bill  and  I  were  married  in 
Bozeman.  We  lived  there  until  Oaober  1942  then 
we  moved  to  Buhl.  At  that  time  we  went  to  work  on 
the  Sandmeyer  Ranches  which  lasted  for  thirty  nine 
years.  We  enjoyed  our  years  there,  had  a  new  house 
to  live  in  and  they  were  like  family  to  us  and  our  son. 
Life  on  the  farm  was  hard  work  with  long  hours  but 
rewarding.  It  was  a  good  life  and  we  had  some  really 
great  vacations. 

The  highlight  of  our  lives  was  when  our  son 
was  bom  December  3,  1945.  He  has  always  been  a 
joy  to  us  and  now  we  have  a  lovely  daughter-in-law, 
two  grandsons  and  a  granddaughter. 

Throughout  the  years  I've  been  active  in 
school  P.  T.  A.  along  with  church  work.  I'm  also  a 
member  of  a  local  Art  Guild  and  held  many  offices.  I 
paint  with  oils  and  acrylics.  Other  hobbies  I  enjoy  arc 
crocheting,  knitting,  arts  and  crafts,  also  genealogy.  I 
enjoy  good  music  too. 

We  are  now  retired  and  enjoying  life  and  all 
that  it  offers.  We  enjoy  our  church  work  and  our 
hobbies  with  the  Gem  Club,  Historical  Society, 
camping,  fishing  and  traveling.  We  are  glad  we  live  in 
this  great  land  of  ours  with  many  opportunities  there 
are.  We've  had  a  good  marriage  with  lots  of  love, 
trust  and  faith. 

My  goal  has  been  to  keep  learning  and  to 
stay  active.  It's  always  enjoyable  to  get  together  with 
my  brothers  and  sisters  and  reminisce  about  our  early 
growing  up  years. 

By:  Etta  Watts  Patton,  June  1988 

FAYE  ROZELLA  WATTS 

and 

WILLIAM  E.  PALMER 

I  am  the  last  child  bom  to  Everett  Alanson 
Watts  and  Ida  Sarah  Potter  on  February  15,  1925  at 
Ashton,  Fremont  County,  Idaho.  I  am  the  only  one 
of  my  family  that  was  born  in  Ashton.  My  other 
brothers  and  sisters  are  Ethel  (deceased),  Ellis 
(deceased),  Leland,  Gertrude,  Iretta,  Etta  and 
Clifford  (deceased),  were  born  at  Famum. 


Fayc  Rozella  Watts  and  William  E.  Palmer 

I  went  to  grade  school  in  Ashton  from  the 
first  grade  through  the  eighth  grade.  I  went  to  High 
School  in  Buhl,  Idaho  and  graduated  in  the  spring  of 
1943. 

My  father  worked  for  the  Union  Pacific 
railroad  as  an  engine  watchman,  and  was  transferred 
to  Buhl.  He  always  had  to  work  nights  and  worked 
hard  seven  days  a  week.  It  wasn't  until  the  last  few 
years  that  he  worked  that  he  got  a  vacation. 
When  I  graduated  from  high  school,  the  World  War  II 
was  on.  I  got  a  job  working  in  a  grocery  store  as  a 
clerk.  It  was  hard  work  and  long  hours  and  I  had  one 
day  off  per  week.  After  a  year,  I  decided  to  move  to 
Ogden,  Utah  and  work  in  defense.  I  wanted  to 
contribute  to  the  war  effort. 

When  I  got  to  Ogden,  I  had  a  variety  of  jobs, 
which  prepared  me  for  different  jobs  throughout  my 
life. 

In  February  of  1948,  I  had  went  back  to 
Ashton  to  the  American  Dog  Races  and  met  my  future 
husband,  William  Elmer  Palmer.  He  was  the  son  of 
Carl  Abraham  and  Sarah  Olivia  Welker  Palmer.  He 
was  bom  in  Chester  and  farmed  until  1939  when  he 
moved  to  Ogden.  We  met  at  a  dance.  We  were 
married  on  April  5,  1948.  When  I  married  William,  I 
acquired  four  step-children.  Four  children  were  bom 
to  William  and  I.  After  the  children  were  born,  I 
stayed  home  and  was  a  homemaker. 

When  I  did  go  back  to  work,  it  was  for 
Intemal  Revenue  Service  my  last  job  and  one  which 
lasted  almost  25  years.  I  continued  to  work  after  my 
husband  retired  and  retired  in  1986. 

I  had  been  retired  a  little  over  six  months 
when  my  husband  died  on  May  17,  1987.  My 
husband  worked  for  the  O.U.R.  &  D.  Company  in 
Ogden,  as  a  railroad  engineer.  Being  that  my  father 
was  a  railroader  and  my  husband  worked  on  the 
railroad,  I  feel  I  have  been  a  railroader  all  of  my  life. 

My  children  and  my  brothers  and  sisters  and 
family  have  brought  me  a  lot  of  joy.  As  I  get  up  each 
morning,  I  pause  and  count  my  many  blessings, 
because  I  do  have  a  lot  to  be  thankful  for. 

By:  Faye  Rozella  Watts  Palmer 


374 


STEP  CHILDREN: 

(1)  Elma  Lou 

(2)  Carl  J 

(3)  Elmer  Dean 

(4)  Janet 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Child 

(2)  William  Alan 

(3)  Gregory  Kim 

(4)  Malia  Celeste 


d-  Infant 


AUSTIN  CLIFFORD  WATTS 

and 

PEARL  VAN  SICKLE 

Austin  Clifford  Watts  was  born  in  Mystic 
Ridge,  Conncticut,  September  25,  1884  to  Alanson 
and  Gertrude  Lucy  Schmitt  Watts. 

When  a  small  boy  brother,  Everett  and 
parents  moved  to  Terryville  Dakota  Territory.  On  his 
second  birthday  his  father  was  killed  in  a  mine 
accident  at  Leeds,  Dakota  Territory.  The  mother  and 
two  sons  moved  to  Billings  Montana  to  be  dose  to 
her  parents,  who  had  homesteaded  on  the  Yellowstone 
River. 

She  opened  a  boarding  house  to  take  care  of 
her  two  sons.  Here  she  met  and  married  Harry  Beals. 
They  moved  to  Grey  Bull,  Wyoming,  in  1884  where 
they  took  up  a  homestead,  and  later  moved  to  Ennis 
in  1887  and  took  up  a  homestead  on  Jack  Creek. 

Clifford  left  Ennis  and  came  to  Farnum  in 
1911  and  worked  as  a  farmhand.  Here  he  met  Pearl 
Van  Sickle.  She  was  the  daughter  of  John  H.  and 
Catherine  Edwards  Van  Sickle  They  were  married  in 
St.  Anthony,  Fremont  County,  Idaho  in  February  16, 
1914.  They  had  three  children  who  died  at  birth. 
They  left  Farnum  and  came  to  Ashton,  where  he 
worked  for  the  ford  garage  as  a  mechanic.  He  built 
one  of  the  first  radios  in  the  country.  They  later 
moved  to  St.  Anthony  and  helped  build  the 
Yellowstone  Highway.  He  later  became  Chief  of 
Police  in  St.  Anthony  for  many  years.  He  then 
bought  a  farm  in  Farnum. 

He  worked  on  his  farm  and  lived  in  St. 
Anthony  until  he  became  ill  and  passed  away  at  the 
rest  home  in  Rigby,  January  8,  1963.  He  had  one 
brother,  Everett,  and  three  half  brothers,  Clyde,  Bill 
and  Jack  Beals  and  a  half  sister,  Alda  Beals. 

Watts  Family  History 

PEARL  VAN  SICKLE  WATTS 

She  was  bom  at  Willard,  Utah,  May 
29,  1894,  a  daughter  of  John  H.  and  Catherine 
Edwards  Van  Sickle.  When  she  was  four  years  of  age, 
the  family  immigrated  to  Idaho,  settling  at  Marysvillc 
where  they  lived  for  two  years  until  her  father  had  a 
log  house  built  on  land  at  Farnum,  which  he  had 
homesteaded. 

She  was  married  to  Clifford  Watts  February 
16,  1914,  at  St.  Anthony.  Following  their  marriage, 
they  continued  to  live  at  Farnum  for  several  years, 
later  living  in  Montana  and  Idaho  before  settling  at  St. 
Anthony  in  1922.    They  lived  here  until  Mr.  Watts 


died  January  8,  1963.  She  has  continued  to  live  here 
since.  She  was  a  member  of  the  LDS  Church.  Three 
children  were  bom  to  this  union,  all  of  whom  died  in 
infancy. 

Obituary,  Post  Register,  Jan.  4, 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Etta  b-  1916       d-  1916 

(2)  Austin  b- 1917        d- 1917 

(3)  Daughter  b- 1919       d- 1919  Stillborn 

GEORGE  ALBERT  WEST 

George  Albert  West  was  bom  Febmary  26, 
1881,  Ogden,  Utah.  Parents  were  George  West  and 
Julia  Berry. 

ARTHUR  BERRY  WEST 

Arthur  Berry  West  was  bom  March  22,  1876, 
Ogden,  Utah. 

Son  of  George  F.  West  and  Julia  E.  Berry.  He  was 
blind.  He  homesteaded  160  acres  of  land  in  1910. 

(007,455)  Famum  Ward  Membership  records  1906- 
1922  no  22    Upland  Census  record — 1910 

GEORGE  H.  WHITE 


375 


George  H.  White  and  Marion  E.  Bratt 

At  the  time  of  my  birth,  my  parents  lived  at 
Chester,  Idaho.  With  the  assistance  of  a  midwife,  Mrs. 
Hattie  Orr  Watson,  I  made  my  appearance  into  the 
world  May  27,  1891.  I  attended  school  there  and  had 
lots  of  friends  who  I  hated  to  leave  when  we  moved  to 
Squirrel,  Idaho. 

By  now  I  was  in  my  teens.  My  parents  farmed 
at  Squirrel  and  ran  the  mail  delivery  from  Ashton  for 
many  years.  Sometimes  it  was  my  mother,  dad  or 
myself  who  ran  the  mail  through  all  kinds  or  weather 
by  buggy,  sled,  or  horseback.  We  stopped  at  all  the 
little  Post  Offices  along  the  way  to  leave  the  mail. 

It  was  at  one  of  these  little  Post  Offices  at 
"Lillian"  that  I  first  saw  the  little  English  girl  who  was 
later  to  become  my  wife. 


i 


Wc  finally  gave  up  the  mail  route  and  moved 
to  Judkins  in  Teton  County.  We  homesteaded  a  farm 
which  I  helped  dad  farm  until  the  time  of  his  death 
and  my  mother's  remarriage. 

I  then  moved  to  Famum  to  live  with  my  sister 
and  her  husband.  There  again,  I  met  the  girl  I  was  to 
marry.  We  went  to  the  same  church,  dances  and 
parties  and  finally  we  were  married  July  19,  1917  at 
Felt,  Idaho. 

We  made  a  home  and  started  farming,  but 
war  broke  out  and  in  November  I  was  called  into  the 
service.  Our  first  child,  Marian,  was  born  June  4, 
1918  while  I  was  away.  I  was  discharged  in  July  and 
again  started  farming. 

On  November  5,  1919,  our  second  daughter, 
Afton,  was  bom.  I  farmed  in  Marysville,  Ashton  and 
then  moved  back  to  Famum  where  our  son,  Clyde, 
was  bom  February  25,  1930. 

We  purchased  the  Murdoch  place  and  the 
Obcrhansley  place. 

We  sent  Marian  to  college,  where  she  trained  and 
graduated  as  a  school  teacher.  Afton  became  a 
bookkeeper  and  worked  in  Idaho  Falls,  Califomia  and 
later  in  the  bank  at  Ashton. 

My  son  and  I  farmed  together  on  our  farms  at 
Famum.  My  wife  and  I  lived  on  the  farm  until  Clyde 
got  married  and  we  then  lived  in  Ashton,  Clyde  and 
his  wife  lived  on  the  farm. 

Ill  health  finally  put  a  halt  to  my  farming 
except  for  supervision. 

MARION  EVELYN  BRATT 

I  was  bom  at  77  Nethcrficld  Road,  Liverpool, 
England  February  11,  1901,  the  daughter  of  Jane 
Povey  and  Henry  Aaron  Bratt.  At  that  time  they  were 
running  a  small  store.  At  least,  my  mother  was 
running  it.  My  father  worked  as  a  painter  and 
decorator  for  a  Mr.  Jones  at  26  Chapel  Street. 

My  mother  had  seven  children,  six  boys  and 
myself.  The  two  oldest  boy-s,  Percy  Leslie  and  Fred 
died  of  diphtheria  and  are  buried  in  England.  Walter 
Herbert,  my  next  brother  died  of  a  heart  attack  June 
4,  1944,  and  is  buried  here  in  Ashton.  Francis  (Frank) 
came  next,  then  myself.  Harold  Clifton  was  my  next 
brother  and  my  pal.  He  was  dragged  to  death  by  a 
horse  in  July,  1919,  just  before  his  18  birthday. 
Wilfred  Amold  is  the  youngest  of  the  femily. 

Wc  all  attended  school  in  England  and  Walter 
was  trained  as  an  electrician  there.  He  was  head 
electrician  on  the  Liva  Building,  the  large  skyscraper 
that  was  erected  just  before  we  came  to  this  country 
and  that  has  the  biggest  dock  that  can  be  seen  across 
the  River  Mersey.  Frank  worked  in  a  sugar  broker's 
office. 

We  lived  in  several  parts  of  England  as  my 
parents  kept  moving  due  to  my  ill  health.  After 
Netherfield  Road  we  lived  at  Alma  Vale,  Great  Crosby 
and  then  next  we  moved  to  a  lovely  place  in  the 
country,  Moore  Lane,  Crosby,  thinking  surely  the 


sunshine  and  fresh  air  would  be  good  for  me  but  for 
their  pains  I  got  pneumonia  and  very  nearly  died. 

The  Dr.  then  decided  the  Sea  Shore  would  be 
good  for  me  so  once  again  we  moved,  this  time  to  12 
Poplar  Grove,  Seaforth.  I  ^>ent  hours  and  days  on  the 
shore.  We  were  so  dose  to  the  ocean  that  we  could 
see  it  fi-om  the  end  of  the  street  and  I  did  have  better 
health.  So  there  we  stayed  until  we  came  to  this 
country. 

My  grandmother  (mother's  mother)  had 
come  to  this  country  with  the  Mormon  Missionaries. 
She  had  come  to  America  with  them  after  being 
converted  to  the  church  while  cooking  for  them  at 
Edge  Lane  at  Liverpool.  My  mother's  sister,  Emily 
Povey,  also  came  with  her  mother.  Ten  years  they 
finally  persuaded  my  mother  and  father  to  give  up 
their  home  and  jobs  in  England  and  move  to  America. 

It  was  a  big  decision  for  people  their  ages  to 
come  to  a  strange  land,  but  they  thought  it  would 
give  their  family  a  much  better  chance  for  success.  So 
they  sacrificed  all  their  worldly  possessions  and 
leaving  their  brother  and  sister  behind,  sailed  for  this 
country. 

We  had  tried  to  book  passage  on  the  Titanic 
but  were  unable  to  do  so  as  all  the  wealthy  people 
booked  passage  long  before.  My  parents  were  very 
dissapointed,  as  like  every  one  else,  they  thought  if 
they  could  sail  on  the  Titanic  it  would  be  the  safest 
voyage  possible.  They  thought  she  was  unsinkable. 

We  left  England,  Friday,  April  5,  1912  on  the 
S.S.  Corsican.  Our  captain  was  "Captain  Cook",  a 
Scotchman,  and  a  very  capable  navigator. 

I  can  still  sec  my  parents  as  the  ship  pulled 
away  from  the  dock,  dad  with  his  arm  around  mother 
to  comfort  her,  as  they  waved  goodby,  Mother  to  her 
brother  and  his  family  and  Dad  to  his  only  sister,  his 
only  relative  with  the  exception  of  his  own  family. 
Dad  was  to  see  his  sister  again,  but  mother  never  ever 
saw  her  brother  Jack  and  family  again. 

"Uncle  Jack",  Mother's  brother,  was  a 
wonderful  man  and  he  and  mother  were  as  close  as 
could  be.  They  always  spent  their  holidays  with  us,  or 
us  with  them,  so  it  was  a  heartbreaking  thing  to  have 
to  say  goodbye  to  each  other.  Aunt  Emily  Bratt,  my 
Dad's  sister,  also  spent  her  holidays  with  us  whenever 
she  could.  A  music  teacher  in  a  very  exclusive  school 
for  girls,  she  was  a  very  talented  woman.  She  was  a 
graduate  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Music,  was 
educated  in  the  finest  schools  and  was  fluent  in  several 
languages.  She  came  to  America  later. 

Our  voyage  was  a  very  eventful  one.  The  sea 
was  rough  and  it  was  a  week  before  I  was  able  to  eat  in 
the  dining  room  aboard  ship.  I  made  fnends  with  the 
captain  and  his  two  beautiful  daughters  who  were  on 
board,  making  the  voyage  with  their  father. 

One  night  while  my  parents  and  two  older 

brothers,  Frank  and  Walter,  were  in  the  concert  room 

listening  to  a  musical  there  came  a  crash.    Our  ship's 

motors  were  stopped  and  everyone  was  told  to  be 

2„,     calm  and  not  to  go  on  deck. 


It  was  then  wc  learned  the  Titanic  had  hit  an 
iceberg  and  had  sunk.  We  received  the  S.O.S.  but  wc 
were  too  far  away  to  get  to  their  aid.  Now  we  were  in 
a  field  of  ice  and  had  hit  a  berg.  However,  we  were 
going  real  slow  so  it  just  dented  the  ship  and  we  just 
waited  till  morning. 

The  impact  had  been  hard  enough  to  throw 
my  younger  brother  out  of  bed.  Wilfred  was  only  six 
so  he  didn't  realize  what  had  happened.  I  was  just 
putting  him  back  in  bed  when  my  parents  came  to  us. 
Everyone  was  gathered  in  groups  talking  about  the 
tragedy  and  wondering  what  was  going  to  happen  to 
us. 

When  daylight  came  we  went  on  deck  and 
around  the  ship  were  icebergs  with  seals  running 
around  on  them.  It  was  then  we  realized  what  a 
narrow  escape  we  had  and  how  lucky  we  had  been  not 
to  be  able  to  book  passage  on  that  wonderful  ship  the 
Titanic. 

My  grandmother,  Mrs.  Emily  Simpson,  was  in 
a  near  panic  waiting  for  us  and  not  knowing  what  ship 
wc  had  sailed  on  imtil  she  heard  from  us. 

A  few  more  days,  and  after  being  held  up  in 
fog  for  twelve  hours  we  finally  docked  at  Halifax, 
Nova  Scotia.  Oh!  how  good  it  was  to  be  on  land  once 
more.  It  was  before  the  big  fire  in  Halifax  and  it  was 
one  of  the  dirtiest  towns  I  ever  saw.  My  brother, 
Harold,  said,  "Even  the  buildings  are  crooked  and  so 
they  were." 

1912  -  Back  on  board  again  we  proceeded  to 
St.  Johns  New  Brunswick  and  that  was  the  end  of  our 
voyage.  It  seemed  an  eternity  before  we  got  through 
customs.  They  had  given  us  our  health  clearance  on 
board.  I  will  never  forget  at  that  time  one  man  didn't 
get  a  clean  bill  of  health.  Something  was  the  matter 
with  his  eyes  and  he  was  sent  back.  He  had  worked 
and  sent  his  family  over  first  and  now  he  couldn't  join 
them.  We  were  all  so  sorry  for  him.  I  will  always 
remember  the  grief  stricken  look  on  his  face  and  he 
cried  like  a  baby. 

Now  wc  were  finally  ready  to  board  the  train 
to  cross  this  big  continent  to  Idaho.  It  was  our  turn 
now  to  travel  with  the  Mormon  Missionaries.  We  had 
a  whole  car  to  ourselves.  Nothing  eventful  happened 
with  the  exception  of  one  night  a  train  robber  came 
through  our  car  and  stole  one  man's  money.  He  was 
traveling  alone  with  his  two  small  sons  and  it  left  him 
without  means  for  food,  etc.  However,  a  collection 
was  taken  for  him  and  enough  money  received  to  get 
him  and  his  children  to  their  destination. 

1912  -  We  finally  arrived  at  our  destination 
Weston,  Idaho.  How  happy  mother  was  to  see  her 
mother  after  ten  long  years.  Of  course,  she  was  a 
stranger  to  me  as  I  was  only  fifteen  months  old  when 
she  left  England. 

1912  -  We  stayed  with  grandmother  a  couple 
of  weeks  then  my  oldest  brother,  Walter,  went  to 
work  as  electrician  in  the  Logan  sugar  factory.  Frank 
went  to  work  on  a  farm  and  Mother  and  Father, 
Harold  and  Wilfred  came  north  to  a  little  place  called 


Lillian,  just  seven  miles  out  of  Ashton.  All  there  was 
there  was  a  store  and  post  office.  Dad  took  over  the 
store  and  post  oflRce  for  a  year  but  soon  found  out 
there  was  no  money  to  be  nude  in  it  so  he  went  back 
to  his  own  trade,  painting  and  decorating.  Soon  he 
made  a  reputation  for  himself. 

We  three  younger  children  finished  our 
education  here.  My  parents  left  me  to  keep  my 
grandmother  company  at  Weston  but  with  a  strange 
grandmother,  a  new  country,  and  my  first  time  away 
from  my  parents,  I  soon  became  homesick.  So  in 
October,  unable  to  stand  it  any  longer,  she  brought 
me  home  and  she  also  made  her  home  with  us. 

Thanksgiving  Day,  Frank  arrived  home  from 
Weston,  and  Christmas  Walter,  came  home  to  stay. 
He  had  been  in  Logan.  So  we  were  a  united  family 
once  more. 

Father  finally  built  a  home  for  us  on  a  two 
acre  lot.  Wilfred  and  his  wife,  Floy,  still  live  there,  only 
Wilfred  bought  the  farm  around  it. 

My  oldest  brother,  Walter,  met  and  married 
Vera  S.Wickham,  June  6,  1917.  They  had  three  sons, 
Francis,  Stanley,  and  Lloyd.  Walter  was  the  first 
superintendent  of  the  R.Ej\.  here  in  Ashton  but  they 
also  had  their  home  and  farm  at  Famum.  I  married 
George  Henry  White,  July  19,  1917  and  we  also 
farmed  at  Farnum.  George  was  born  at  Chester, 
Idaho,  May  27,  1891.  In  November,  after  our 
marriage,  he  was  inducted  into  the  Army  during 
World  War  I.  The  next  June  4,  1918,  our  daughter, 
Marian  was  bom.  He  was  discharged  when  she  was  a 
month  old  and  came  home.  We  started  farming  again. 
Our  second  daughter,  Afton,  was  bom  November  5, 
1919.  We  had  a  hard  struggle  the  next  year  as  we  had 
a  complete  crop  failure. 

Francis,  my  second  living  brother,  also  was  in 
the  first  World  War.  He  came  home,  married  Isabel 
Hawkes  and  made  their  home  in  Farnum,  Idaho. 
They  had  one  son,  Harold  and  one  still  bom-child. 

We  rented  a  farm  and  moved  to  Marysville, 
Idaho  where  the  girls  started  school.  They  attended 
school  in  Marysville  and  Ashton.  We  moved  back  to 
Farnum  and  farmed  the  Guinn  place.  After  graduating 
from  grade  school  the  girls  went  back  to  Ashton  High 
School.  Our  son,  Clyde,  was  bom  February  25,  1930 
at  Famum. 

We  lived  on  the  same  farm  for  13  years  and 
then  purchased  the  Tom  Murdoch  place  and  moved 
on  it.  Not  having  enough  land,  we  finally  purchased 
the  George  Oberhanslcy  place.  In  order  to  be  with 
the  girls  while  they  were  in  high  school  I  started  to 
work  for  Mr.  Hunt  at  the  McCrackcn  store  and  stayed 
in  town  with  the  girls  in  the  winter  months.  I  kept  on 
working  there  for  19  years.  Mrs.  Hunt  died  in  1948. 
Mr.  Hunt  sold  out  to  Lcota  Story  and  Mr.  Jackson  in 
1949,  so  I  continued  to  work  for  them.  Mr.  Jackson 
sold  out  to  Mr.  Ben  Mccsc.  I  worked  for  them  for  a 
year  or  more.  Then  went  to  work  for  Lyons. 

We  lived  on  the  Oberhanslcy  farm  until 
-„_     George  became  ill.    Clyde  helped  him,  but  George 


had  so  much  wrong  with  him  that  he  finally  turned 
the  place  over  to  Clyde,  and  they  lived  on  the  farm 
until  their  divorce,  and  we  lived  in  Ashton. 

After  many  operations,  stomach,  gall  bladder, 
and  bleeding  ulcers  George  died  of  a  heart  attack  after 
five  years  of  suffering  December  19,  1954.  I 
continued  to  work  to  help  pass  the  time,  pay  the  bills 
and  help  with  Clyde's  children.  Marian,  Glenda  and  I 
had  a  nice  trip  to  Canada  in  1962. 

In  1964  my  eyes  began  to  fail.  I  went  to 
Hawaii  with  Bairds  in  1963.  When  I  came  back  my 
eyes  got  real  bad.  After  consulting  three  doctors  I 
found  out  I  had  cornea  dystrophy  and  had  to  go  to 
San  Francisco,  California  to  Dr.  Fine  for  cornea 
transplants.  I  had  one  each  year  for  the  next  four 
years.  Finally  one  took.  I  bought  this  house  I  now 
live  in  and  have  really  enjoyed  it.  The  yard  and 
flowers  are  so  pretty  and  the  house  so  comfortable. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Marian  b-  1918 
md-  Glen  Williams 

(2)  Afton  b-  1919 

md-  Glen  Newbold 

(3)  Clyde  b-  1930 
md- (1)  Joan  Cook 

(2)  Delma  I.  Seeley 

Life  sketch  of 
MARIAN  EVELYN  (BRATT)  WHITE 

Marion  Evelyn  (Bratt)  White,  was  born  in 
Liverpool,  England  on  February  11,  1901.  The 
daughter  of  Jane  Povey  and  Henry  Aaron  Bratt.  She 
was  the  only  girl  in  a  family  of  seven  children. 

She  attended  schools  in  various  areas  of 
Liverpool  as  her  folks  moved  often  trying  to  find  a 
climate  suitable  for  Mother's  health. 

Her  grandmother  had  come  to  America  with 
the  Mormon  Missionaries.  She  came  to  this  county 
after  being  converted  to  the  church  while  cooking  for 
them  at  Edge  Lane  at  Liverpool.  Her  mother's  sister, 
Emily  Povey,  also  came  with  them. 

After  her  grandmother  had  been  in  America 
for  ten  years,  she  finally  persuaded  mother's  parents  to 
give  up  their  home  and  jobs  in  England  and  move  to 
this  county. 

It  was  a  big  decision  for  people  their  age  to 
pull  up  stakes  and  come  to  a  strange  land;  but  they 
thought  it  would  give  their  family  a  much  better 
chance  for  success. 

Mother  and  her  family  left  England  Friday 
April  5,  1912,  on  the  S.S.  Carsican.  They  had  tried 
to  secure  passage  on  the  Titanic,  but  it  had  been 
booked  for  a  long  time.  The  trip  across  the  ocean  was 
to  be  a  memorable  time.  They  hit  the  same  ice  field 
that  the  Titanic  hit.  Wilfred  was  knocked  out  of  bed 
by  the  jar;  but  little  damage  was  done  to  their  ship. 
One  of  mother's  fondest  memories,  was  dancing  the 
highland  fling  with  the  ship's  captain. 


378 


The  ship  docked  at  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia  and 
then  traveled  on  to  St.  Johns,  New  Brunswick  where 
they  ended  the  trip  by  boat. 

They  boarded  the  train  in  New  Brunswick 
and  traveled  with  a  group  of  Mormon  Missionaries  to 
Weston,  Idaho.  Here  they  were  re-united  with 
Mother's  grandmother  and  families.  After  visiting  for 
two  weeks,  they  came  to  the  Ashton  area  and  settled 
at  Lillian,  seven  miles  south  east  of  Ashton,  where 
Mother's  father  took  over  the  store  and  post  office. 
(This  area  is  now  Bill  Bowersox  Orchard.)  He  built  a 
home  for  his  wife  and  family  in  the  farnum  area. 
Wilfred  and  Floy  Bratt  still  live  in  the  house. 

Mother  married  George  Henry  White  July 
19,  1917,  but  he  was  soon  to  be  inducted  into  the 
Army  for  World  War  I. 

Mother  and  Dad  had  four  children:  myself, 
Marian,  Afton,  and  Clyde.  In  order  to  be  with  Afton 
and  I,  while  we  attended  High  School,  Mother  moved 
to  town  in  the  winter  and  worked  for  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Enoch  Hunt  in  the  dry  goods  store.  This  started  her 
career  as  a  salesperson  and  she  continued  to  work  until 
her  eye  sight  failed. 

Mother  always  made  our  home  a  welcome 
place  for  friends  to  gather.  She  often  tells  how  in  the 
30's  when  times  were  rough,  we  would  bring  our 
friends  home  and  invite  them  to  eat  with  us.  She  often 
had  to  add  an  extra  cup  or  two  of  water  to  the  stew, 
but  she  always  had  plenty  of  homemade  bread,  jam, 
cookies,  etc.  We  never  knew  her  to  complain  or  turn 
anyone  away  hungry.  All  of  our  friends  loved  her. 

Her  children  and  grandchildren  all  remember 
and  still  talk  about  the  beautiful  dresses  she  made  for 
them.  She  kept  her  sewing  machine  going  often  into 
the  wee  small  hours.  She  was  a  beautiful  seamstress. 

In  1962  Jackie  (Jcsscn)  Miller,  Glenda  and  I 
took  Mother  to  Canada  for  10  days.  It  was  a  fun  trip 
and  the  closest  she  ever  came  to  visiting  her  native 
England.  In  1963  she  went  by  boat  to  Hawaii. 

The  past  few  years,  Mother  has  been  legally 
blind  even  though  she  had  four  corneal  transplants; 
however,  she  remains  cheerful  and  fun  loving.  She 
always  sees  there  are  cookies  in  the  jar  for  her  two 
little  great-great  granddaughters. 

She  has  always  been  there  for  each  of  us  when 
we  needed  her.  She  is  a  pure  example  of  tenderness, 
strength,  compassion  and  honesty  and  we  all  love  her 
very  much. 

By:  Marian  Albrethsen  Daughter 

Life  Sketch  of 
MARIAN  F.  (WHITE)  ALBRETHSEN 

I  was  bom  June  4,  1918,  at  Farnum,  Idaho, 
at  the  home  of  my  grandparents  Jane  and  Henry 
Bratt.  My  father  George  Henry  White  was  in  the 
armed  service  and  my  mother,  Marian  Evelyn  Bratt, 
was  living  with  her  parents.  I  was  the  oldest  of  three 
children.  Afton  bom  November  5,  1919  and  Clyde, 
bom  February  22,  1930. 


I  started  school  at  Marysvillc,  Idaho  in  the  fall 
of  1924  and  attended  that  school  for  two  years.  In 
1926,  we  moved  back  to  Famum  where  I  finished  my 
Elementary  school,  graduating  in  1932.  Brian  Bean 
was  my  teacher.  I  attended  Ashton  High  School 
1932-1936.  During  the  year  1936-37, 1  attended  the 
University  of  Utah. 

The  next  year  our  bam  burned,  destroying 
the  hay  and  livestock,  so  I  stayed  home.  I  got  my 
certificate  to  teach  in  1939  fi-om  the  University  of 
Idaho;  S.B. 

I  taught  school  at  Svea  Falls  the  next  two 
years  and  lived  with  Mrs.  Nan  Kirkham.  I  made 
$85.00  a  month  for  9  months  and  did  the  janitor 
work;  however,  Mrs.  Kirkham  gave  me  my  board  and 
room  and  lots  of  love  for  $35.00  a  month. 

In  1941-42,  I  taught  at  Montpelier,  Idaho. 
It  was  here  I  met  Floy  Christiansen.  I  later  introduced 
her  to  my  bachelor  uncle,  Wilfi-ed  Bratt  and  they  were 
married. 

The  next  year,  1942-43,  I  taught  until 
Christmas  break.  I  quit  teaching  and  married  Glenn 
A.  Williams  in  Tonopah,  Nevada.  We  lived  at  the  Air 
Base  there  for  three  years.  During  this  time,  January 
8,  1944,  Glenda  Jane  was  bom.  She  has  always  been  a 
source  of  joy  to  all  of  us. 

On  June  4,  1944  Uncle  Walter  Bratt  passed 
away.  Glenda  and  I  came  home  for  the  ftineral  and 
Tom  and  Brig  Murdoch  blessed  Glenda  as  there  were 
no  L.D.S.  Churches  in  Tonopah. 

Glenn  was  discharged  from  the  Army  in 
November  1946  and  we  came  back  to  Farnum  and 
lived  on  the  home  place  for  a  couple  of  years  before 
moving  to  Kemmerer,  Wyoming  to  work  for  C.T. 
Williams.  I  hated  it  there  and  was  glad  when  Mr.  E. 
O.  Rich  caJled  and  offered  me  a  teaching  job  in 
Ashton. 

Mr.  Howe  asked  Glenn  to  do  the  plumbing  at 
the  Ashton  Memorial  Hospital,  so  we  moved  back 
home  and  I  vowed  I  would  never  leave  this  area  again. 
I  loved  teaching. 

The  loss  of  my  father,  December  19,  1954 
was  extremely  hard  as  I  felt  I  had  lost  not  only  a 
father,  but  a  pal  as  well. 

Teaching  requirements  changed  and  I 
decided  to  take  night  classes  and  summer  school.  I 
graduated  from  Ricks  College  in  1956  with  a  B.S. 
degree  in  education. 

August  30,  1961  Glenda  married  Terry 
Hansen.  They  divorced  three  months  later  and  she 
came  back  home,  finished  high  school  and  attended 
Idaho  State  University  where  she  received  a 
Cosmetology  Certificate. 

I  received  a  National  Science  Scholarship  and 
went  back  to  Idaho  State  for  three  summers  to  earn 
my  Masters  Degree  in  Math  and  Science  in  1966. 

In  1963,  November  12,  I  filed  for  a  divorce 
from  Glenn  Williams. 

August  12,  1965,  I  married  Harvey  M. 
Albrethsen,  at  the  home  of  Afton  Newbold.   We  have 


had  a  very  rewarding,  happy  life.  This  gave  me  another 
daughter,  Pat  and  Son-In  Law,  David  Kime. 

In  October  1965,  Glenda  remarried  Terry 
Hansen.  They  had  five  lovely  children.  Shellie, 
Shannon,  Kristy,  Korby,  and  Reagan.  Pat  and  Dave 
had  two  sons,  David  and  Patrick.  This  gives  us  seven 
grandchildren. 

Shellie  married  Troy  Fowler  April  12,  1985. 
They  now  have  two  beautiful  little  girls.  So  we  are 
great  grandparents  also. 

Harvey  and  I  lived  at  the  fish  hatchery  until 
he  retired  October  1,  1977.  This  was  one  of  the 
happiest  times  of  my  life.  It  was  beautiful  there  and 
the  children  and  grandchildren  loved  it  there.  Harvey 
worked  for  the  Fish  and  Game  Dept  for  40  years  and  I 
taught  school  for  35  years.  We  both  loved  our  work 
and  I  found  retirement  hard  to  accept. 

I  still  enjoy  my  work  in  sodal  and  community 
affairs.  I  am  active  in  American  Legion  Auxiliary, 
Eastem  Star,  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  and  helping 
where  I  can. 

My  happiest  times  are  spent  with  my  children, 
grandchildren,  great-grandchildren  and  friends. 

Harvey  and  Marian  Albrethsen 
CHILDREN: 

(1)  Glenda  b- 1944 

md-  Terry  Hansen 

AFTON  LUCILLE  WHITE  NEWBOLD 


379 


b.r.  Wanda,  Afton  White,  Glenn,  f.r.  Ken,  Karen  Newbold 

I  was  bom  November  5,  1919  to  Marian  E. 
and  George  H.  White  at  Farnum,  Idaho.  I  started 
first  grade  at  Marysville  at  age  5.  We  moved  before 
school  the  second  year,  so  I  went  to  Ashton  for  part  of 
the  year  and  then  to  Famum.  My  sister,  Marian,  and  I 
had  to  walk  a  mile  and  a  quarter  to  school  and  back. 
In  the  winter,  we  rode  in  a  covered  sleigh  with  a  small 
wood  stove  in  it. 

One  winter  snow  came  early  and  they  hadn't 
staned  the  school  sleigh,  so  we  had  to  walk  and  going 
was  tough.  We  were  about  3/4  of  a  mile  from  school 


when  Marian  laid  down  in  the  snow  and  said  she 
couldn't  go  any  further.  I  took  the  lunch  pail  (no  hot 
lunches  then)  and  her  books  and  made  her  go  on. 
After  a  short  way,  she  laid  down  again  and  wouldn't  go 
any  further.  I  ran  for  help  to  "Old"  Tom  Murdoch's 
house  and  they  soon  had  her  in  their  house  caring  for 
her.  The  school  sleighs  were  put  on  the  next  day. 

One  of  the  worst  jobs  I  had  while  growing  up 
was  turning  the  washing  machine.  It  had  a  wood  stick 
handle  and  you  had  to  push  it  back  and  fordi  for  15 
minutes  for  each  batch. 

We  wore  dresses  to  school  and  long  stockings. 
No  pants  were  allowed  and  the  knees  of  my  stockings 
were  always  dirty  because  I  loved  to  play  marbles  and  I 
could  win.  Dad  used  to  draw  a  big  drde  with  chalk  on 
our  kitchen  floor  and  we  played  marbles  a  lot  in  the 
evening.  I  would  then  play  for  keeps  with  the  boys  at 
school. 

We  made  our  own  fun  back  then.  We  had  a 
radio,  but  no  T.V.  The  radio  was  operated  off  a  car 
battery. 

We  had  to  pack  our  water  in  from  outside, 
often  using  ditch  water.  We  also  had  outside  toilets 
and  in  the  winter  the  snow  sometimes  blew  in  on  the 
seat,  so  we  would  have  to  brush  the  snow  off  before 
using  it.  We  had  a  gas  light  that  had  two  mantels  and 
the  millers  were  forever  flying  into  them  and  when  the 
mantels  broke,  there  was  no  light. 

We  had  one  of  the  first  cars  in  the  area,  a 
Model  T.  Ford.  It  had  isinglass  curtains  you  could  snap 
on  to  keep  the  wind  out  in  the  late  fall  and  in  the 
summer  the  sides  were  open  above  the  doors.  There 
was  no  heater  in  it  so  you  got  pretty  cold  and  you 
couldn't  use  it  in  the  winter  as  they  didn't  plow  the 
roads.  If  you  had  a  flat  tire,  you  fixed  it  yourself.  The 
tire  had  an  inner  tube  in  it  and  you  had  to  patch  the 
hole  and  then  pump  the  air  back  in  by  hand. 

Dad  would  sometimes  quit  work  in  the  field  at 
5:00  and  he  and  I  would  go  fishing.  Our  pasture 
joined  Fall  River,  so  we  would  walk  ah>out  a  1/2  mile 
to  the  river.  I  never  knew  you  could  fish  with  worms 
because  Dad  was  an  avid  fly  fisherman  and  he  would 
fish  left  handed  so  I  could  hang  onto  his  pocket  and 
fish  right  handed.  The  trees  and  brush  were  thick,  so 
we  nearly  always  waded.  This  was  the  reason  I  had  to 
hang  onto  Dad's  pocket,  or  I  would  have  been  washed 
down  stream  with  the  swift  current. 

The  17th  of  March  was  always  a  big  event. 
Everyone  went  to  the  church  and  there  was  a  program 
with  Sarah  Murdoch  nearly  always  taking  the  lead  role 
in  the  play.  She  was  really  good.  Everyone  brought 
food  and  at  noon  it  was  put  on  long  tables  and 
everyone  joined  in.  After  dinner,  there  was  a  dance  for 
the  kids.  In  the  evening,  there  was  a  dance  for  the 
adults  and  kids  could  dance  if  they  wanted  to.  Dad 
always  danced  with  Marian  and  me.  He  was  a  really 
good  dancer.  He  could  dance  the  Shodish,  Virginia 
Reel,  waltz  and  others. 

I  graduated  from  grade  school  May  3,  1933, 
District  64  at  Famum,  Idaho.   There  were  five  in  our 


380 


graduating  class  and  Bryan  Bean  was  our  teacher.  I 
went  to  North  Fremont  High  School  at  Ashton, 
Idaho,  for  four  years,  graduating  in  1937.  These  were 
really  fiin  years. 

In  1939  I  went  to  Links  Business  College  in 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho  and  from  there  joined  the  work 
force.  My  first  job  was  with  Adam's  Potato  Company, 
the  Sears  Roebuck  and  then  Old  Faithful  Beverage 
Company. 

During  World  War  II,  I  went  to  Glendale, 
California  and  worked  for  Kinner  Motors  as  a  machine 
bookkeeper.  When  I  came  home  from  California,  I 
worked  for  the  Yellowstone  Banking  Company,  now 
known  as  Valley  Bank. 

On  May  26,  1947,  I  married  Glenn  John 
Newbold  at  Bozeman,  Montana.  We  lived  in  Sugar 
City  for  15  years,  where  we  owned  and  operated  a 
grocery  store. 

Before  our  marriage,  Glenn  was  in  the  Navy 
45  months  and  was  an  Aviation  Chief  Radioman.  He 
served  at  Midway,  Guadalcanal,  Munda,  New  Guinea, 
Tinian,  Iwa  Jima  and  the  Phillipine  Islands. 

On  Oaober  26,  1949  (1)  Dale  Glenn,  was 
bom.  He  only  lived  a  short  time  as  he  was  premature. 
On  October  11,  1950  (2)  George  Samuel,  was  bom 
premature  and  only  lived  a  short  time.  But  on  May 
30,  1953,  (3)  Wanda  Jean,  was  bom  and  what  a  happy 
day.  June  30,  1957,  we  were  blessed  with  twins,  (4) 
Karen  Ann  and  (5)  Ken  Jay.  Although  they  were 
really  small  and  had  to  stay  in  the  hospital  for  six 
weeks,  they  were  a  real  joy. 

In  1965  we  purchased  the  Sugar  City  Merc.  - 
a  store  with  a  little  of  everything;  groceries,  meats, 
dry-goods,  we  sent  out  dry  cleaning  and  film  to  be 
developed,  and  sold  fishing  and  hunting  licenses  and 
fishing  tackle.  It  was  a  lot  of  work,  but  I  enjoyed  it. 

I  worked  for  HUD  in  Rcxburg,  Idaho  as  a 
secretary  after  the  Teton  Dam  disaster  in  1976  for  a 
short  time  and  for  Barrett's  Dress  Shop  in  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho.  I  now  sew  and  do  crafts  as  Glenn 
and  I  are  retired.  We  have  a  large  home  a  big  yard 
that  keeps  us  busy. 

By:  Afton  White  Newbold 

CLYDE  WILFRED  WHITE 

and 

(1)  JOAN  COOK 

(2)  DELMA  I.  SEELEY 

Clyde  Wilfred  White  was  bom  Febmary  25, 
1930,  to  George  H.  and  Marian  E.  Bratt  White.  I 
grew  up  and  attended  grade  school  at  Famum,  School 
District  #  64,  through  the  seventh  grade.  Due  to  the 
consolidation  of  schools,  the  pupils  were  transferred  to 
Ashton  where  I  finished  the  eighth  grade  and  attended 
high  school. 

My  grandparents,  Henry  and  Jane  Povey 
Bratt  and  family  came  to  America  in  1912  and  setded 
in  Famimi,  Idaho.  I  never  knew  my  Grandfather  Bratt 
as  he  passed  away  before  I  was  bom.    Grandma  Bratt 


passed  away  on  my  birthday  in  1949.  I  spycnt  a  great 
deal  of  time  with  Grandma  and  Uncle  Wilf  as  a  young 
boy  and  as  I  look  back  I  am  very  grateful  for  their 
love,  kindness  and  teachings. 

Grandmother  Pheobe  White  Swanner  hved  in 
the  Teton  Basin  at  Judkin  Siding  for  quite  a  few  years. 
She  delivered  the  mail  and  was  an  active  midwife 
where  she  helped  bring  a  lot  of  babies  into  the  world. 

On  February  24,  1949,  I  married  Joan  Cook 
of  Rcxburg.  We  were  later  divorced. 

In  August  1960  I  moved  to  California  and 
started  working  construction,  building  roads,  parking 
lots,  etc  September  4,  1960,  I  married  Delma  I. 
Seeley,  daughter  of  Hyrum  and  Mildred  Seeley  of 
Ash  ton.  We  lived  in  Fresno,  California,  where  we 
both  worked  until  1974  when  we  moved  to  Firth, 
Idaho,  and  I  started  working  for  H  &  K  Contractors. 
We  lived  there  a  short  time  before  buying  a  home  in 
Blackfoot.  In  1963  we  returned  to  Famum  where  we 
still  reside  and  raise  English  Springer  Spaniels  and  have 
some  horses.  I  retired  from  construction  in  late  fall  of 
1985. 

I  have  always  enjoyed  the  outdoors;  hunting, 
fishing  and  riding  horses,  especially  the  pack  trips  into 
the  high  country,  as  it  doesn't  seem  to  matter  how 
many  times  you  travel  through  an  area,  you  always 
find  something  new  to  enjoy. 

Since  retiring  from  construction  I  stay  busy 
raising  a  large  garden  and  helping  some  of  the 
neighbors  with  their  crops,  spring  and  fall.  Delma  is 
still  working.  She  is  employed  at  Sunspiced  in 
Rcxburg. 

JOHN  B.  WHITMORE 

and 

SARAH  MARGARET  MASON  WHITMORE 

(BROWN) 


Sarah  Margaret  Mason  Whitxrwrc  Brown 

John  B.  Whitmore  was  born  in  Ohio,  in 
1859,  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  Whitmore.  He 
married  Sarah  M.  Mason,  March  18,  1878,  in 
Roanoke,  Virginia.  John  B.  Whitmore,  a  school 
teacher,  passed  away  in  Roanoke,  Va. 


381 


Sarah  Margaret  Mason  was  bom  in  Orenco, 
Wash.,  Virginia,  on  April  8,  1852,  the  daughter  of 
Peter  Mason  and  Anna  (or  Deanna)  Sorrell  Mason. 
She  passed  away  at  Famum,  Fremont  Co.,  Idaho,  on 
January  25,  1934. 

After  John's  death,  Sarah  came  from  Virginia, 
in  about  1889  to  Weber,  Utah,  with  her  four  sons 
who  were  all  bom  in  Roanoke,  Virginia;  Peter,  David 
Henry,  William  M.,  and  James  Sheridan. 

(1)  Peter  b-  1876        d-  1929 
md-  Mary  Wilhelmine  Olscn 

(2)  David  Henry  b-  1878/9   d-  1937 
md-  Pearl  L.  Meyers 

(3)  William  M.  b-  1880        d-  (young) 

(4)  James  Sheridan  b-  1884  d-  1944 
md-  Mary  Viola  Simpson 

Sarah  married  George  "Y"  Brown,  who  was 
bom  Jan.  6,  1847  in  Scodand  and  died  May  22,  1911. 
She  was  married  to  Mr.  Brown  for  a  couple  of  years, 
but  from  it,  Sarah,  became  affectionately  known  as, 
"Granny  Brown",  to  all  of  her  descendants. 

Granny  Brown  and  her  son,  James  Sheridan 
Whitmore,  came  to  Idaho  in  1898,  and  homesteaded 
what  was  known  as  the  Conant  Creek  bottom,  about 
one  and  one  half  miles  south-east  of  the  Farnum 
Store  and  postofiice.  They  planted  trees  and  bushes, 
built  a  log  home,  and  other  log  buildings  for  use  on 
the  farm. 

Granny  was  a  hard  worker.  When  they  were 
building  the  cabin,  James  Sheridan  was  swinging  a 
sledge  hammer,  and  Granny  got  to  dose  behind  him. 
When  he  swung  the  hammer  back,  he  hit  Granny  right 
between  the  eyes  and  knocked  her  cold  with  the 
hammer.  She  carried  the  scar  to  her  grave.  (Story  told 
by  Edna  Whitmore). 

Granny's  saying,  was,  "I  had  to  have  my  nose 
in  everything  they  were  doing,  to  know  if  they  were 
doing  it  right."  Granny  smoked  a  com-cob  pipe,  and 
had  long  black  hair  until  the  day  she  died. 

Granny  had  a  pet  magpie  that  talked.  It 
repeated  a  lot  of  what  Granny  said.  The  magpie  knew 
how  to  whistie.  They  had  a  dog  named  Watch.  The 
magpie  would  whisdc  and  fly,  and  dog  would  follow 
the  magpie.  They  would  go  out  across  the  creek  and 
round  up  the  cows  and  bring  them  back  to  the  house. 

By:  Edna  Whitmore 

JAMES  SHERDAN  WHITMORE 

and 

MARY  VIOLA  SI2V1PSON 

James  Shcrdan  Whitmore  was  born  about 
1884  in  Virginia  (estimated  from  1910  census).    He 

was  the  son  of Whitmore  and  Sarah 

Margaret  Mason  (Edna). 

He  was  nine  months  old  (?)  when  his  father 
died.  He  had  two  known  brothers  (?),  Henry  and 
Peter  (1900  Census). 


'X, 


<)2 


< 


b.r.  Edward,  George,  Cecil,  Carl,  Albert,  f.r.  Calvin,  Goldie,  Viola,  James  S.,  Edna,  Jack  Whitmore 


He  was  living  in  St  Anthony  when  he  and 
Viola  were  married  (Obituary  of  Viola). 

He  was  five  years  old  when  he  came  to  Utah. 
He  was  13  years  old  when  he  came  to  Idaho  (Info 
from  Edna) 

He  died  April  17,  1944  as  a  result  of  his  team 
running  away  with  him  while  working  on  the  farm. 

He  married  Mary  Viola  Simpson  April  17, 
1908.  Viola  was  bom  June  3,  1889  at  Salt  Lake  City, 
Salt  Lake  County,  Utah,  a  daughter  of  George  Pruce 
Simpson  and  Mary  Elizabeth  Hardy  Simpson.  She 
lived  at  Salt  Lake  until  she  was  two  years  of  age  and 
then  with  her  parents  came  to  Idaho  and  lived  in  the 
central  part  of  the  state  until  1909  when  they  moved 
to  Marysville,  Fremont  county,  Idaho,  where  they  lived 
unril  she  married  James  Whitmore  of  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho.  After  their  marriage  they  moved  to  Famum, 
Idaho 

Funeral  services  for  Mrs.  Whitmore 

Funeral  services  were  conduted  Sturday 
afternoon  in  the  American  Legion  hall  at  Ashton  for 
Mrs.  Viola  Simpson  Whitmore  with  Bishop  Walter 
Clark  of  the  Famum  ward  officiating.  Before  leaving 
for  the  services  a  prayer  was  offered  by  Chester  French, 
a  member  of  the  Famum  Ward  bishopric. 

The  opening  song,  "O  My  Father"  was  sung 
by  a  male  quartet  composed  of  Myron  Jeppson,  Floyd 
Blanchard,  Nolan  Hendricks  and  Eldon  Pence  with 
Mrs.  Ruth  Murdoch  acting  as  accompaniest.  The 
invocation  was  offered  by  Percy  Nyborg  after  which 
Virgil  Young  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Nettie  Pence  sang, 
"I'll  Wear  A  White  Flower  for  You  Mother  Dear". 
Bmce  Reynolds  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Ruth  Murdoch 
sang,  "Lay  My  Head  Beneath  A  Rose."    Bishop 


382 


Thomas  Murdoch  of  the  Ashton  ward  was  the  first 
speaker  after  which  Walter  Clark,  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Ruth  Murdoch  sang  "Not  Understood".  Bishop 
Lester  Hendrickson  was  the  concluding  speaker.  The 
dosing  song,  "Sundown"  was  sung  by  Howard  Allen 
accompanied  by  Mrs.  Nettie  Pence,  and  the 
benediction  was  offered  by  Homer  Jones. 

Interment  was  in  the  Pincvicw  cemetery  at 
Ashton  and  the  grave  was  dedicated  by  Curtis 
Marsdcn.  Funeral  arrangements  were  under  the 
direction  of  the  Hansen  Funeral  Home  of  St.  Anthony. 

Pallbearers  were  George  Nedrow,  Clifford 
Watts,  George  Hill,  Alex  Hill,  Russ  Egbert  and  Roth 
Hendrickson.  Flowers  were  carried  by  Rhoda  Nyborg, 
Jennie  Christensen,  Ida  Hawkes,  Mae  Hawkes,  Ruth 
Hossner,  Kate  VanSickle,  La  Vera  Hendrickson,  Rose 
Rogers,  Vera  Bratt,  Isabella  Bratt,  Helen  Hendrickson, 
Miriam  Dedman,  Veda  Branson  and  LuAnnic 
Murdoch  under  the  direction  of  Geneva  French,  Anna 
Jones  and  Rhea  Clark. 

Mrs.  Whitmore  was  bom  June  3,  1889  at  Salt 
Lake  City,  Utah,  a  daughter  of  George  Pmce  Simpson 
and  Mary  Elizabeth  Hardy  Simpson.  She  lived  at  Salt 
Lake  until  two  years  of  age  and  then  with  her  parents 
came  to  Idaho  and  lived  in  the  central  part  of  the  state 
until  1901  when  they  moved  to  Marysville,  Fremont 
county,  where  they  lived  until  she  married  James 
Whitmore  of  St.  Anthony  on  Aplril  17,  1908. 
Following  their  marriage  they  lived  at  Famum  where 
Mr  Whitmore  farmed  until  he  passed  away  in  1944  as 
the  result  of  his  team  running  away  with  him  while 
working  on  his  farm. 

Mrs.  Whitmore  is  survived  by  the  following 
sons  and  daughters: 

Albert,  Carl,  Calvin  and  Edward  Whitmore  all  of 
Farnum;  Mrs.  Edna  Phillips  of  Farnum;  George 


Whitmorc  of  Marysvillc;  Mrs.  Goldic  Spitz  of  Ashton 
and  Cecil  Whitmorc  of  Ora.  There  are  also  19 
grandchildren  surviving  and  the  following  brothers 
and  sisters:  Mrs.  Iris  Riggs  of  St.  Anthony;  Mrs  Twila 
Workman  of  Los  Angeles,  Rickter  Simpson  of  Ashton, 
Mrs  Aubery  Hayes,  Mrs  Gladys  Catron  and  Leo 
Simpson  all  of  Pocatello. 

James  Sheridan  Whitmore  married  Mary  Viola 
Simpson,  August  17,  1908  in  St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 
She  was  bom  in  Ogden,  Utah,  on  June  3,  1889,  the 
daughter  of  George  Bruce  and  Mary  Elizabeth  Hardy 
Simpson. 

They  lived  on  the  homestead  farm  that  he  and 
Granny  Brown  had  proved  up  on,  and  developed  it 
into  a  profitable  farm,  with  grain  crops,  hay,  and 
livestock,  using  some  of  the  ground  for  pasture  as  well 
as  the  creek  bottom.  They  built  a  two -room  house  up 
on  top  of  the  bluff.  As  new  members  were  added  to 
the  femily,  more  rooms  were  also  added  to  the  litde 
log  house.  Jack  was  bom  in  a  new  six  room  house. 

Here  on  the  south  rim  of  the  Conant  Creek 
canyon  they  raised  their  family  of  nine  children. 

James  Sheridan  passed  away  in  1944,  as  a 
result  of  his  team  of  horses  running  away  with  him 
while  working  on  the  form.  Viola  passed  away  May  7, 
1946.  Both  are  buried  at  the  Ashton  Cemetery. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  James  Albert  b- 1909        d- 1956 
md-  Reva  Grace  Schoficld 

(2)  George  David  b-  1911        d-  1962 
md-  Mae  Mckerrigan 

(3)  Goldie  Margaret        b-  1912        d-  1988 
md-  Erwin  Spitz 

(4)  John  Carl  b-  1914        d-  1972 
md-  Mary  Ellen  McLane 

(5)  Mary  Edna  b- 1916 
md-  J.  Chester  Phillips 

(6)  Cedl  Erwin  b-  1919        d-  1977 
md-  Constance  A.  Walker 

(7)  Edward  Lyle  b-  1921        d-  1982 
md-  Alphea  Mae  Bird 

(8)  Calvin  b-  1923 
md-  Dora  Louise  Bush 

(9)  Jack  Alton  b-  1926        d-  1960 
md-  Vera  Jean  Barney 

JAMES  ALBERT  &  REVA  GRACE  S. 
WHITMORE 

James  Albert  and  Reva  Grace  Schoficld  were 
married  July  31,  1929.  Al  was  bom  and  i-aised  on  the 
homestead.  He  was  the  oldest  of  7  boys  and  2  girls. 

Al  and  Reva  moved  around  and  worked  at 
different  jobs  for  a  few  years.  Then,  they  bought  the 
ranch  in  1944,  just  below  the  old  homestead,  where 
they  made  their  lives.  Al  died  Sept.  4,  1965. 

Reva  was  born  and  raised  in  Farnum,  the 
daughter  of  William  Rillcy  and  Louisa  Matilda  Suiter 
Schofield.    After  Al  died,  Reva  kept  the  farm  going 


Albert  and  Reva  Schofield  Whitmorc 

and  is  still  today.  She  now  lives  in  Ashton  in  a  home 
she  owns. 

Al  and  Reva  worked  hard  all  their  lives.  Each 
of  us  kids  had  our  own  job  to  do  on  the  ranch. 

I  remember  our  family  picnics  at  what  was 
called,  the  head  of  the  ditch.  We  always  had  lots  of 
fiin.  After  my  brother  Jimmy  died  of  a  drowning, 
years  before  I  was  bom.  Mom  and  Dad  told  us  their 
were  alligators  in  the  ditches,  so  us  kids  would  not 
play  in  the  water.  I  believed  them  for  many  years,  and 
so  did  my  sisters. 

I  remember  our  house  on  Sundays,  Reva 
(Mom)  really  was  a  good  cook.  We  never  lacked  for 
company.  Sunday  was  always  her  day  for  home-made 
chicken  and  noodles,  and  I  think  everyone  knew  it. 
Mom  always  seemed  to  have  enough  food  for 
everyone  who  showed  up.  Our  home  was  always  open 
to  anyone  who  came  to  visit.  (Stories  by  Linda 
Whitmore  Hansen). 


Janice,  Linda,  Merle,  Donna,  Alice,  JurK, 
f.r.  Billie,  Reva,  Dale  Whimwre 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Aloclda  June  b-  1930 

md-  Teddy  Don  Martindalc 

md-  Glcndon  Hill 


383 


I 
to 


(2)  Jimmy  Gerald  b-  1933        d-  1940 

(3)  Donna  Rac  b-  1936 
md-  Dallas  McCauscy 

(4)  Janice  Ann  b-  1938 
md-  Neil  Harker 

(5)  Beverly  Merle  b-  1940 
md-  Jim  Biom 

md-  Leo  "Bud"  Jones 

(6)  Billie  Gale  b-  1943 
md-  Zcke  Eidinger 

md-  Larry  Fames 

(7)  Linda  Louise  b-  1947 
md-  Steve  Hansen 

(8)  Wilma  Alice  b-  1952 
md-  Kevin  Rigby 

(9)  Alan  Dale  b-  1955 
md-  Marsha  McArthur 

md-  Brenda  Terry 

GEORGE  DAVID  WHITMORE 

and 

MAE  MCKERRIGAN 

George  was  bom  March  5,  1911.  He  married 
Mae  McKerrigan  of  Ash  ton. 

They  raised  potatoes  on  leased  ground 
around  the  area.  George  also  worked  for  hire  for 
farmers  and  at  the  potato  warehouses.  He  also 
worked  for  the  U.  S.  Forest  Service  on  a  fire-lookout 
station. 

He  died  at  Rexburg,  Idaho  December  18, 
1962,  due  to  a  logging  accident. 


CHILDREN: 

(1) Joyce 

(2)  Jerry  -  Head  of  Job  Services  for  State  of  Ida. 

Pocatello. 


m 


GOLDIE  MARGARET  WHITMORE 

and 

ERWIN  SPITZ 


Erwin  and  Goldic  Whitmore  Spitz 

Goldie  Whitmore  was  bom  Nov.  15,  1912,  at 
Farnum,  Idaho.  She  married  Erwin  Spitz  Oct.  28, 
1934.  He  was  bom  Sept.  23, 1903. 


384 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Elaine  b-  1936 
md-  Russell  Olson 

(2)  Phyllis  b-  1937 
md-  Bill  Hess 

(3)  Leo  "Bud"  b-  1940 
md-  Judy  Borresen 

(4)  Marie  "ElUe"  b-  1942 
md-  Ron  Veneman 

(5)  Bmce  b-  1958 
md-  Barbara  Bollinger 

Goldie  was  born  in  Farnum  and  attended 
school  there.  She  worked  for  different  families  in  the 
area  and  at  the  seed  house.  For  several  years  she  and 
Erwin  lived  and  worked  in  Island  Park,  Yellowstone 
Park,  and  Standard,  Wyoming,  working  in 
constmction  and  in  the  timber  industry.  For  awhile 
they  lived  in  Star  Valley  and  operated  a  dairy  for  Paul 
Brogue.  They  later  moved  to  Texas  to  work  on 
Erwin 's  aunt's  ranch.  They  remained  there  for  a  year. 

They  returned  to  Fremont  County  where 
Erwin  farmed  and  worked  in  the  timber. 

Goldie  worked  in  the  local  cafe's  and  helped 
on  farms,  but  in  the  years  after  1950,  she  was  a 
housewife  who  took  pride  in  her  family,  home,  and 
yard.  She  was  also  available  to  help  when  someone 
needed  help.  She  also  helped  raise  several  young 
people.  Goldie  died  at  the  family  home  of  a  heart 
disease  on  Oct.  25,  1988. 

JOHN  CARL  WHITMORE 

and 

MARY  ELLEN  MCLANE 

John  Carl  (Dutch)  was  born  October  28, 
1914,  at  Farnum,  Idaho.  He  married  Mary  Ellen 
McLane  Nov.  29,  1941.  They  lived  on,  and  operated 
the  homestead  farm  that  Granny  Brown  and  James 
Sheridan  Whitmore  had  built  up  earlier.  Dutch  loved 
and  worked  with  horses  most  of  his  life.  (For  a  more 
complete  account  of  John  and  Mary  see  the  Bill  &  Kay 
BishofF  history  in  this  book). 

CHILDREN: 

(l)CarlaMary  b- 1942 

md-  Kai  M.  Wong  (2  boys) 

(2)  Emmaly  Kay  b-  1944 
md-  Bill  J.  Bishoff  (2  children) 

(3)  James  Charles  b-  1947 
md-  Barbara  Beck  (4  children) 

MARY  EDNA  WHITMORE 

and 

JOSEPH  CHESTER  PHILLIPS 

Mary  Edna  Whitmore  was  bom  November  8, 
1916  at  Famum,  Idaho.  She  married  Joseph  Chester 
(Chet)  Phillips  Oa.  24, 1936. 

They  farmed  the  Hans  Neilsen  place  on  Fall 
River  for  a  few  years.    Chet  worked  as  a  timber  boss 


Bonnie,  Edna,  Chet,  John  (standing)  Phillips  family 

for  Garland  Call.     They  made  their  home  in 
Marysville,  where  Edna  still  lives. 

Chet  passed  away  March  10, 1979. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  John  b-1943 
md-  Linda  Reed 

(2)  Bonnie  b-1946 
md-  Carl  Bates 

CECIL  ERWIN  WHITMORE 

and 

CONSTANCE  ALOHA  WALKER 


Cecil  and  Constance  Walker  Whitmorc 

Cecil  Erwin  Whitmore  was  born  April  11, 
1919  at  Famum,  Idaho.  He  was  raised  in  that  area  on 
a  fiarm  on  Conant  Creek.  As  I  have  been  told,  he 
worked  hard  and  loved  to  fish  and  hunt.  He  went  to 
school  in  the  area. 

He  married  Constance  Aloha  Walker  Sept. 
23,  1938.  They  did  not  have  a  lot,  but  our  father  was 


a  very  hard  worker,  and  when  he  worked,  he  worked. 
When  he  played,  he  played. 

He  was  a  great  guy  to  teach  &  show  you  the 
things  he  knew.  He  taught  us  kids  how  to  fish  and 
hunt  and  work.  I  knew  of  very  few  times  my  father 
was  even  out  of  a  job.  I  had  known  him  to  clean  cow 
bams,  for  a  few  hours  work.  I  would  hate  to  estimate 
the  hundreds  of  pounds  of  spuds  my  Dad  had  carried 
on  his  back  in  his  life. 

He  was  a  timber  worker,  a  truck  driver,  a  bar 
tender,  a  dinner  cook,  and  (a  dam  good  one). 
Between  him  and  my  Mother,  I  was  taught  how  to 
cook  and  take  care  of  a  home.  My  Mother  was  a  very 
good  homemaker  for  our  larger  family.  She  was  able 
to  take  a  loaf  of  bread,  spuds,  and  flour  and  feed  us 
very  well. 

One  of  the  best  meals  I  can  remember  was 
when  my  dad  was  on  a  trip  driving  truck.  The  fellow 
that  he  drove  for  finally  gave  my  Mom  some  money, 
and  she  made  hot-dogs  and  cheese.  I  thought  that 
was  the  greatest  meal  in  the  world. 

My  mom  lives  in  Elma,  Washington  now, 
since  Dad  passed  away  at  an  early  age  of,  one  month 
short  of  56  years  old.  She  has  a  good  life.  Dad  was 
able  to  leave  her  with  a  steady  income  and  a  life  of 
learning  to  make  do  with  what  you  have.  She  is  a 
great  lady. 

My  dad  loved  Ashton  and  the  area  very  much 
and  always  talked  of  the  old  folks  like  Lawrence 
Lindsley,  Oberhansleys,  Hawkes,  &  Jay  Hill.  Most  of 
these  men  I  know  and  respect  also. 

I  also  enjoy  going  back  to  Ashton  and  the 
area.  We  have  been  having  a  family  reunion  in  the 
simimer  (Whitmore)  and  enjoy  going  to  the  places  my 
father  used  to  roam. 

He  also  was  in  WWII  and  fought  in  Germany. 

He  died  March  10,  1977,  at  Salt  Lake,  Utah, 
shortly  after  heart  surgery. 

By  -  Clair  Whitmore 


b.r.  Judy,  Jolccnc,  Pam,  Patty,  Shirley, 
Vcrlccn,  f.r.  Gary,  Clair  Whitmorc 


385 


n 

J  0 


CHn.DREN: 

Clair 

b-  27  Feb.  1940 

md-  Fayc  Joslin 

Gary 

b-  20  May  1942 

md-  Ada 

Shirley 

b-  4  July  1943 

md-  Robert  Hick 

Patty 

b-  28  Jan.  1947 

md-  Samuel  Smith 

Pamela 

b-  20  Dec.  1947 

md-  Larry  Leonard 

Verlccn 

b-  18  Apr.  1950 

md-  Scott  Shephard 

Judy 

b-  18  May  1951 

Joleen 

b-  14  Sept.  1954 

md-  Ellis  Mier 

EDWARD  LYT.F  WHITMORE 

and 

ALPHEA  MAE  BIRD 

b.r.  E>anny,  Alphca,  Edward,  Rick,  David, 
f.r.  Toni,  Albert,  Jenny  Whitmore 


Edward  (Bud)  was  bom  August  15,  1921,  at 
Famum,  Idaho.  He  married  Alphea  Mae  Bird,  Jan  10, 
1946,  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 

Bud  was  bom  and  grew  up  in  Famum  where 
his  father  homesteaded  a  farm.  He  went  to  grade 
school  at  the  Farnum  school  and  to  high  school  in 
Ashton, 

He  hel{>ed  his  fether  on  the  farm  and  helped 
take  care  of  his  Grandma  Brown.  He  worked  with 
horses  along  with  his  dad  and  brothers.  He  cared  for 
cattle,  chickens  and  helped  his  mother  cure  meat.  He 
worked  in  the  vegetable  garden  which  was  huge.  In 
the  winter  he  ran  a  trap  line  from  the  time  he  was  very 
yoimg. 


Mr,  and  Mrs.  Whitmore  moved  to  Ashton 
during  the  winter  months  and  Cedl,  Bud,  Calvin,  and 
Jack  went  to  school.  Bud  graduated  from  high  school 
in  1940.  He  was  a  football  star  and  a  boxer. 

He  met  Alphea  Bird  during  those  years  and 
courted  her  for  some  time. 

World  War  11  broke  out  and  almost  everyone 
went  into  the  Armed  Forces.  Everyone  wrote  lots  of 
letters.  He  was  in  the  Airdrome  Squadron  in  the 
South  Pacific. 

After  the  war,  Bud  married  and  lived  on  the 
home  place  until  his  mother  passed  away.  He  lived 
mostly  around  Ashton  and  raised  his  family  there.  He 
worked  constmction  for  a  number  of  years.  Then  he 
had  his  own  concrete  business. 

He  died  of  cancer  in  1982.  He  was  a  good 
husband  and  father  and  was  respected  in  the 
community. 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  David 

b-  1947 

(2)  Toni 

b-  1948 

(3)  Albert 

b-  1950 

md-  Lynn 

(4)  Danny 

b-  1951 

(5)  Genevieve 

b-  1952 

md-  Kim  Kirkham 

(6) Geneva 

b-  1952 

died  in  1952 

(7)  Ricky 

b-  1955 

died  in  1970 

386 


CALVIN  WHITMORE 

and 
DORA  LOUISE  BUSH 

Calvin  was  born  Oct.  29,  1926,  at  Drum- 
mond,  Idaho.  He  remembers  growing  up  on  the 
farm  as  a  child.  Of  ranting  around  on  the  creek 
bottom  with  his  brothers  and  sisters  and 
neighborhood  kids,  swimming,  fishing,  having 
rodeo's  in  their  corral  with  the  farm  calves,  and  of 
their  school  teacher  Wmifred  Bean  riding  one  of  the 
calves  too.  After  church  his  mother  would  fix  beans 
and  potatoes  and  all  the  trimmings,  for  all  who  would 
come  to  visit. 

He  had  a  trap  Hne  in  the  winter  about  3  miles 
long,  up  the  creek  bottom  and  back  down  the  canal 
banks  to  the  home  place.  They  would  sell  the  fiirs  to 
Fred  Lewies,  in  Ashton. 

He  married  Dora  Louise  Bush,  the  daughter 
of  Charles  Melvin  and  Dora  Mae  Johnson  Bush,  July 
23,  1943.  Dora  was  bom  Sept.  13,  1925,  at  Pingrec, 
Idaho. 

After  their  marriage,  Calvin  and  Dora  farmed 
the  homestead  place  (160)  acres  for  about  2  years, 
until  Bud  came  from  the  service.  Calvin's  parents 
both  passed  away  during  this  time  they  were  on  the 
farm. 

Then  they  worked  for  Albert  on  his  (160 
acre)  form,  west  of  the  home  place,  for  four  years. 
They  remember  the  winter  of  1948-49,  when  the 


b.r.  Judy,  Jimmy  and  Carol  W.  Nielsen,  Eva  Jean  and  Ray,  Jeff  and  Trina,  f.r.  f.r.  Jim,  Calvin,  Dora,  Betty  (behind  Dora)  Whitmore 


weather  was  so  bad,  living  in  Al's  house  and  tending 
the  hvestock  through  that  series  of  bad  storms. 

From  1949  to  1956  they  moved  to  the  Idaho 
Falls  area  working  on  a  farm  for  3  years,  Clark 
Concrete  Co.  for  2  years,  and  at  the  Palisade  Dam  for 
one  year. 

Calvin  began  working  for  Jack  Thomas  Grain 
and  Livestock  Co.  in  Idaho  Fall,  and  was  later 
transferred  to  the  same  company  in  St.  Anthony. 
This  company  was  sold  to  Jorgensen's  Farmers 
Equity. 

He  also  worked  about  two  years  at  the 
Hopperdietzel  Cheese  Factory,  in  St.  Anthony. 

Calvin  worked  for  about  15  years  for  Neilson 
Brothers  doing  work  on  general  contract  jobs  and 
building  homes. 

He  and  Dora  moved  to  an  office  apartment 
of  the  Riverview  Motel,  where  they  lived  and 
managed  this  motel  for  about  3  years. 

The  four  older  children  were  bom  while  they 
lived  on  the  ranch  at  Farnum.  Jeff  was  bom  at  St. 
Anthony. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  James  Mclvin  b- 1944 
md-  Judy  Rae  Falcr 

(2)  Raymond  D.  b-  1946 
md-  Eva  Jeanne  Summers 

(3)  Betty  Joan  b-  1948 
md-  James  Darrell  Stevens 

(4)  Carol  Ann  b-  1950 
md-  Lyle  James  Nielsen 

(5)  Jeffery  Lynn  b-  1963 


JACK  ALTON  WHITMORE 

and 

VERA  JEAN  BARNEY 


387 


Jack  Whitmore 

Jack  was  bom  Oct.  3,  1926,  at  Drummond, 
Idaho.  He  married  Vera  Jean  Bamey,  Nov.  6,  1947. 
She  was  bom  Sept.  28,  1930,  the  daughter  of  Moses 
Allen  &  Ester  May  Underwood  Barney,  from 
Rcxburg,  Idaho. 

The  first  winter  they  were  married  they  lived 
in  the  Chet  and  Edna  Phillips  home  in  Marysvillc.  He 
worked  for  Bill  Griffcl  on  the  farm  several  summers. 
He  worked  in  the  Danigcr  Furniture  Store  in  St. 
Anthony. 


I 

I 

to 
0 

Co:  5, 


In  1954  they  moved  to  northern  Idaho, 
where  Jack  worked  in  the  Bunker  Hill  mines.  In  1956 
they  built  a  home  in  Mullen,  still  working  in  the 
mines. 

He  died  Feb.  17,  1960,  at  the  age  of  33,  in 
Mullen,  Idaho.  Jack  served  in  the  U.  S.  Navy  during 
World  Warn. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Rita  Jean  b-  1948        d-  1971 
md-  Dennis  Craig  Hanney 

(2)  Jack  Allan  b-  1949 
md-  Sandra  Marie  Johnson 

md-  Lori  Kay  Hundley 

(3)  Gayle  Eileen  b-  1950 
md-  Robert  Dean  Hubert 

(4)  Robert  Paul  b-  1953 
md-  Jacqueline  Joscphson 

JOHN  STILLMAN  WHITTLE 

and 

HAZEL  ETTA  DURNEY 


b.r.  Reuel,  Gwencth,  Keith 
Hazel  Etta  Dumcy  and  J.  Stillman  Whittle 

John  Stillman  Whittle,  son  of  John  Casper 
and  Zina  Adaline  Pond  Whittle,  bom  17  December 
1894,  Marysville,  Idaho.  Married  Hazel  Etta  Dumey 
28  June  1917  at  St  Anthony,  Idaho. 

Hazel  was  the  daughter  of  James  Holiday 
Durney  and  Mary  Andrus  born  May  29,  1897 
Richmond,  Cache  County,  Utah. 

CHILDREN: 

(l)Rcuel  Daniel  b- 1920 

md-  Jime  Chapman 
(2)  Gweneth  b-  1923 

md-  Frank  Henry  Olsen 
(3  Keith  Martin  b-  1926 

md-  Dawna  Siervers 


388 


REUEL  D.  WHITTLE 

My  brother,  Keith,  called  and  said  you  are 
getting  a  book  together  with  information  about 
Famum,  Drummond  area  or  remembrances  of  it.  I 
can  remember  a  lot  of  things  and  a  lot  of  people,  a  lot 
of  good  times,  and  bad  ones  too.  Tressa  do  you 
remember  when  you  hit  me  over  the  head  with  your 
over-shoes  on  the  way  home  from  school.*  Martha, 
Nelda  and  Earl  Kidd  were  there. 

I  have  a  picture  of  all  the  kids  in  our  room  at 
school  with  Mr.  Bean.  I  also  have  a  picture  of  his 
wife,  Wmifred.  I  thought  she  was  so  pretty.  Also 
your  cousin,  Delia,  was  my  heart-throb  for  several 
years,  and  Vaughn  my  best  friend.  Jay  Hill,  my 
cousin,  was  always  my  competition  with  the  gjrls,  even 
with  the  White  girls,  Marion  and  Afton.  Remember 
when  Afton  used  to  eat  dirt  and  tell  us  how  good  it 
was? 

By  the  way,  what  happened  to  our  old 
Church  house,  it's  gone.*  I  remember  a  lot  of  good 
times  at  the  Church  such  as  dances.  Relief  Society 
dinners,  Christmas  programs,  ball  games  and  other 
functions.  I  remember  the  people  in  Famum  and  all 
the  kids  in  school,  plus  half  of  Ashton. 

How  about  all  the  get-togethers  on  Dog  Race 
Day?  February  22nd,  cold  but  fun. 

I'll  never  forget  when  Lester  Hendrickson 
baptized  me  in  Fall  River.  It  was  in  October  and  a 
little  cold. 

I  think  our  family  changed  somewhat  for  the 
good,  when  young  Tom  Murdoch  talked  my  dad  into 
joining  him  in  the  Sunday  School  Presidency.  Then 
Percy  Hawkes  got  him  in  the  bishopric.  I  had  to  go 
to  church  every  Sunday.  Vaughn,  Bud  Jensen,  Jr. 
Jensen,  and  myself  passed  the  sacrament  every  Sunday. 

I  remember  when  dad  used  to  drive  the 
school  sleigh,  so  much  snow  you  couldn't  even  see  the 
fence  posts,  fun  skiing  behind  a  horse  and  down  the 
hills  though. 

Remember  how  fast  Vic  Van  Sickle  used  to 
drive?  I  thought  he  was  pretty  cool.  Also  when  he, 
"Stub"  Schofield,  and  Carl  Whitmore  used  to  rip  over 
the  school  toilets  on  Halloween?  I  can  think  of  lots 
more,  but  had  better  stop. 

By:Reuel  D.  Whittle 

KEITH  MARTIN  WHITTLE 

Keith  Martin  Whittle,  son  of  John  Stillman 
Whittle  and  Hazel  Etta  Durney,  was  born  at  St. 
Anthony,  Idaho,  August  26,  1926. 

We  left  Famum  when  I  was  11  years  old  so 
my  memories  are  few.  Our  family  moved  to  Famum 
in  1929.  Dad  worked  for  Jim  Hill,  his  brother-in-law, 
and  lived  on  the  Jim  Hill  place,  later  moving  to  the 
Hans  Neilson  place.  We  left  in  1937,  a  tough  year,  as 
I  remember  it. 

When  we  moved  to  the  Hans  Neilson  place, 
on  Fall  River,  the  homesite  was  squeezed  in  a  little 


comer  between  Fall  River  and  a  hill  directly  south 
behind  the  house  joining  the  Fall  River  on  the  West. 
It  was  quite  secluded  and  a  pretty  place  with  many 
quakies  and  a  few  pine  trees. 

Our  closest  neighbor  was  the  Brig  Murdoch 
family  and  their  son  Wallace  and  I  were  close  friends. 

Among  my  memories:  Wallace  and  I  making 
our  own  dugway  to  ride  our  coaster  wagons  down; 
cutting  willows  to  stake  the  road  out  in  the  fields 
where  the  snow  wasn't  quite  so  deep;  getting  home  in 
the  dark  from  school  in  the  canvas  covered  school 
sleigh  that  my  dad  drove;  the  two  horses  on  the  sleigh 
"Chat  and  Shorty"  that  were  like  jack  rabbits  in  the 
snow;  making  ice  cream  on  my  birthday,  the  26th  of 
August,  in  a  hand  crank  freezer  from  snow  that  had 
been  covered  with  a  load  of  straw;  skiing  behind  "Old 
Chub"  when  Reed  and  I  both  wanted  to  ride  the  skis 
so  we  tied  two  ropes  to  his  tail  and  threw  snow  balls  at 
him;  wrestling  with  Melvin  Benson;  riding  calves  at 
the  Farnum  church  grounds  on  the  4th  of  July; 
burning  tumble  weeds  along  the  road  and  setting  a 
grain  field  on  fire  the  day  I  got  baptized;  swimming  in 
Conant  Creek  and  pulling  the  crawdads  off  my  feet; 
my  encoimter  with  a  skunk  and  soaking  my  clothes  for 
a  week  in  Fall  River;  Fall  River  freezing  over  at  the 
rapids  below  our  place;  gourging  with  ice  and  then 
taking  livestock  with  it  when  it  broke  loose;  catching 
whitefish  off  the  Fall  River  bridge  in  the  winter  after 
the  snow  got  deep;  Reuel  killing  a  calf  that  was  eating 
from  the  hog  trough  by  throwing  a  stick  at  it  (Dad 
never  knew  why  that  calf  laid  down  and  died.); 
hearing  Reuel  take  a  whipping  from  my  Dad,  in  the 
bam,  for  not  coming  home  from  school  to  help  with 
the  chores  (he  rode  a  horse  to  Ashton  High  School 
and  had  stayed  a  couple  nights  with  Aunt  Ehna  Hill). 
Reuel  disappeared  the  next  day  and  was  gone  for  three 
months.  He  had  joined  the  CCC's. 

By:  Keith  Whittle 

ARNOLD  PHILIP  WHITTLE 

and 

EVELYN  CAMPBELL 


Arnold  Whittle  was  born  November  28, 
1907,  in  Marysville,  the  son  of  John  C.  and  Zina  Pond 
Whittle.  He  received  his  early  education  at  Marysville 
and  was  graduated  from  St.  Anthony  High  School. 

He  farmed  with  his  brother,  Floyd  Whittle,  in 
Marysville  following  his  high  school  graduation.  He 
was  inducted  into  the  U.  S.  Army  during  World  War 
II,  June  18,  1942.  He  received  a  medical  discharge 
from  the  Us.  Army  at  Fort  Douglas,  Utah,  July  22, 
1942. 

Evelyn  Campbell  was  bom  March  3,  1908,  at 
Rigby,  Idaho,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Alberta 
Campbell.  She  enjoyed  gardening  and  was  an 
excellent  seamstress,  sewing  all  the  clothes  for  her 
children  when  they  were  small, 

Arnold  and  Evelyn  were  married  May  28, 
1943,  at  Las  Vegas,  Nev.  Arnold  worked  as  a 
motorman  and  conductor  for  the  Los  Angeles  Railway 
Company. 

Ava  Lou  Whittle  Smith  Poulter,  their 
daughter  was  bom  in  Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  May  10, 
1947.  Phil  Dee  Whittle,  her  brother,  was  bom  Dec. 
15, 1943,  and  passed  away  March  23,  1987. 

The  family  moved  to  Farnum  in  1946, 
purchasing  a  farm  about  one  and  one-half  miles  south 
and  west  of  the  Farnum  school  house. 

Their  closest  neighbors  were  Kenneth  Henry 
on  the  north  and  Keith  Peterson  on  the  south. 
Arnold  loved  farming  in  the  summers  and  in  the 
winters  they  lived  in  various  places.  When  they  retired 
from  forming  in  1970,  they  sold  the  farm  to  Kenneth 
Henry. 

Arnold  passed  away  in  October  of  1973. 
Evelyn  passed  away  in  October  1981.  Ava  has  five 
children  and  lives  in  St.  Anthony  with  her  husband 
Craig  Poulter. 


ii 

Arnold,  and  Evelyn  Whmk,  children  Phil,  Ava 


389 


Alberta  Joseph  Campbell  Mabel  Campbell 

By:  Ava  Lou  Poulter 


c 
•J  0 


1st  gen: 
WALTER  BRYANT  WICKHAM 

and 
21IARY  ANN  REDD  HAWKES 

Walter  Bryant  Wickham  was  bom  February  9, 
1851,  at  East  Wickham,  Kent,  England.  He  married 
(1)  Maria  Kyer,  April  1871,  at  Salt  Lake  City.  He 
married  (2)  Mary  Ann  Hawkes,  in  Salt  Lake  City  also. 
Mary  Ann  was  bom  August  28,  1857  at  Spanish  Fork, 
Utah. 

Walter  and  Mary  Ann  moved  to  Wilford, 
Idaho  from  Heber  City,  Utah  in  1906.  Mary  Ann 
died  at  Wilford,  September  5,  1911.  Walter  died  April 
26, 1917,  also  at  Wilford. 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Vemon  H.  b-  1884        d- 
md-  (1)  Mary  Rasband 

(2)  Lucy  Jenkins  North 

(2)  May  Irene  b-  1887        d-  1977 
md-  N.  M.  Jr.  Allgood 

(3)  Eari  Montell  b-  1889        d-  1966 
md-  Charlotte  Cazier 

(4)  Walter  Bryant  b-  1893        d-  1971 
md-  Edith  Leone  Nave 

(5)  Vera  Sophrona  b-  1895        d-  1989 
md- (1)  Walter  H.Bratt 

(2)  Ren  HiU 

(6)  Ronald  Bertrand         b-  1899        d-  1932 
md-  Phoebe  Ann  Empy 

2nd  gen: 

EARL  MONTELL  WICKHAM 

AND 

CHARLOTTE  CAZIER 

Earl  Montell  Wickham,  son  of  Walter  and 
Mary  Ann  Hawkes  Wickham,  was  bom  28  November 
1889,  in  Heber  City,  Wasatch,  Utah.  1906  his  parents 
left  Heber  City,  and  settled  in  Wilford,  Fremont, 
Idaho.  Montell  was  14  years  old  when  they  came  to 
this  area. 

Montell  married  Charlotte  Cazier,  the 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Emily  Marilda  Hathaway 
Cazier  the  10  June  1914,  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple  in 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  They  had  met  at  a  Mutual 
dance  in  the  old  Famum  church,  where  a  good  old 
home-talent  four  piece  orchestra  played  the  music. 

Some  of  their  happiest  memories  were  these 
dances.  There  were  a  few  dances  when  the  blizzards 
got  so  bad  that  the  orchestra  and  everyone  decided  to 
dance  right  on  until  day-light.  The  married  people 
had  no  worries  about  their  families  because  they  had 
all  their  children  with  them,  asleep  on  the  benches. 

At  age  21,  in  about  1910,  Montell  used  his 
homestead  rights  on  some  land  about  two  miles  south 
of  the  Famum  Church.  He  lived  on  the  land,  in  a 
small  two-room  frame  house  on  top  of  the  hill,  for  five 
years  and  got  tide  to  the  160  acres  in  1915. 


They  worked  very  hard  on  the  dry  farm, 
doing  everything  themselves,  planting  the  grain, 
hauling  water,  shocking  the  grain  in  the  fall.  In  the 
fall  it  was  exdting  hearing  the  shrieking  whistle  of  a 
steam  threshing  machine  pulling  in  on  their  land  to 
thresh  the  bundles  of  wheat.  "We  were  glad  to  see 
them  come,  but  also  glad  to  see  them  go,  because  we 
had  to  cook  for  twenty- two  men  for  days." 

We  milked  cows  and  kept  the  milk  in  a  dirt 
cellar.  We  chumed  our  own  butter.  Later,  we  got  a 
cream  separator.  Charlotte  made  all  the  children's 
clothes.  She  washed  on  the  board  and  ironed  with 
stove  irons.  They  got  their  first  washing  machine  in 
1929,  after  15  years  of  married  life.  They  raised  a 
garden,  the  soil  being  new  and  fertile.  We  canned  lots 
of  fruit  that  had  been  shipped  to  Drummond  on  the 
train.  We  roamed  the  hills  and  hollows  picking 
chokccherries.  They  raised  about  100  chickens  every 
summer. 

When  the  harvest  was  in,  we  got  load  after 
load  of  wood  from  the  timber.  The  men  would  stay 
two  or  three  nights  to  a  week  getting  the  wood  out. 
They  needed  enough  wood  to  last  through  the  cold 
winters. 

The  first  plow  they  used  on  the  homestead 
form  was  a  two-bottom  plow.  They  used  four  head  of 
horses  on  this  plow.  The  next  plow  was  a  three- 
bottom  plow  with  six  head  of  horses.  They  cut  their 
grain  with  a  binder  until  1921  when  their  first 
harvester  was  purchased.  They  used  eight  head  of 
horses  on  this  harvester,  somerimes  twelve  on  the 
steep  hills. 

They  hauled  their  water  about  three  miles  in  a 
tank  and  then  put  it  in  a  dstem.  From  this  dstem 
they  would  pump  water  for  their  household  use  and 
also  for  the  stock  to  drink.  The  dstem  was  about  12 
feet  deep,  cemented  in.  They  drew  the  water  out  at 
first  with  a  bucket.  Each  time  the  dstem  would  go 
dry,  they  would  dean  it  out  before  putting  fresh  water 
in.  They  would  tie  a  rope  around  their  little  boys' 
waists  and  lower  them  into  the  dstem  so  they  could 
sweep  and  rise  out  the  cistern.  It  had  to  be  filled 
about  every  ten  days  to  two  weeks. 

Even  though  some  years  the  acreage  was  small 
and  the  crops  poor,  the  machinery  was  always  high  in 
cost.  "We  kept  going  on,  always  thinking  that  next 
year  will  be  a  good  year.  We  picked  forming  for  our 
life's  work  and  loved  it  even  with  all  the  adversities." 

Montell  and  Charlotte  moved  to  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho  in  1932.  He  still  continued  to  farm  his  property 
at  Farnum,  with  the  help  of  his  son.  Earl,  until  his 
death  in  1966. 


390 


CHILDREN: 
(l)BoydM. 

md-  Laura  Rissor 

(2)  Earl  L.  b-  1917 
md-  Frances  Thompson 

(3)  Benjamin  L.  b-  1921 
md-  Chleo  Humphry 


b-  1915        d-  1946 


d-  1958 


(4)  Charlotte  A.  b-  1929 
md-  Jack  Swcnscn 

(5)  Wallace  b- 


d-  1  mo. 


3rd  gen: 

EARL  LLOYD  WICKHAM 

and 

FRANCES  THOMPSON 


®t?K™,s: 


■OHWiOMWXiMi: 


"•■^^w^iyia^K;**!  8  H  will 


b.r.  Ben,  Earl,  Boyd,  f.r.  Charlotte,  Charlotte  Cazier,  and 
Earl  Montell  Widdiam 

I,  Earl  Lloyd  Wickham  was  born  March  22, 
1917  at  Famum,  Idaho,  the  son  of  Earl  Montell  and 
Charlotte  Cazier  Wickham. 

I  worked  on  the  form  when  I  was  old  enough 
to  work  and  I  stayed  to  work  with  Dad.  I  rented  my 
first  piece  of  land  in  1932  and  bought  my  first  piece  of 
land  in  1938.  It  was  called  the  Carver  Place.  I  also 
bought  and  rented  other  pieces  of  land  around  this 
area. 

We  formed  together.  Dad  and  I,  and  used  the 
same  machinery  but  we  each  had  our  own  land.  I 
bought  Dad's  land  in  1967  fi-om  Mother.  I  farmed 
this  imtil  1975,  then  I  sold  out  and  retired. 

We  farmed  through  some  good  years  and 
several  bad  ones.  For  example,  one  year  we  were 
hailed  out  and  one  year  the  firost  got  us.  We  went 
through  the  Great  Depression  in  1929  until  about 
1932.  We  had  bad  prices  and  drought.  We  lived  kind 
of  poor,  and  were  lucky  to  have  food  on  the  table. 

We  farmed  with  horses,  up  to  1000  acres, 
some  of  it  was  rented  land  and  some  of  it  was  owned. 
We  bought  our  first  traaor  in  1935. 

I  went  to  my  first  years  of  school  in  Famum, 
and  the  6th,  7th,  and  8th  grades. 

We  made  friends  in  Famum.  I  had  a  lot  of 
fun  and  still  enjoy  seeing  some  of  our  lifelong 
neighbors.  I  feel  Hke  I  am  a  part  of  the  history  of 
Famum.  We  lived  through  some  of  the  best  and  the 
worst  years.  I  still  enjoy  going  back  to  the  Farnum 
area  every  year  to  see  and  visit  the  old  places. 

By:  Earl  Wickham 


391 


ALFRED  GEORGE  WOODLAND 

and 
CRYSTA  PHILESTDA  BURNHAM 

Alfred  George  Woodland  was  born  in 
Richmond,  Utah,  October  6,1881  to  Alfred  and 
Nielsine  Dorthea  Thompson  Woodland.  He  had  six 
brothers  and  four  sisters.  He  attended  the  public 
school  at  Richmond  through  the  eighth  grade.  He 
helped  his  father  on  the  farm  and  when  nineteen  he 
attended  the  B.  Y.  U.  College  taking  a  missionary 
course.  His  father  died  5  November  1901. 

In  1902  Alfi-ed  went  on  a  mission  for  two  and 
one  half  years  to  the  Southwestem  States,  and  Texas 
mission.  He  enjoyed  his  labors  very  much  and  often 
told  his  children  many  feith  promoting  incidents.  One 
of  them  is  as  follows:  One  of  his  companions  stuttered 
and  had  a  very  difficult  time  preaching  the  gospel.  He 
was  very  sincere  and  earnest  and  wouldn't  give  up. 
They  met  one  man  that  was  fascinated  by  his 
stuttering.  He  would  laugh  and  poke  fun  of  him  but 
he  kept  wanting  him  to  talk.  Soon  he  was  listening  to 
his  words  and  the  meaning  of  his  words  began  getting 
through  to  him.  He  believed  and  asked  to  be 
baptized,  he  said  he  knew  that  every  word  he  said  was 
true  because  no  man  would  go  through  the  agony  he 
went  through  to  get  his  message  across  if  it  was  not 
true. 

He  returned  from  his  mission  in  May  1905 
and  helped  his  brother  Bill  on  the  farm  until  his 
marriage.  He  married  Crysta  Philinda  Bumham  of 
Richmond  on  11  October  1905.  Alfred's  romance 
was  a  little  unusual.  Crysta  was  the  eldest  of  nine 
children.  Her  mother  died  when  the  last  one  was 
born  so  Crysta  had  the  responsibility  of  this 
motherless  family,  including  the  little  new  bom  baby. 
She  had  little  time  to  go  out  with  the  crowd  or  her 
boy  friend,  Alfred.  So  Alfred  would  go  to  her  home 
and  help  her  with  her  work  and  with  the  children.  If 
they  did  go  out  together  they  always  had  to  take  the 
baby  with  them.  Crysta 's  father  was  away  from  home 
a  lot  with  his  work  and  he  was  against  their  getting 
married  because  he  needed  her  at  home.  But  love 
won  out  and  they  were  married.  There  were  eight 
children  by  this  union.  Work  was  hard  to  get  and 
money  was  scarce,  so  in  the  fall  of  1906  they  moved 
to  Famum,  Idaho  to  homestead.  They  took  up  120 
acres  of  dry  land.  They  lived  in  a  tent  with  a  wooden 
floor  while  they  were  building  their  little  house. 
Alfred  hauled  wood  all  fall  getting  ready  to  build.  In 
the  spring  Alfred  helped  Uncle  Chris  and  in  turn 
Uncle  Chris  lent  him  his  team  so  he  could  hire  out 
and  cam  a  little  needed  money. 

They  always  had  a  good  garden.  Alfred  would 
make  the  row's  and  Crysta  would  plant  the  seed.  No 
matter  how  hard  they  tried  they  could  not  make  a 
living  on  their  new  farm.  They  rented  a  place  in 
Drummond  and  worked  it  on  shares.  They  continued 
clearing  their  own  land  and  working  their  own  land  on 
the  homestead.  They  had  good  neigh-bors  that  helped 


? 

2  0 

m 


out.  They  had  to  haul  all  their  water  two  miles. 

They  had  some  good  times  here  too.  They 
would  go  to  dances.  Everyone  would  bring  their 
babies  and  let  them  sleep  on  the  benches.  They  en- 
joyed the  activities  in  the  L.  D.  S.  Famum  Ward. 
Crysta  worked  in  the  primary  and  her  Relief  Society 
calling,  was  to  help  lay  away  the  dead.  Alfred  was 
teacher  of  a  theology  class,  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  School  and  in  1909  was  called  to  be  counselor 
to  Bishop  Henry  W.  Smith 

Three  children  were  bom  in  Famum:  Zina, 
Wallace  Glen  and  Anna.  One  evening  after  the 
Saturday  night  baths  in  the  round  tin  tub  they  were 
gathered  around  the  heater  stove  listening  to  their 
mother  read  a  story.  Wallace  accidentally  kicked  the 
stove  (it  had  bricks  under  one  end  for  a  leg)  and  it  fell 
forward  with  the  door  flying  open.  Mother  grabbed 
her  apron  and  picked  up  the  stove  by  the  rim  and  drug 
it  outside  in  the  snow.  They  she  gathered  up  snow  to 
put  out  the  fire  that  had  started  on  the  home  made 
carpet. 

The  family  suffered  extreme  hardship  for 
seven  years.  Crysta  became  very  ill.  She  was  taken  by 
ambulance  to  a  Salt  Lake  hospital.  Alfred  went  with 
her.  Anna  was  already  in  Salt  Lake  under  the  care  of 
Dr.  Baldwin.  She  was  having  corrective  treatment  on 
her  feet  having  been  bom  with  dub  feet.  Alfred  left 
his  brother  Pete  to  run  the  farm  and  Crysta's  sister, 
LaRue  to  look  after  the  children. 

Crysta  had  blood  poisoning  and  was  sick  a 
long  time.  Alfred  could  see  his  wife  could  not  go  back 
to  Idaho  to  live  in  that  then  mgged  country  so  he  had 
LaRue  bring  the  children  to  Brigham  City  to  her 
father's  home.  He  brought  his  wife  home  from  the 
hospital  the  next  day.  She  was  still  very  weak.  Within 
a  week  Alfred  had  found  work  with  the  city  and  a 
place  to  live.  January  16,  1914  their  small  son  Wallace 
died  of  Pneumonia. 

Soon  Alfred  began  working  for  the  Fishbum 
family  who  owned  a  fruit  farm  south  of  the  dty.  The 
family  moved  around  quite  a  bit,  always  renting  a 
place  no  one  else  wanted. 

Alfred  got  along  very  well  working  for  the 
Fishbum  family  and  he  loved  to  farm.  But  after  a  few 
years  he  wanted  a  farm  of  his  own.  Two  years  of  bad 
weather  and  crop  failures  followed  and  he  could  not 
make  the  payments.  He  had  tumed  their  other  place 
in  on  it  as  a  down  payment  so  they  lost  everything. 
Alfred  then  rented  a  farm  of  Mr.  Hargis  in  North 
Willard.  By  this  time  George  was  in  first  year  High 
School  and  Zina  was  in  the  eighth  grade.  They  helped 
on  the  farm.  George  hoed  tomatoes,  cultivated, 
hauled  hay,  etc.,  and  Zina  helped  with  the  irrigating. 
The  land  was  on  a  hillside  and  the  water  had  to  be 
watched  all  the  time.  The  family  was  living  at  the 
Hargis  farm  at  the  time  of  the  big  Willard  flood  in 
1923.  Two  lives  were  lost  and  the  main  highway  was 
impassable  for  weeks. 

After  two  years  Alfred  had  a  little 
disagreement  with  Mr.  Hargis  about  wages  and  he 


392 


quit.  About  this  time  he  received  $100  from  his 
father's  estate.  There  was  only  one  house  in  Brigham 
he  could  find  to  buy  for  that  low  of  a  down  payment. 
It  was  at  454  South  5th  West.  He  bought  this  and  it 
remained  the  family  homestead  until  recently  when  it 
was  sold  to  a  great  grandson,  Alfred  felt  very 
discouraged.  He  loved  to  farm  but  he  felt  the  need 
for  a  steady  income  to  meet  the  needs  of  his  family. 
He  went  to  Bingham  Canyon  and  secured  work  at  the 
copper  mine.  He  worked  there  for  twenty-nine  years. 
He  never  lost  his  love  for  the  earth  and  growing 
things.  He  had  to  batch  it  in  Bingham  and  lived  in 
different  places  but  wherever  he  was,  he  had  a  garden 
of  some  sort  even  if  sometimes  it  had  to  be  in  a  box. 

His  wife  stayed  in  Brigham  with  the  children. 
They  did  not  think  Bingham  Canyon  was  a  good  place 
to  raise  a  family.  Six  months  later  their  youngest  child 
was  bom  23  May  1924.  Helen  was  a  joy  to  the  whole 
6imily.  And  how  her  dad  loved  to  show  her  ofP.  The 
following  year  Rulon,  age  nine,  died  of  Bright's 
disease. 

Alfred  came  home  as  often  as  possible  on  the 
old  Bamberger.  He  helped  with  the  outside  work  and 
other  chores.  They  had  a  cow,  2  dozen  chickens  and 
2  pigs.  An  acre  of  ground  was  in  fruit  trees  and 
garden  stuff,  this  gave  the  children  something  to  keep 
them  busy.  Alfred  would  take  finit  and  garden  stuff 
back  to  Bingham  with  him  and  his  wife  would  send 
him  things  in  between  visits. 

This  was  a  difficult  time  for  the  family.  The 
children  missed  their  father  and  their  mother  was 
often  depressed  because  she  missed  her  husband.  She 
also  felt  the  weight  of  full  responsibility  for  the 
children.  The  finances  were  strained.  It  took  money 
for  rent  and  groceries  for  Alfred  to  batch  it  in 
Bingham  and  it  took  money  for  his  wife  to  keep  up 
the  house  payments,  buy  groceries,  pay  doctor  bills 
and  give  the  children  what  they  needed  for  school. 
The  children  worked  whenever  they  had  a  chance  at 
odd  jobs.  One  time  they  were  out  of  flour,  Crysta 
had  $3.00  to  last  until  next  month.  She  owed  her 
tithing,  so  she  went  to  the  Bishop  and  asked  him  if  she 
should  buy  the  needed  flour  or  pay  their  tithing. 
Bishop  Fishbum  told  her  to  pay  her  tithing  and  she 
followed  his  coundl.  The  next  day  a  man  Alfred  had 
done  some  work  for  came  to  the  house  and  paid  $12 
that  he  owed. 

In  time  their  children  all  married.  In 
November  1952  Alfred  retired  from  work  at  Utah 
Copper  Co.  and  they  moved  back  to  their  old  home  in 
Brigham  City  that  they  had  been  renting.  All  of  the 
children  and  some  of  the  grandchildren  tumed  out  to 
paint,  wallpaper  and  fix  the  place  up  and  to  help  them 
move.  The  children  were  as  excited  as  their  parents  to 
have  a  dream  come  tme  -  to  someday  move  back  to 
their  old  home  and  enjoy  it  together.  Alfred  enjoyed 
raising  fruit  and  a  nice  garden  and  flowers.  All  of 
these  he  shared  with  his  family,  neighbors  and  friends. 
He  loved  visits  from  his  family  and  friends.  He  had  a 
knack  of  gladdening  the  heart  and  making  you  feel  not 


only  welcome  but  someone  special.  His  fecc  would 
light  up  and  he  would  exclaim,  "Oh!  here  is  my 
favorite  daughter  or  son  or  granddaughter  or 
grandson  or  friend  or  whoever  it  might  be  visiting." 
They  had  many  family  gatherings  and  if  you 
commented  on  the  mess  he  would  say,  "Don't  worry 
about  that.  We  are  glad  you  came  and  I  have  plenty 
of  time  to  dear  things  away."  And  he  would  get  out 
the  vacuum  cleaner  and  go  to  work.  He  wouldn't  let 
Crysta  do  it.  At  this  time  she  was  suffering  with 
arthritis  and  a  bad  knee.  He  was  so  understanding  of 
her  needs  and  helped  her  with  everything. 

In  Alfred's  retiring  years  he  continued  to  be 
anxiously  engaged  in  the  Lord's  work  but  in  a  more 
limited  way.  He  was  a  ward  teacher,  was  a  Stake 
Tabernacle  Missionary,  was  on  the  genealogical 
committee  and  was  Senior  Aaronic  Priesthood 
Advisor.  He  very  seldom  missed  a  meeting  unless  he 
was  ill.  He  and  Crysta  went  to  the  Temple  often.  He 
loved  his  family  and  visited  all  of  them  all  he  could. 
He  organized  the  Woodland  and  Thompson  Family 
Organizations.  And  he  worked  untiringly  at  searching 
out  his  ancestors. 

On  election  day  November  11,  1962  he  was 
leaving  to  go  vote  and  he  suffered  a  heart  attack  and 
fell  on  the  steps  leading  from  their  yard.  A  neighbor 
youth,  Dick  Hansen,  saw  him  fell  and  carried  him  into 
the  house.  A  few  days  later  another  attack  ended  his 
life.  He  died  November  15,  1962  at  the  ag©  of  81. 

By:  Zina  W.  Petersen  (  daughter) 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Alfred  George  Jr. 
md-  Olive  Clark 

(2)  Zina  b-  1908 
md-  (1)  Merlin  A.  Thompson 

(2)  Royal  T.  Peterson 

(3)  Wallace  Glen  b-  1909 

(4)  Anna  b-  1911 
md-  Alvin  Smith 

(5)RayBumham  b- 1914 

md-  Delores  Hopkins 

(6)  Rulon  Kendall  b- 

(7)  Grant  Ephraim  b- 

(8)  Helen  b-  1924 
md-  Edward  C.  Pugh 


b-  1906        d-  1900 


d-  1914  Child  5 
years  old. 


d-  1925  Child  9 
years  old. 

d-  Child  9 
months  old. 


ALFRED  GEORGE  WOODLAND,  JR 

and 

OLIVE  CLARK  WOODLAND 

I  was  bom  22  July  1906  in  Richmond,  Utah 
to  Crysta  Philinda  Burnham  and  Alfred  George 
Woodland.  Being  the  first  child  I  was  named  after  my 
father.  My  folks  soon  went  to  Farnum,  Idaho  to 
homestead  120  acres  of  land.  This  proved  to  be  a 
trying  experience  for  them  and  they  suffered  very 


difficult  times  trying  to  work  the  land,  build  a  place  to 
live,  scrape  together  a  living  and  raise  a  femily. 

I  remember  my  mother  telling  an  experience 
of  one  summer  day  when  I  was  1  1/2  hears  old.  I 
turned  up  missing,  she  went  out  and  called  for  me 
several  times.  I  didn't  answer  and  she  couldn't  find 
me  any  place.  Finally  she  saw  the  cat  that  I  always 
pbyed  with  crawl  down  a  badger  hole.  It  came  out 
meowing.  Mother  looked  down  the  hole  and  she 
could  just  sec  the  heel  of  my  shoe.  Mother  dug  away 
at  the  top  of  the  hole,  then  reached  in  and  could 
hardly  reach  one  foot.  She  pulled  me  out  of  that 
badger  hole  by  my  heels.  She  said  she  was  crying 
harder  than  I  was. 

A  year  or  two  later  a  boy  friend  and  I  was 
playing  in  the  barnyard.  I  grabbed  hold  of  the  cows 
tail.  She  whirled  around  trying  to  get  rid  of  me  and 
my  feet  hit  the  shank  of  our  horse  and  he  kicked  and 
laid  the  top  of  my  head  open.  The  Doctor  said  that  if 
the  horse  had  been  shod  I  wouldn't  be  alive.  Mother 
shaved  my  head  and  wrapped  the  wound  with  some 
new  fectory  yardage  and  some  towels.  It  was  winter 
time,  so  fether  hooked  up  the  bobsled  and  they  drove 
me  to  Ashton,  Idaho  to  the  nearest  Doctor.  Mother 
was  scared  to  death  because  I  was  bleeding  profusely 
and  she  couldn't  stop  it.  Father  said  he  was  sick  but 
managed  to  keep  the  bobsled  on  the  move.  The 
Doctor  sewed  my  scalp  together. 

A  few  months  later  another  catastrophe 
happened  that  was  a  serious  setback  in  the  lives  of  us 
all.  I  was  playing  with  some  neighbor  boys  back  of 
the  barn  setting  off  fire  crackers.  The  sheds  were 
covered  with  straw  and  these  fire  crackers  started  the 
straw  on  fire.  The  neighbors  formed  a  bucket  brigade. 
The  water  they  drew  from  the  dstem  was  hauled  there 
by  my  fether  in  barrels  from  a  creek  three  miles  away. 
They  managed  to  save  the  granary  and  that  was  all. 
Mother  got  in  the  pig  pen  and  lifted  the  little  pigs  out 
and  fether  ran  to  the  barn  and  turned  the  animals 
loose. 

My  mother  became  very  ill  after  this 
experience.  During  this  illness  she  said  she  and  her 
mother  (who  was  dead)  looked  down  and  saw  her 
body  lying  in  bed.  She  felt  so  good  and  free  from 
pain.  She  saw  my  fether  and  grandfather  Burnham 
kneeling  by  her  bed  praying  for  her  life  to  be  spared. 
She  saw  all  of  us  children  looking  on  with  forlorn 
feces.  Just  then  someone  in  white  came  to  her  and 
told  her  she  would  have  to  go  back  because  her 
children  needed  her.  Her  life  was  restored  through 
the  administration  of  the  Priesthood  and  the  power  of 
feith. 

Finally  the  family  moved  to  Brigham  City, 
Utah.  There  were  four  children  now,  myself,  Zina, 
Wallace  Glen  and  Anna.  Father  had  a  hard  time  to 
make  ends  meet.  All  of  us  worked  to  make  things 
pleasant.  Our  life  together  happy  even  though  we 
didn't  have  a  great  deal  of  money.  Each  of  us  looked 
after  the  needs  of  each  other.    Mother  saw  to  it  that 


393 


C 
<} 
C 

CO    OD 

^  0 


each  had  a  birthday  party.  Wc  would  fill  our  little 
wagon  with  sandwiches,  home-made  ice  crearn  and 
cake  and  go  to  on  a  pidnic  and  spend  the  afternoon. 
Each  of  us  was  assigned  chores  to  do  about  the  home 
and  farm.  I  was  to  see  that  the  wood  box  was  full  and 
later,  when  older,  take  care  of  the  cow  and  see  that  she 
was  fed  and  milked. 

I  attended  the  Central  School  at  Brigham 
City,  Utah  and  then  the  Box  Elder  High  School. 
These  were  happy  days.  I  played  tennis  on  the  Box 
Elder  High  School  team. 

After  graduating  from  the  Box  Elder  High 
School,  I  worked  three  years  for  the  Utah  Copper 
Company  as  a  property  watchman.  I  then  attended 
the  University  of  Utah  for  one  year.  On  July  27, 
1927  I  served  a  mission  in  the  Western  States  Mission 
for  30  months,  for  my  church.  This  is  where  I  learned 
to  love  the  gospel  and  my  Father  in  Heaven. 

I  learned  later  (at  my  father's  funeral  as  told 
by  Brother  Lyons,  his  bishop)  that  father's  shift  boss 
and  also  mine,  Harry  Sours  (not  a  member  of  the 
church)  gave  father  all  the  extra  work  and  overtime. 
It  was  through  his  concern  for  father's  welfare, 
knowing  he  had  an  added  expense  to  keep  me  on  a 
mission,  that  I  was  able  to  stay  in  the  mission  field. 

While  on  my  mission  I  met  my  life's  com- 
panion, Olive  Clark.  After  finishing  my  mission  we 
were  married  in  the  Logan  Temple  18  April  1930.  I 
couldn't  get  work  any  place.  Finally  April  19,  1930 
Olive  and  I  got  a  job  selling  for  the  Utah  Woolen 
Mills  out  of  Logan,  Utah.  Our  territory  was  in 
Nebraska  and  Iowa.  This  was  a  hard  lean  life  for  Olive 
and  I.  We  soon  found  out  that  we  couldn't  make  a 
living  selling  woolen  goods  in  the  middle  of  the 
summer  and  during  a  depression  at  that.  That  fall  I 
secured  work  at  a  Safeway  Store  in  Broken  Bow, 
Nebraska  at  $17.50  per  week.  Work  was  scarce 
everywhere.  We  were  lucky  to  have  any  kind  of  work. 

Our  son  Alfred  was  born  4  August  1936  at 
Grand  Island  while  we  were  living  in  Central  City, 
Nebraska,  he  has  brought  joy  and  happiness  into  our 
lives.  At  Central  City  one  day,  while  swimming  in 
their  nice  pool,  I  noticed  a  young  girl  about  14 
floundering  around  in  the  deep  water.  I  pulled  her 
out  of  the  deep  water  and  got  her  out  of  the  pool. 
First  aid  was  administered  and  she  was  O.K.  when  we 
left  the  pool.  Her  parents  and  friends  came  into  the 
store  the  next  day  and  thanked  me. 

We  traveled  20  miles  one  way  from  Central 
City  to  Grand  Island  to  attend  the  Branch  of  the 
Church  there.  The  members  of  the  Church  were 
good  to  us.  We  moved  from  Central  City  to  Ravena, 
Nebraska.  This  was  the  first  store  I  managed.  About 
six  years  later  I  opened  up  the  first  self-serve  store  in 
Minden,  Nebraska.  We  were  visited  by  the  Western 
States  Mission  President,  Elbert  Curtis,  and  he  advised 
us  to  move  back  to  Utah. 

In  May  1942  we  moved  back  to  Utah.  We 
were  happy  to  be  back.   On  July  27,  1942  I  began  to 


work  at  Hill  Air  Force  Base,  Ogden,  Utah  where  I  was 
employed  as  an  aircraft  technician.  We  bought  a 
home  in  Layton,  Utah  and  lived  here  since  that  time. 

By:  Alfred  George  Woodland,  Jr. 


CHILDREN: 
(1)  Alfred  George  Jr. 
Md-  Olive  Clark 


b-  1936       d-  1900 


394 


ZINA  WOODLAND 

and 

MERLES  THOMPSON 

I  was  bom  on  a  cold  windy  night  in  Famum, 
Idaho  January  23,  1908.  My  parents,  Crysta  Philinda 
Bumham  and  Alfred  George  Woodland,  had  come 
here  from  Richmond,  Utah  the  year  before  to 
homestead.  Father  had  gone  to  haul  water  and  was 
not  at  home.  By  a  previous  arrangement  with  Mrs. 
Smith,  a  neighbor,  mother  put  a  lighted  lantern  in  the 
window  of  the  wood  floor  tent.  The  wind  prompdy 
blew  it  out  but  luckily  Mrs.  Smith  had  seen  dad 
leaving  and  came  anyway. 

When  I  was  five  years  old  my  folks  decided  to 
give  up  homesteading  and  moved  to  Brigham  City. 
One  of  the  pleasant  memories  I  have  of  my  early 
growing  up  years  is  of  mother  singing  as  she  went 
about  her  work.  The  floor  would  get  a  good 
scrubbing  to  the  tune  of  "Love  at  Home"  or  other 
favorite  hymn's  and  dad  would  sing  "Come  Come  Ye 
Saints"  as  he  got  us  ready  for  Sunday  School.  Once 
dad  got  a  chance  to  buy  an  old  Organ  and  he  let  me 
take  lessons.  I  finally  learned  to  play  "Home  Sweet 
Home"  before  I  quit  my  musical  endeavors.  I  played 
paper  dolls  by  the  hour  and  would  make  my  own  from 
the  Sears  catalogue.  I  played  one's  and  two's,  hop 
scotch,  jump  the  rope  and  I  loved  to  roller  skate.  Later 
I  played  softball  and  often  the  neighbor  kids  would 
gather  for  a  game  of  "kick  the  can"  or  "run  sheep 
run". 

We  moved  to  Willard  ,we  all  had  to  help  on 
the  farm  and  it  was  my  job  to  help  with  the  irrigating. 
I  liked  living  in  Willard  but  there  was  one  problem. 
Automobiles  had  come  into  use.  Everyone  had  a  car 
but  us!  Dad  would  hitch  up  the  horses  to  the 
buckboard  wagon  and  take  the  family  to  church  twice 
every  Sunday.  But  Anna  and  I  would  rather  walk  two 
miles  each  way  than  to  be  seen  riding  in  a  wagon 
when  everyone  else  rode  in  a  car, 

I  liked  school  and  was  on  a  debating  team  for 
a  couple  of  years.  I  graduated  from  high  school  in 
1927. 

During  my  high  school  years  Merlin 
Thompson  went  around  in  the  same  crowd  I  did.  In 
1928  he  went  to  Washington,  D.C.  to  work  for  the 
government.  It  was  a  case  of  "absence  makes  the 
heart  grow  fonder"  because  he  soon  began  to  write  to 
me  and  in  one  of  his  letters  he  proposed  to  me.  When 
I  accepted  he  sent  me  a  diamond  ring  but  told  me  that 
we  would  have  to  wait  to  get  married  until  he  got  a 


raise  as  wc  couldn't  live  in  Washington,  D.C.  on  his 
present  salary.  The  waiting  was  made  easier  by  his 
writing  to  me  every  day.  Two  years  later  he  came 
home  on  a  visit  and  while  here  he  received  notice  of 
the  long  awaited  raise  in  pay.  We  hurried  to  make  the 
necessary  arrangements  and  were  married  in  the 
Logan  23  July  1930.  We  moved  to  Washington  D.  C. 
Merlin  was  first  a  draftsman  and  then  an  architect  in 
the  Supervising  Architect's  office.  He  worked  on 
plans  for  Post  Offices  and  other  Government 
buildings.  In  1942  he  decided  to  transfer  to  another 
job  at  the  Bureau  of  Standards.  We  liked  our  new  life 
in  the  Nation's  Capitol.  We  affiliated  with  the  L.  D. 
S.  Church  there  and  saw  it  grow  firom  100  members 
meeting  in  the  old  Washington  Auditorium  to  enough 
members  to  divide  into  four  wards  and  make  a  Stake. 
Senator  Smoot  blessed  our  firstborn,  Merlene,  in  the 
Washington  Auditorium  and  we  were  there  when  the 
Washington  Chapel  was  built. 

Merlin  had  a  rheumatic  heart  and  couldn't  do 
anything  strenuous.  In  Oaober  1943  he  suffered  an 
attack  of  acute  appendicitis.  Dr.  Mattingly  removed 
his  appendix  but  his  heart  kept  failing  him.  He  died 
one  week  later  26  Oaober  1943. 

We  had  three  children,  Merlene  was  11, 
Stanley  9,  and  Joyce  4.  We  were  expecting  another 
baby  and  when  he  was  bom  16  February  1944  my 
mother  said,  "Zina,  here  is  Merlin's  last  gift  to  you." 
I  named  him  after  his  father.  Merlin  Axel  Thompson, 
After  awhile  I  began  to  see  that  it  would  be  necessary 
for  me  to  find  a  job  so  decided  to  go  back  west  where 
I  would  be  near  my  family.  Later  in  the  summer  I 
went  to  Brigham  City  with  my  children  to  take  care  of 
Grandpa  Burnham  while  grandma  was  at  their 
daughter  Josephine's  place  for  a  month.  I  was  helping 
grandpa  irrigate  one  morning  at  four  A.M.  and  I  fell 
and  broke  my  leg.  This  proved  to  be  quite  an  ordeal 
for  me  as  I  was  not  in  a  walking  cast  and  had  to  use 
crutches  to  get  about  and  it  took  a  whole  year  for  my 
leg  to  mend.  In  December,  my  leg  still  in  a  cast,  I 
went  to  work  at  the  telephone  lounge  at  Bushnell 
Hospital.  Here  everyone  had  something  wrong  with 
them  so  my  clumsy  leg  went  unnoticed.  When 
Bushnell  closed  down  I  transferred  to  the  Brigham 
City  Telephone  exchange. 

I  found  raising  a  family  alone  quite 
frustrating.  I  often  felt  more  like  a  father  than  a 
mother,  and  thatl  was  not  doing  a  good  job  of  cither. 

August  10,  1956  I  married  Royal  T.  Petersen, 
a  fruit  farmer.  Five  of  his  six  daughters  were  married 
and  have  families.  He  has  been  very  good  to  me  and 
my  children  and  try  to  help  each  other. 

Having  poor  health  Royal  retired  gradually 
fi-om  farming,  finally  selling  his  fiiiit  farm  leaving  us 
just  the  house  and  lot.  I  retired  from  the  telephone 
Company  in  1970  and  then  won  a  four-year  term  as 
the  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  South  Box  Elder  County.  I 
resigned  after  three  years  to  take  care  of  my  husband 
when  he  had  both  legs  amputated  resulting  from 
diabetes  with  gangrene  setting  in. 


I  do  have  a  deep  interest  in  genealogy  and 
have  tried  to  help  continue  the  work  dad  started.  The 
highlight  of  my  life  was  when  I  went  to  England  to  do 
some  research  for  the  Woodland  family.  It  was  such  a 
thrill  to  see  the  places  where  our  ancestors  had  lived. 

I  love  my  family  and  pray  always  for  their 
welfere. 
By:  Zina  Woodland  Thompson  Petersen  written  in  1977 


CHILDREN: 

(1)  Merlene 

b- 

(2)  Stanley 

b- 

(3)  Joyce 

b- 

(4)  Merlin  Axel 

b-1944 

395 


JEROME  BLAIR  WORRELL 

and 

MARY  LYDLA  COCHRAN 

Jerome  Blair  Worrell  was  born  in 
Hillstown, Virginia,  December  1,  1871,  the  son  of 
Thaddeus  Dutton  Worrell  and  Nancy  Elizabeth 
McRoberts.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  met 
Mary  Lydia  Cochran,  born  in  the  same  town  of 
Hillsvillve,  Virginia,  October  15,  1876.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Robert  Paxton  Cochran  and  Joanna 
Beasley.  Her  grandfather,  William  Cochran  was  a  big 
plantation  owner  with  over  2,000  slaves.  They 
married  on  January  3,  1893.  Four  children  were  bom 
to  this  union. 

Jerome  Blair  (J.  B.)  Worrell  came  to  Fremont 
County  in  1902.  He  worked  to  save  money  for  about 
three  years  in  order  to  bring  his  family  from  Virginia. 
J.  B.  filed  on  a  homestead  claim  in  1906  (Section  12 
Twp.  7  Range  42)  after  the  original  claimant  Hubert 
H.  Belnap  abandoned  the  claim.  J.  B.  paid  Belnap 
$16  in  compensation.  This  land  is  within  the  Famum 
Township. 

J.  B.'s  young  family,  wife  Mary  L.,  sons  Kyle 
J.,  bom  April  3,  1895  in  Virginia,  and  Kenny  Earley, 
and  daughters,  Mae  and  Hazel,  arrived  by  train  in  St. 
Anthony  about  January  1905  or  1906.  St.  Anthony 
was  the  end  of  the  railroad  line  at  the  time.  The  snow 
was  deep.  Young  Kenny,  who  was  recovering  from 
measles,  walked  off  the  platform  and  fell  into  snow 
over  his  head. 

J.  B.  built  a  one  room  stmcture  with  a  lean-to 
as  a  kitchen  on  the  homestead.  The  large  attic  served 
as  bedrooms.  After  the  crops  were  planted,  J.  B.  spent 
much  of  his  time  away  from  the  homestead  working  as 
a  carpenter.  Mary  and  the  children  lived  at  the  firm 
during  the  farming  season. 

As  soon  as  he  was  able,  Kyle  took  over  the 
farming.  J.  B.'s  and  Mary's  youngest  son,  Kenny 
Earley,  lost  his  life  in  a  hunting  accident  when  he  was 
nearly  16  years  old. 

In  1913,  Kyle  bought  the  homestead  for 
$3,000  to  be  paid  to  his  mother,  Mary,  and  sisters, 
Mae  and  Hazel.  J.  B.,  wife  Mary,  and  daughters,  Mae 
(Thomson)  and  Hazel  (Thurman  Hulse)  moved  to 
southern  California  in  the  1920's. 


KYLE  JEROME  WORRELL 

and 

CECILE  FAY  WATTS 


C 

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(0 

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i 

oat 


Kyie  J.  and  Cecile  Worrell 

Kyle  met  Cecile  Faye  Watts,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Anderson  Watts  and  Isabella  Jane  Ellis.  She 
was  bom  April  10,  1895  at  Bountiful,  Utah.  Joseph 
Anderson  Watts  was  born  November  12,  1868  in 
Garber  Mills,  Tennessee.  He  married  Isabella  Jane 
Ellis  who  was  bom  Febmary  27,  1873  at  Bountiful, 
Utah.  Joseph  and  Isabella  were  married  August  12, 
1891.  Joseph  was  a  cement  contractor.  They  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children. 

Kyle  and  Cecile  were  married  January  15, 
1917.  They  built  the  present  Worrell  farm  home. 
The  floor  of  the  original  house  was  used  as  the 
subfloor  for  the  new  house.  Later  the  three-room 
house  was  enlarged  to  meet  the  needs  of  their 
growing  family. 

Water  was  hauled  from  the  Teton  River  and 
stored  in  a  dstem.  One  day  after  Kyle  had  worked  in 
the  field  all  day  with  horses,  he  discovered  that  a 
horse  that  had  been  left  in  the  corral  had  accidently 
turned  the  water  on — draining  the  entire  water 
supply.  Kyle  had  to  hitch  the  horses  back  up  and 
make  the  long  trip  to  the  Teton  River  for  water.  He 
vowed  to  drill  a  well.  If  he  didn't  find  water  he 
planned  on  giving  up  the  ferm.  It  took  30  days  with 
a  steam  driven  drill  to  get  a  500  foot  deep  well  in 
1919.  It  was  no  longer  necessary  to  drive  the  stock 
to  water  to  the  Teton  and  no  longer  necessary  to  haul 
water.  Water  was  pumped  by  a  wind  mill  or  if  the 
wind  didn't  blow,  a  gasoline  motor  was  installed  later 
to  provide  the  power. 


Kyle  and  Cecile  farmed  during  the  Great 
Depression  years.  They  also  experienced  the  transition 
of  &rming  with  horses  to  &rming  with  tractors.  Even 
though  rimes  were  difficult  they  managed  to  buy 
more  land.  Some  of  the  land  they  acquired  was 
home-steaded  by  Cassic  C.  Denny,  Harley  T.  Smith, 
and  Earl  Day,  of  Famum. 

Bob  married  Hazel  Richards  and  moved  to 
his  own  feirm  near  Drummond.  During  World  War 
II,  Ed  and  Don  went  into  military  service.  Kyle  and 
son  Harry,  then  a  high  school  student,  ran  the  form 
with  the  help  of  one  hired  hand. 

Kyle  and  Cedle  always  attended  the  L.D.S. 
Second  Ward  in  St.  Anthony,  but  lived  on  the  form  in 
Famum  during  the  summer. 


396 


back,  Marcus,  front,  Kay,  Harry,  Evan,  Helen  H.,  and  Larry  Worrell 

Harry  met  his  future  wife  while  a  student  at 
Idaho  State  University.  He  married  Helen  Haroldsen 
in  August  1948  and  moved  into  the  farm  home.  In 
1950  Harry  bought  the  Worrell  home  place  from  his 
parents  and  farmed  it  until  his  sudden  death  in  1983. 
Harry's  and  Helen's  son,  Evan,  now  runs  the  femily 
farms. 

Harry's  and  Helen's  femily  includes:  Harry 
Marcus  (m.  Barbara  Wardle),  a  dvil  engineer  in  Utah; 
Larry  Craig  (m.  Mary  Kathleen  Anderson),  a  CPA  in 
Utah;  Kay  Lynne  (m.  John  C.  Thompson),  a 
homemaker  in  Arizona;  and  Evan  Lane  (m.  Donna 
Jean  Bauer).  Harry  and  Helen  now  have  14 
grandchildren  including  a  Kyle  Worrell  and  a  Harry 
E.  Worrell. 

Many  changes  have  come  about  in  life  at  the 
farm.  In  1949,  electricity  brought  an  electric 
refrigerator  and  range  in  place  of  the  old  ice  box  and 
coal- wood  range.  Water  is  now  pumped  by  an 
electrical  submersible  pump  regulated  with  a  rime 
clock.  Grain  is  handled  bulk  with  electric  and  gas 
grain  augers  rather  than  in  burlap  sacks.  Large  four 
wheel  drive  tractors  with  ten  times  the  amount  of 
horsepower  have  replaced  the  crawler  tractors.  Grain 
harvester  combines  are  huge  when  compared  to  the 
first  self-propelled  combines  of  1947.  Farming  is  still 
as  challenging  as  ever  with  frost,  droughts,  and  hail 
among  other  adversities.    However,  family  members 


till  report  that  whenever  they  are  homesick,  it's 
generally  for  the  farm  and  the  good  times  they 
remember  at  the  farm  in  the  Famum-Hog  Hollow 
area. 


Robert,  Harry,  Helen  Louise,  Donald,  Edward  Worrell 

CHILDREN: 

(1)  Robert  Paxton  b-  1918        d-  1986 
md-  Hazel  Richards 

(2)  Edward  Feilding        b-  1921 
md-  Norma  Haws 

(3)  Donald  Ray  b-  1924 
md-  Althea  HiU 

(4)  Helen  Louise  b-  1925 
md-  Neldon  Grant  Potter 

(5)  Harry  Kephart  b-  1927        d-  1983 
md-  Helen  Richardson 

ROBERT  PAXTON  WORRELL 

and 

HAZEL  RICHARDS 


b.r.  Robert  P.  and  Hazel  M.  Richards  Worrell 
f.r.  Robert  R.  and  Nikki  Worrell 

Robert  Paxton  Worrell,  son  of  Kyle  J.  and 
Cedle  Watts  Worrell  was  bom  August  18,  1918.  He 
married  Hazel  May  Richards,  the  daughter  of  Reese 
and  Irene  Isabell  Fenton  Richards,  bom  May  8,  1918. 
They  were  married  December  16,  1939. 


397 


They  shortly  thereafter  moved  to  a  farm 
Robert  had  bought  the  spring  of  1939.  It  was  located 
on  what  was  known  as  the  Flag  Ranch.  It  was  first 
homesteaded  by  two  bachelor  brothers.  It  had  a 
house  with  four  rooms,  one  large  room  lined  with 
shelves  fiill  of  good  books.  At  their  death,  these 
books  were  the  starting  point  of  the  Ashton  Library. 

There  was  a  bam  and  a  couple  of  sheds.  All 
the  buildings  were  at  the  end  of  the  road,  which  were 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  maine  road  on 
Highway  32.  At  that  time  the  highway  was  only  a 
graded,  graveled  road.  Whenever  the  bachelors  flew 
the  American  flag  on  a  tall  pole  the  people  knew  they 
were  home  and  when  it  wasn't  flying  in  the  breeze, 
people  knew  they  weren't  there  and  could  save  the 
arduous  trip  on  rough  roads  for  no  reason. 

Before  they  purchased  the  farm,  it  had  gone 
through  the  hands  of  several  renters  and  it  took  a  lot 
of  hard  work  to  bring  it  back  to  efficient  production. 

Robert  (Bob)  was  a  good  farmer  and  received 
several  awards  for  his  practices  and  excellent  quality  of 
crops  that  he  grew. 

For  the  first  ten  years,  they  had  no  nmning 
water  or  electricity.  Water  came  from  a  well  and  was 
pumped  into  a  dstem  by  a  big  windmill.  It  had  to  be 
pumped  out  of  the  dstem  by  hand  and  carried  to  the 
house  in  buckets.  Every  summer.  Bob  would  drain 
the  cistern  and  scraped  out  the  moss,  dirt,  dead 
insects,  and  other  debris  that  had  sunk  to  the  bottom 
of  the  tank.  They  never  thought  much  about  that 
between  times,  though,  since  the  water  was  always 
cold  and  well-flavored. 

At  first  they  used  a  couple  of  gas  lantcms  for 
light.  The  larger  one  stayed  in  the  house  and  was 
moved  from  room  to  room  as  necessary.  The  smaller 
one.  Bob  would  carry  to  the  bam  to  do  his  chores. 
After  a  few  years,  he  installed  a  wind  charger.  It  stood 
at  the  west  end  of  the  house  on  a  steel  tower  like  the 
windmill,  except  that  it  had  only  two  blades  and 
looked  like  an  airplane  propeller.  The  blades  drove  a 
generator  that  charged  two  or  three  very  large  wet-cell 
batteries  located  in  the  attic.  The  system  produced 
only  12  volts,  but  every  room  in  the  house  had  electric 
lighting.  Finally,  in  1949,  electric  lines  were  brought 
in  from  the  highway. 

When  the  neighbors  had  something  break 
down,  they  would  often  come  to  Bob.  He  had  built  a 
square-log  machine  shop  that  housed  every  kind  of 
tool  imaginable.  He  did  all  of  his  own  welding  and 
repairs  and  quite  a  bit  for  others.  Not  only  did  he  fix 
a  piece  of  equipment  like  new,  he  would  often  re- 
design the  faulty  part  and  reinforce  it  so  it  would  work 
more  effidently  and  wear  longer. 

Hazel  was  quite  resourceful  as  well.  When 
they  first  moved  to  the  ranch,  they  didn't  have  much 
furniture.  She  wanted  a  couch,  and  Bob  kept 
promising  but  never  delivering.  Finally  she  took  the 
matter  into  her  own  hands.  She  went  to  the  junkyard, 
found  an  old  car  scat,  built  a  wooden  frame  for  it  and 
covered  the  whole  thing  with  flour  sack  material.    It 


tf    03 
2    0 


made  a  serviceable  cx)uch  for  several  years.  She  also 
did  what  most  women  did  in  those  days  to  survive, 
picking  berries  for  preserves,  growing  a  garden,  and 
caiming  food. 

Hazel  says  that  right  after  they  moved  to  the 
ranch  they  were  so  poor  that  they  barely  subsisted. 
They  had  one  cow  that  was  milking,  and  in  a  week  the 
cow  would  produce  enough  cream  to  fill  a  ten -quart 
cooker.  Bob  would  take  the  cream  to  town  and  trade 
it  for  groceries,  and  that  is  the  way  they  lived  for  some 
time. 

It  was  ironic  that  for  the  nearly  thirty  years 
that  Bob  operated  the  farm,  he  fought  the  snow  to  get 
out  over  the  mile  of  private  road  to  the  highway. 
Every  winter,  after  he  got  rid  of  the  horses  that  pulled 
the  sleigh,  he  spent  countless  hours  on  the  bulldozer 
pushing  the  snow  out  of  the  road  only  to  have  the 
wind  blow  it  right  back  again. 

Bob  eventually  became  tired  of  the  hard  work 
and  uncertain  income,  they  decided  to  sell  the  farm  in 
1967  because  it  was  so  hard  to  get  good  help,  it  was 
too  far  from  town  and  their  son  wanted  to  pursue  a 
different  career  and  it  was  getting  too  hard  for  Bob. 
They  moved  to  Ashton  in  1967  and  life  was  easier  for 
him.  A  year  or  so  after  he  sold  the  farm  and  moved  to 
town,  he  bought  a  snowmobile  for  recreational 
purposes.  How  much  more  appreciated  snowmobiles 
would  have  been  if  they  had  been  able  to  use  them 
during  all  those  long  winters  on  the  farm! 

After  they  moved  to  Ashton,  Bob  worked  for 
the  City  of  Ashton,  then  as  a  mechanic  for  Hemming 
Chevrolet,  and  finally  as  a  mechanic  and  custodian  for 
the  Fremont  County  School  District.  During  his  life 
Bob  served  as  director  of  the  Conant  Creek  Canal 
Company,  a  member  of  the  Drummond  School 
District  board  of  trustees,  and  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  the  Soil  Conservation  Service,  was  Chief  of 
Police  in  Ashton  for  three  years,  and  was  a  charter 
member  of  the  Fremont  Co-op. 

In  1984  Bob's  health  failed.  He  went  to  the 
hospital  for  some  abdominal  discomfort  and  had  a 
heart  attack  while  he  was  there.  The  medical 
personnel  were  able  to  revive  him,  but  for  the  next 
two  years  he  lived  with  what  appeared  to  be 
congestive  heart  failure.  This  left  him  almost  an 
invalid,  unable  to  do  all  of  the  things  he  loved  to  do, 
such  as  hunting,  fishing,  and  snowmobiling.  On 
Oaober  10,  1986,  Bob  died  at  the  Parkview  Hospital 
in  Idaho  Falls.  Hazel  still  lives  in  Ashton,  as  of  this 
writing,  March  7,  1990. 

Bob  and  Hazel  had  three  children,  Robert  R. 
Worrell  of  Sugar  City,  Nikki  Reynolds  of  Ashton,  and 
Lieda  Scott  of  Boise. 

By:  Hazel  Richards  Worrell  (wife)  and  Robert  R. 
Worrell  (son) 


HISTORY  OF  THE  ZUNDEL  FAMILY  FARM 
IN  THE  DRUMMOND  ABJEA  OF  FREMONT 

COUNTY 

My  name  is  Danny  E.  Zundcl.  I  am  one  of 
two  sons  that  accompanied  my  parents,  G.  Dan 
Zundel  and  Dona  Zundel  from  our  home  in  Rigby,  to 
form  the  Oberhansli  farm  in  the  Drummond,  Ashton 
area  in  the  early  1960's. 

We  purchased  300  acres  of  dry  fiarm  and 
leased  the  rest  of  the  Oberhansli  farm  which  was  about 
700  acres,  and  proceeded  to  make  a  living  on  this 
land.  The  farm  was  in  a  government  program  called 
"soil  bank**  and  had  to  be  plowed  out  of  grass,  which 
was  a  very  difficult  task.  Other  than  a  few  acres  of 
seed  potatoes,  we  had  no  other  crop  to  harvest  the 
first  year.  By  fall  of  the  first  year,  the  ground  was 
ready  to  plant,  so  we  seeded  a  crop  of  fall  wheat  on 
most  of  the  farm.  The  next  year,  we  harvested  50 
acres  of  seed  potatoes  and  the  crop  of  fall  wheat. 

Since  the  early  years,  we  have  progressed  to 
the  present  operation  which  includes  approx.  200 
acres  of  seed  potatoes  and  approx.  750  acres  of  grain. 

In  1988,  G.  Dan  Zundcl  decided  it  was  time 
for  him  to  retire,  so  he  sold  his  share  of  the  farming 
operation  to  Danny  Zundel  and  David  Zundel.  We 
farmed  together  for  two  years  until  David  decided  to 
sell  his  share  to  Danny.  Danny  bought  David's  share 
in  May  of  1990,  and  has  been  the  owner  and  manager 
since  that  time. 

Through  the  years,  we  have  sold,  purchased 
and  leased  pieces  of  land  to  make  up  the  present  day 
operation  of  about  1000  acres.  The  weather  in  this 
area  is  our  main  adversary.  If  we  could  depend  on  the 
weather  cooperating  with  our  plans,  life  would  be 
much  simpler. 

By:  Danny  E.  Zundel 


398 


CHAPTER  9 

A  PARTIAL  COLLECTION  OF  NAMES 

Note:  These  names  represent  the  primary  family 
histories  contained  in  the  book.  They  do  not  include 
all  the  children  or  even  the  names  of  many  who  may 
have  submitted  histories  and  pictures.  This  is  a  skeletal 
listing,  the  family  histories  themselves  tell  more  of 
who's  who  in  each  family. 

Albertson,  Mark  &  Betty  Lou  Brower 

Allen,  Jim  &  Kassie  Hauk 

Alvord,  Joseph  and  Lenora  Hyatt  Berrett 

Amen,  George,  Sr.  &  Hattie  Newcomb 

Anderson,  Arvid  &  Laura  Green 

Anderson,  Malcome  &  Johannah  Pemella 

Anderson,  Arthur  &  Velma  King 

Anderson,  Mart 

Angell,  James  Lee  &  Gwynneth  Williams 

Arnold,  Everett 

Atchley,  James 

Bailey,  David  S.  &  Jane  E. 

Kelsey  Bryan  Bailey  &  Laverda  Lewis 

Baird,  William  G.  &  Mathilda  Smith 
Rcva  Baird  &  Clarence  Hillman 
Glen  William  Baird  &  Ludle  Hudson 
Thomas  Blain  Baird  &  Ella  Robinette 
Robert  Dean  Baird  &  Leota  Davis 
Ann  Preal  Baird  &  James  L.  Whittemore 

Barker,  Bill  &  Jessie 

Baum,  George  &  Dorothy  Rogstad 

Bean,  Lloyd  James  &  Millie  Birch 

Beltz,  Dwight  &  Sarah  Grace  Thompson 

Beason,  Harry  Lorenzo  &  Anna  Cherry 
Herbert  Lawrence  Benson  &  Alta  Munns 
George  Edward  Benson  &  Margaret  Irene  Taylor 
Eva  Benson  &  Rodney  Bert  Howell 
Ethel  May  Benson  &  Vernon  Chester  Scott 
Lorel  Harry  Benson  &  Gwcn  Rceder  &  Pauline  Wilson 
Vcrla  Benson  &  Ivan  Lamoine  Freeman 
Myrth  Benson  &  Dee  Farrcl  Bowen 
Mdvin  Benson  &  Gvvcn  Feeder  &  Marion  Home  &  Ruth  Binns 
Dennis  Keith  Benson  &  Marilyn  Woolf  &  Dckxis  Dufeuk 
Raymond  Qarc  Benson  &  Donna  Horn  &  Ruth  Davidson 
Myma  Benson  &  Ernest  Baker  Moyes 

Bergman,  Walter  &  Anna  Ahrentschild 
Martin  Bergman  &  Marie  Seibal 
Ema  Bergman  &  Richard  Rcinke 
Charles  W.  Bergman  &  Dorothy  M.  Madsen 
Helen  Bergman  &  Albert  Scafe 

Berry,  Gilbert  &  —  Langley 

Bingham,  Charles  C.  &  Mary  C.  Mickelson 

BishofF,  Bill  Jay  &  Emmaly  D.  Whitmore 

Bixby,  Lorenzo  &  Blanche  C.  Arbcrry 

Blair,  WiUiam  C. 

Blanchard,  Alma  Moroni,  Jr.  &  Harriet  Lillian  Smith 

Blanchard,  Henry  Deverc  &  Mary  Rebecca  Hansen 

Bolland,  Heinrich  Klaus  &  Katherina  Ohrenberg 


399 


Henry  Martin  Bolland  &  Frieda  Luetjen 
Bowcrsox,  Maynard  P.  &  Dixie  Sharp 

William  M.  Bowersox  &  Ruby  Klein 
Bratt,  Henry  Aaron  &  Jane  Povey 

Walter  H.  Bratt  &  Vera  S.  Wickham 
Francis  W.  Bratt  &  Ruth  Marsden 
Stanley  Bratt  &  Gwen  Swcnson 
Lloyd  Bratt  &  Venna  Jean  Powell  &  Leora  Arnold 

Francis  (Frank)  Bratt  &  Isabella  P.  Havv^es 
liarold  Francis  Bratt  &  Mona  Beth  Howard 
Marion  Evelyn  Bratt  &  George  Henry  White 
Wilfred  Arnold  Bratt  &  Velma  Floy  Plant 
Brown,  Thomas  J.  &  Annie  Christine  Anderson 
Brown,  Thomas  Wallace  &  Mary  Strachen 

James  (Jim)  &  John  Brown  &  Ella  Thompson  Carlson 
Albert  Carlson  &  Georgia  Harriet  McKcnna 
Buridialter,  Albert  (Alley)  &  Lillian  May  Reese 
Burral,  Charles  Lorenzo  &  Josephine  Carlson 
Burt,  Charies  A.  &  Grace  Florence  Godfrey 
Campbell,  A.  C. 
Carlson,  Johnie  &  Ada  Sellers 
Cazier,  Benjamin  &  Isabell  Montgomery 
Cazier,  William  Robert  &  Delia  Alvord 
Cazier,  Joseph  Smith  &  Edna  Wade 
Cazier,  Vernon  &  Abbie  Garrett 
Christensen,  Franklin  Irvin  &  Elizabeth  Jane  Meyrick 
Christenscn,  James  C.  &  Elizabeth  Cox 
Clark,  C.  Van  &  Ruby  Nell  Garver 
Clark,  Walter  Raymond  &  Rhea  Skinner 
Clouse,  David  Rcplogle  &  Clara  Etta  Lahm 

Jessie  Clouse  &  Randall  C.  Howe 

Arthur  (Bud)  Clouse  &  Mae  Harrigfeld 

Melvin  Clouse  &  Phyllis  McArdle 
Conant,  Arthur  &  Dollie  Sheetz 
Conlin,  Thomas  &  Katherinc  Keough 
Cook,  Elias,  Sr.  &  Sarah  Stewart 

Vel  Cleve  Cook  &  Junetta  Brown 
Davidson,  Ephriam  Maming  &  Hanna  Amelia  Hjort 
Dedman,  William  Allen  &  Edna  Miriam  Sprague 
Dickason,  Victor  Hugo  &  Alta  Ruth  Sellers 

Gene  Dickason  &  JoAnn  Dedman 
Dimick,  Arson  O.  &  Vivian  Grace  Miller 
Endicott,  Richard  Lee  &  Hilda  Warsany 
Femcy,  George  A  8c  Lillian  E.  GulHfoid  &  Bcmiecc  F.  Kmmcy 

Merlin  Femey  &  Leona  Atkinson 

Dean  Femey  &  Jackie  Glover 
Ferrin,  Samuel  &  Anna  Plant 

Jessie  Ferrin  &  Mary  Smith  Brown 

Francis  Ferrin  &  Sarah  Elizabeth  Blanchard 
Fillmore,  Valera  Edith  &  David  Henry  Larsen 
Franz,  Oscar  &  Betta  Rosella  Mattine 

Max  Franz  &  Charlotte  Louise  Louis 
Frcderickscn,  Henry  &  Marguerite 
French,  Chester  Norris  &  Geneva  Christensen 
French,  Harry  Wilbur  &  Elaine  Hill 

Douglas  French  &  Ruby  Darlcnc  Swcnscn 
Garver,  Jacob  Allen  &  Mary  Ellen  Butler 

Viola  BeU  Garver  &  Clarence  R.  Gill 

Earl  Raymond  Garver  &  Bessie  Clark 

Earnest  Emmert  Garver  &  Minnie  Barackman 


IT, 

c 
c 

i  to 
3  0 


Ruby  NcU  Garvcr  &  C.  Van  Clark 
EflSc  Mac  Garvcr  &  Loyd  Nicndorf 
Robert  Hudson  Garvcr  &  Pearl  Broadbcnt 
Charles  Forest  Garvcr  &  Anna  Christensen 
Garz,  August  &  Albcrtina 
Garz,  Julius  &  Anna  Franke 
Garz,  William  Paul  &  Kathcrinc  Bolland 
Gibson,  Daniel  Henry  &  Martha  Mac  Hollingsworth 

Jonathan  Marion  Daunt  Hammon 
Giles,  James  Alvin  &  Margaret  Gibson 
Gould,  Ebenezcr  Dexter,  HI 
Goulding,  Daniel  Brycc  &  Lucille  Miller 
Green,  Willard  &  Rosamond  Famum  Sprague 
Silas  Sprague  Green  &  Laura  Caroline  Gibbons 
William  B.  Green  &  Elizabeth  Brown 

Harold  Wm.  Green  &  Eva  Marie  Sharp 
James  WiDard  Green  &  Cynthia  Head  &  Betsy  Jane  Mcsavy 
Wilmcr  Cadmus  Green  &  Emma  Hollingsworth 
Naomi  Green  &  Leo  Earl  Smith 
Griffcl,  Henry  Sr.  &  Margaret  Boesen 
Gunter,  Jesse  Homer  &  Louise  Marial  Larsen 
Habekost,  Rudolph  &  Laura  Bergman 
Halman,  Albert  &  Alvira  A.  Anderson 
Hammon,  Marion  &  Sarah  Rhea  Thurgood 
Hargis,  Thomas  &  Martha  Potts 

Dr.  Edward  L.  Hargis  &  Verta  Low 
Harrigfeld,  Christian  &  Johanna  Augusta  Schafcr 
William  Ernest  Harrigfeld  &  Freda  E.  Kandler 
George  Carl  Harrigfeld  &  Ellen  Orme 

George  Harrigfeld  &  Mauna  Mable  Garrett 
Hal  Harrigfeld  &  Faye 
Meta  Harrigfeld  &  Arthur  Clouse 
Harshbarger,  John 

Jacob  Harshbarger  &  Mary  Schafcr 

Orville  Earl  Harshbarger  &  Olive  Clark 

Claik  Harshbarger  &  Fay  Abcgglen  &  GaaldirK 

Holbrook  Blinn 
Merle  Harshbarger  &  Fern  Rumsey 
Don  Harshbarger  &  Wanda  Weston 
Clay  Harshbarger  &  Cynthia  Squires 

Clifford  Harshbarger  &  Alyce  Marsden 

C.  Brent  Harshbarger  &  Phyllis  Stegclmeir 
Linda  Diane  Harshbarger  &  Brent  Jensen 
Vaughn  Harshbarger  &  George  Tippctts 
Hawkes,  Joshua  &  Mary  Lewis  &  Sarah  Ann  Smart 
Mary  Ann  (Redd)  Hawkes  &  Walter  Wickham 
Joseph  Bryant  &  Annie  Dowdell 
Lewis  Joshua  &  Margaret  Ann  Murdoch 
Hazcn  Araha  Hawkes  &  Helen  Emery 

Margaret  Hawkes  &  Lawrence  B.  Lindsley 
Lewis  R  (Gene)  Hawkes  &  LaVcme  A- Duncanson 
Isabella  Prisdlla  Hawkes  &  Francis  Bratt 
Adl  Smart  Ha>\4tcs  &  Marion  Higginbotham 
Raymond  Hawkes  &  Leah  Belle  Davidson 
Percy  Smart  Haw^ces  &  Ida  Weyerman 
Percy  Blaine  Hawkes  &  Bonnie  Clarke 
Lawrence  Hawkes  &  Shirley  Fielding 
Lloyd  Hawkes  &  Donna  Jeanette  Prisbrcy 
Norma  Ruth  Hawkes  &  Fred  Von  Nicderhausem 
Richard  Reed  Hawkes  &  Glcnda  Eileen  Dees 


Hcrxlridaon,  I\cr  Christian,  Jr.  &  Anna  Chrisccna  H.  Madsen 
Lester  CSuistian  Hcndrickson  &  Cere  LeVcra  Christensen 
Josq)h  Alan  Hcndrickson  &  Luella  Christiansen 
Ivcr  Rothwell  Hcndrickson  &  Helen  Ardith  Wilson 
Dexter  Winand  Hcndrickson  Lcona  Mae  Cherry 
Virgil  Fremont  Hcndrickson  &  Esther  Schafcr 

Henry,  Claude  &  Martha  E.  Hchn  &  Sarah  Nelson 
Kcrmeth  Henry  &  Delila  Charlotte  Wylie 
Donald  Henry 

Hill,  Fred  &  Olga  Hill 
Ralph  H.  &  Mary  HiU 

Hill,  Ludus  Elmer  &  Amplis  Maud  Kinder 

Hill,  James  (Jim)  Nelson  &  Elma  Whitde 
Hill,  Jay  &  Zelda  Cordingley 

HiU,  Ralph  &  Nclda 

House,  Frank  &  lillic 

House,  Samuel  &  Maude  Moore 

Howard,  William  Carlos  &  Gladys  Williams 

Jessen,  Christian  &  Diantha  Brothcrson 
John  F.  Jessen  &  Ida  Franz 

Boone  Ebby  Jessen  &  Dollie  DePriest 

Johnson,  Axel  &  Cythia  Harshbarger 

Johnson,  James  &  Anna 

Jones,  Walter  Homer  &  Anna  Laura  Christensen 

Walter  Franklin  Jones  &  Jessie  Mae  Cordingley 
Kandler,  Louis  &  Minnie  Warsany 
Kelly,  D.  H. 
Kidd,  George  &  Minnie  Jackson 

Fern  Kidd  &  Elizabeth  Davidson 
King,  John  &  Alice 
Kuehl,  Ernest  &  Ida  Lohf 
Kunrath, 
Lamont, 
Larson,  Olaf 

Lenz,  Cari  Fredrick  &  Anna  Augusta  Kandler 
Lcnz,  Conrad  &  Sophia  Wilhelmina  Schmidt 

Carl  C.  Lenz  &  Ida  Lenz 

Ruth  Anne  Lenz  &  Bill  Hiatt 
Clyde  Lenz  &  Shiricy  Phelps 
Lenz,  Fred  and  Sclma  GrifFcl 
Lenz,  Freidrich  August  &  Christina  Stuenkcl 
Lenz,  Herman  H.  &  Mary  Ahrentschild 
Lenz,  Walter  C.  &  Laura  Luctjen 
Lcrwill,  Phillip  Bernard  &  Edna  Verian  Lee 
Lindsley,  Lawrence  Brainard  &  Margaret  Hawkes 
Lucq'en,  Martin  &  Dorthea  Wolpers 
Marsden,  Leo  Curtis  &  Mary  Gordon 

Alycc  Marscn  &  Clifford  Harshbarger 

Rcva  Marsden  &  Leo  Eari  Smith 

John  Marsden  &  Helen  Blanche  Reiman 

Sarah  Gayle  Marsden  &  Robert  Schubach 
Martin,  Perry  &  Minnie  French 
McFarlin,  John  &  Daisy 
Merrick,  George  &  Hattie  Henry 

Charles  Merrick  &  Dora  (Billie)  Chatfield  Peterson 

Frank  Merrick  &  lone  Jensen  &  Dorthea  McLain 
Meyrick,  Joseph  &  Z-ella  Beatrice  Allred 

Marjorie  Beatrice  Meyrick  &  Albert  Nelson 
400         JcBqjhVanon&SaiahlxjuiseTinpson&NonTHF.QLiirnby 


Beth  Mcyrick  &  Charles  P.  Purser  &  Robert  Anderson 
Loa  Mcyridc  &  Blaine  Clayton  &  Lawrence  B.  Jardine 
Miller,  Almo  Ernest  &  Mary  Lidell 
Miller,  William  R.  &  Leona  Barrett 
Miller,  William  &  Josephine  Mary  Schwart 
Monaham  T.  H.  md  a  Christenscn 
Moon,  Margaret 
Moore,  C.  C. 

Moore,  David  &  Harriet  Penwell 
Moore,  Phillip 

MonisDn,  Ircd  Dou^  &  Anna  N3Q  F^  &  Chaifcs  Enrst  ficreli 
Fred  Douglas  Morrison  &  Freda  NefF 

Mmxioch,  Brigham  &  Martha  Louannie  (Luann)  Hammon 
Blanche  Murdoch  &  Joseph  T.  Rciman 
Bri^iam  Danas  Muidcxh  &Wirr)na  Ixe  &  Agnes  Smnionson 
Reed  Chase  Murdoch  &  Ruth  Grover 
Thomas  Hammon  Murdoch  &  Alta  Blanche  FEllam 
Laura  Jean  Murdoch  &  Charles  Angus  Blanchard 
Tressa  Isabell  Murdoch  &  Clyde  Raymond  Garrett 
Martha  Ludflc  Murdodi  &  Ba^  E.  Godficy  &  Maroi  Rccd 
James  Howard  Murdoch  &  Grace  Hillam 
Wallace  Peirce  Murdoch  &  Pauline  Clements 
Katherine  (Katie)  Mearl  Murdoch  &  Glade  Lyon 

Murdoch,  Thomas  Todd  &  Sarah  Ingeborg  Hansen 
Ddla  Ann  Mundoch  &Stq)hcn  Bceoc  Dtavis  &  Josqjh  F.  rtny 
Clara  Marie  Murdoch  &  Blain  Wilkes  Holbrook 
Betty  Mac  Murdoch  &  Richard  T.  Marquise 
Gilbert  Dean  Murdoch  &  Zelma  Darlene  Johnson 
Lynn  Ray  Murdoch  &  Beverly  May  Rodgers 

Murdock,  William  Thomas  &  Maud  Jane  Thomas 

Nielsen,  Hans  Antone  &  Amy  Simms  Cooley 

ISTiendorf,  Fredrick  Charles  Christian  &  Addic  Frands  Durham 
Loyd  John  Niendorf  &  Effie  Mae  Garver 
Jack  Niendorf  &  Mae  Reynolds 
Fred  Niendorf  &  Ilene  Severson 
Harry  Niendorf  &  Hazel  Gibson 

Harry  Niendorf,  Jr. 
Don  Niendorf  &  Edna  Frank 

Nyborg,  Ephriam 

Andrew  Percy  Nyborg  &  Rhoda  Ann  Foote 

Oberhansley,  George  &  Fiarriet  Strong 

Oberhansli,  Eamcst  (Doolcy),  Oen,  &  Kathryn  Schell  Pttcriin 

Orme,  Samuel  Washington  &  Sarah  Cross 
Samuel  W.  Orme,  Jr.  &  Mary  Agnes  Smith 

Samuel  John  Orme  &  Laura  Henrietta  Baker 
Joseph  Cross  Orme  &  Margaret  K,  England 
John  Kirby  Orme  &  Janet  A.  Park 
Silas  Cross  Orme  &  Emma  Jane  Smith 
Laurence  Orme  &  Vera  Johnson 

Larry  Don  Orme  &  Deanna  Sommer 

On-,  Harriet  P.  Tanna  &  Danid  Gibson  &  John  Oil,  John  Waison 
Gladys  Virga  Orr  &  Melvin  Hill 

Owen,  Alex  &  Cordelia 

Payne,  Edward  &  Ann  Ross 

Peterson,  Roland  Blaine  &  Geneva  Goulding 

Peterson,  Erastus  P.  &  Daisy  Adell  Richards 
Keith  Erastus  Peterson  &  Barbara  M.  Virgin 

Plimie,  Edward  James  &  Murriel  DeWitt 

Pratt,  William  Jared  &  Alice  Fleet  Smart 

Recce,  Sammie  Irie  &  Clara  Mae  Adams  4q  i 


Rogers,  Charles  Lock  &  Louisa  Mears 

David  W.  Rogers  &  Rose  Henry 
Cathem  Rogers  &  Mr.  Sargent 
David  Willard  Rogers  &  Evelyn  Clark 
William  Henry  Rogers  &  Marva  Romrell 
Scafc,  Albert  &  Helen  Bergman 
Schaefcr,  Henry  &  Arma  Lipp>ert 
Scofieki,  William  Henry  &  Amanda  Mclvina  Howard  (Fisk) 

William  Riley  Schofield  &  Louisa  Matilda  Suiter 
Sellers,  Oscar  &  Clara  Paisley 
Sermon,  Henry  S.  &  Carrie  Alice  Brown 
Sharp,  William  Lavator  &  Jolia  Allen 

Glan  Sharp  &  Geraldine  Buder 
Sloss,  Roy  &  Ruby  Smith 

Woodard  Sloss  &  June 
Smith,  Jacob  Joseph  &  Anna  Mae  Stratton 

Arthur  Gale  Smith  &  Ila  Orme 

Leo  Earl  Smith  &  Naomi  Green 
Smith,  Henry  Watkins  &  Aurilla  Jane  Richardson 
Staker,  Alma  &  Elizabeth  Young 

Joseph  Ether  Staker  &  Matilda  Young  Stalworthy 
Nina  Valeria  Staker  &  George  M.  Brinkerhoff 
Elva  Staker  &  Jesse  R.  Brinkerhoff 
Stohl,  Floyd  &  Hope 

Brent  Stohl  &  Diane  Orme 
Strong,  Harvey  Burke  &  Harriet  Smith  (Schmidt) 

Mary  (Met)  Strong  &  Henry  Boylan 

Herbert  Strong  &  Delia  Amos  &  Martha  M. 
Lountensock 

Eva  Leona  Strong  &  James  Howard  Pemble 
Merle  Strong  &  Earl  Schofield  &  Lyle  Melvin  Birch 
Dorothy  Mae  Strong  &  John  Lee  Cordingley 
Phyiis  Margaret  Strong  &  Percy  Duncan  Gooch 
Stulik,  Frank  &  Mae 
Sturm,  Johann  &  Ida  Kandler 
Tanner,  William  Leroy,  Sr.  &  Kathrine  Melviru  Louder 

Laura  Blanche  Tanner  &  Raymond  Brown 
Thompson,  Edward  Hobert,  Jr.  &  Rhoda  Ann  Davis 

Mary  Elizabeth  ThorT^)son  &  Orville  Clarence  Godfiey 

Rachel  Nora  Thompson  &  William  Alfred  Howard 
Thompson,  Fredrick 
VanSickle,  John  Henry  &  Sarah  Helen  Coon 

John  (Johnnie)  Hyrum  VanSickle  &  Catherine  Edwards 
Peari  VanSickle  &  Clifford  Watts 
Victor  VanSickle  &  Alice  Allred 
Vasak,  Richard 
Waddell,  George 
Wade,  John  Alonzo  &  Olive  Fidelia  Ferrin 

Belinda  Jannetta  &  Abraham  Zitting 

Alice  Fidelia  &  Burton  Guthrie  &  Christian  Hansen 
Watts,  Austin  Clifford  &  Peari  VanSickle 
Watts,  Everett  Alanson  &  Ida  Potter 

Ethel  Arvclla  Watts  &  Hazcn  Hodges 

Elis  Alanson  Watts  &  Vivian  Miksell 

Leland  Carlos  Watts  &  Mary  Ellen  Gcyer 

Gertrude  Sarah  Watts  &  Bernard  D.  Stan- 
Julia  Irctta  Watts  &  Ira  Hastings  Moore 

Etta  Peari  Watts  &  William  Jay  Patton 

Fayc  Rozclla  Watts  &  William  Elmer  Palmer 
White,  George  &  Marion  Bratt 


Marion  R  White  &  Gbi  A.  Williams  &  Harvey  M.  Albrcthsen 
Afton  White  &  Glen  Ncwbold 
Clyde  Wilfred  White  Joan  Cook  &  Delma  I.  Seeley 
Whitmore,  John  B.  &  Sarah  Margaret  Mason  (Bnswn) 
James  Sheridan  &  Mary  Viola  Simpson 

James  Albert  Whitmore  &  Rcva  Grace  Schoficld 
George  David  Whitmore  &  Mae  McKcrrigan 
Goldie  Margaret  Whitmore  &  Erwin  Spitz 
John  Carl  Whitmore  &  Mary  Ellen  McLanc 
Mary  Edna  Whitmore  &  J.  Chester  Phillips 
Cedl  Erwin  Whitmore  &  Constance  A.  Walker 
Edward  Lyle  Whitmore  &  Alphea  Mae  Bird 
Calvin  Whitmore  &  Dora  Louise  Bush 
Jack  Alton  Whitmore  &  Vera  Jean  Barney 
Whittle,  John  Stillman  &  Hazel  Etta  Dumey 
Ruel  D.  Whittle  &  June  Chapman 
Keith  Martin  Whitde  &  Dorma  Siervers 
Whittle,  Arnold  Philip  &  Evelyn  Campbell 
Wickham,  Walter  Bryant  &  Mary  Ann  (Redd)  Hawkcs 
Earl  Montell  Wickham  &  Charlotte  Cazier 
Earl  Lloyd  Wickham  &  Frances  Thompson 
Woodland,  Alfred  Geoigc,  Sr.  &  Christa  Philinda  Bumham 
Alfred  George  Woodland,  Jr.  &  Olive  Clark 
Zma  Woodland  &  Meriin  ThcKnpson  &  Royal  T.  Pcterecn 
Anna  Woodland  &  Alvin  Smith 
Worrell,  Jerome  Blair  &  Mary  Lydia  Cochron 
WonreU,  Kyle  J.  &  Cedle  Fayc  Watts 

Robert  Paxton  Worrell  &  Hazel  Richards 
Harry  Worrell  &  Helen  Haroldsen 
Zundel,  Danny  E. 


402 


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b.r.  Lula,  Ncllic,Hcnry  HI,  m.r.Hcnry  Smith  II  .Harriet,  Eva,  Edmond, 
Lydia  Kcrsaw  Smith,  f.r.  Joseph,  Frank 


Clarice  Oberhansli 


Katie  Murdoch 


b.r.  Mae  Gibson,  Dicey  Thompson,  Luannie  Allfred,  Brigham  Murdoch,  Wallace  Alfred 
m.r.  Hortensc  Gibson,  ?,  Jean,  f.r.  Tressa,  Tom,  ?,  Reed,  ?. 


b.r.  Don,  Virginia,  Joann,  Barbara,  Marlenc 
f.r.  Angus  and  Jean  Murdoch  Family 


Charles  (Chuck)  Murdoch 


409 


DcLynn,  Rccd,  Baith  Murdoch  and  Sharon  on  lap 


Rccd,  Tom  and  Jean  Murdoch 


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Claude  Henry  Home  across  fiom  School  House 


"Ghosts  of  time"  the  big  Murdoch  homestead 

410 


Wilford  Bratt,  Helen  Hawkcs 


Reed,  Dallas,  Tom,  And  Blanch  Murdoch 


What's  Left  of  the  pump  on  the  Famum  School  Grounds 


Sitting  Billy  Ware  Singer,  Ken  Birch  Guitar,  Dcrrcli  Gibson  Violin 


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John  Fredrick  Jessen  and  Ida  Franz  Jesscn 


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Jack  and  Liilian  Kidd 


L.R.  Chleo  Smith  Gicdhill,  Eva  Benson  HowcU,  Myrth  Benson  Bowcn,  Trcssa  Murdoch  Garrett,  May  Benson  Scott 


411 


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Famiim  Reunion 


Famum  Reunion 


Famum  Reunion 


Famum  Reunion  Lcland  and  Mary  Ellen  Gcyer 


Wilson  Monte  Van  Sickle,  Laura  Florence  Lloyd  Van  Sickle 

Warren  Monte  (Tim),  Walter  Wavcm,  Robert  Wilson  (Bill),  Ned, 

Don  Lloyd,  Lester  (Dude),  Laura  Elizabeth  Van  Sickle 


The  Jay  N.  HiU  Family 

b.r.  Madge  Hill  Bischoff,  Jay  T.  Hill,  James  Arthur  Hill, 

Ruth  Hammond,  Zelda  Hill,  Jay  N.  Hill,  Jo  Ann  Hill  (deceased) 


412 


Thomas  Todd  and  Sarah  Hansen  Murdoch  Faniily 
l.r.  Vaughn  Murdoch,  Sarah  M.  Gilbert,  Delia,  Todd,  Qara,  and  Tom 


Dclmer  Jcsscn,  Thclma,  Jack  John  F.  Jcssen  Jr.  Janice 


Service  men  Preparing  to  leave  for  world  war  I 

413 


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